As co-founder and music director of the Budapest Festival Orchestra, Iván Fischer has written one of the most beautiful chapters in the history of the international orchestral world, according to the Menuhin Festival’s press release. Through worldwide tours and a series of critically acclaimed recordings—including numerous interpretations and complete recordings of Beethoven—he has also earned an exceptional reputation as an interpreter of the genius from Bonn.

The award is an initiative of the Beethoven House in Bonn and the Wegeler Wineries, supported by leading European wine producers. The award is inspired by a “friendship glass” that Ludwig van Beethoven gave to his childhood friend from Bonn, Franz Gerhard Wegeler, in 1816, which is now on display in the permanent exhibition at the Beethoven House.

According to the press release, the city’s Cultural Commission honors «their distinctive musical language and virtuosity.» Evelyn and Kristina Brunner were among the outstanding representatives of contemporary Swiss folk music. With the Schwyzerörgeli, cello, and double bass, they combine tradition and innovation, says City Councilmember Katharina Ali-Oesch, head of the Department of Education, Sports, and Culture.

The two sisters, Evelyn and Kristina Brunner, have been playing together since early childhood. Both began playing the Schwyzerörgeli when they were in kindergarten. They received their own Schwyzerörgeli at a very young age and developed a deep passion for traditional Swiss folk music. Their projects include, among others, a collaboration with dialect writer Pedro Lenz, a trio with Spanish violinist Gabriel Miranda, and the string quartet Eiger, Mönch & Urschwyz.

After graduating from high school, Kristina Brunner studied cello and Schwyzerörgeli at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts – Music and teaches at the Gürbetal Regional Music School as well as in her studio in Lucerne. Her sister Evelyn also studied jazz double bass, music and movement education, and folk music in Lucerne. She teaches at the Thun Regional Music School and in her studio in Spiez.

Armin Brunner studied conducting and composition at the Zurich University of the Arts and served as artistic director of the Neue Zürcher Kammeroper from 1953 to 1973. In 1971, he founded the Musikszenische Studio Zürich. From 1979 to 1998, he served as music director for DRS television, where he collaborated with television director Adrian Marthaler to develop narrative music productions and other musical television formats.

From the summer of 2000 through 2009, Brunner served as artistic director of the Migros Culture Percentage’s Klubhaus concerts.

The appointment comes after he was named General Music Director of the Stuttgart State Opera and State Orchestra, effective with the 2026–27 season—making him the first Australian to hold this position at an opera house with a history spanning more than 400 years.

Carter previously served as music director at both the Hamburg State Opera and the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and served as chief conductor of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra from 2016 to 2019. From 2018 to 2021, he was principal conductor at the Stadttheater Klagenfurt and with the Carinthian Symphony Orchestra, and most recently, from 2021 to 2025, he served as principal conductor and co-opera director at the Bühnen Bern.

The jury decided to «award a double prize in recognition of the outstanding talent of both young conductors.» In 2026, an Audience Choice Award was also introduced for the first time. During the final concert, the audience voted digitally for their favorite. With 23 percent of the votes, Gonzalo Alacrón Burriel from Spain won the Audience Award.

With the Menuhin Conducting Prize, the Menuhin Festival Gstaad continues its longstanding commitment to supporting young conductors. Launched in 2015 as the Neeme Järvi Prize, the award was presented in 2026 with a «refined focus and a stronger emphasis on the long-term development of young talent.» This year, ten young conductors worked with Jaap van Zweden, Alexander Shelley, Johannes Schlaefli, and Stef Collignon as part of the Conducting Academy. The highlight of the master class was the final concert in the Gstaad Festival Tent.

The German conductor and composer is currently music director of the Kansas City Symphony Orchestra (KCS). During the 2018–19 season, he served as Season Creative Chair of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich. He also served as principal conductor of the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra from 2016 to 2018.

The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1968 by cellist James Arkatov, modeled after the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, to give some 40 members of a film studio orchestra the opportunity to perform the classical repertoire. The ensemble’s first principal conductor was Sir Neville Marriner.

Hayato Sumino began as a musical prodigy and gained fame at the age of 13 through his YouTube channel «Cateen.» Winning the Grand Prix at the 2018 PTNA Piano Competition marked the start of his professional career. His debut album followed in 2019 Passion and international concert performances. At the 2021 Chopin Competition, he reached the semifinals and set a streaming record with 45,000 live viewers.

In the years that followed, he established himself worldwide as a concert pianist, performing with renowned orchestras such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the NHK Symphony Orchestra, and the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, and releasing successful albums such as Human Universe (2024) and Chopin Orbit (2026). At the same time, the audience on his YouTube channel grew to over 1.5 million subscribers, making him one of the few figures to combine classical music and digital reach at the highest level.

According to a press release from the Menuhin Festival, the Olivier Berggruen Prize is dedicated to the long-term support of outstanding musical talent and has now been awarded for the fifth time. In addition to a concert as part of the festival program, the award includes a trophy specially designed by contemporary artist Olympia Scarry.

Robert Ernst Castellitz is succeeding Stefan Vogel: He will become Director of Operations and a member of the executive board of the Lucerne Theater. His areas of responsibility include planning, production, stage operations, and infrastructure. A key task will be ensuring the smooth operation of the theater in the theater and workshop buildings, which are in need of renovation.

A native of Vienna, he has many years of experience at renowned theaters and cultural institutions in Austria, Switzerland, the U.S., and Germany, according to the Lucerne Theater. He served as artistic director at the Theater Freiburg and the Schauspielhaus Düsseldorf, and was also deputy artistic director in Freiburg. His career has taken him to the Burgtheater, the Vienna State Opera, and the Ruhrtriennale, where he served as Director of Artistic Management. Most recently, he served as Head of Event Management and Authorized Signatory at Gasteig München GmbH (2019–2023) and, starting in 2024, as a freelance cultural manager, curator, artistic project manager, and coach.

The management team of the Lucerne Theater is now once again fully staffed, consisting of co-artistic directors Katja Langenbach and Wanda Puvogel, financial director Adrian Balmer, and operations director Robert Ernst Castellitz.

The Schola accounts for four of the five finalists in the 2026 MA Competition in Bruges for harpsichord: Irene González Roldán, an alumna and assistant to Andrea Marcon, wins first prize. The Audience Choice Award goes to finalist Olga Davnis (class of Francesco Corti). Also reaching the finals are Louise Acabo (a former student of Francesco Corti) and Anastasiia Egorenkova (from Andrea Marcon’s class).

Peter Hong-Jo Lim, a harpsichord student at SCB in Francesco Corti’s class, won the Indy Baroque Competition on the recorder and received the Devona and Amos Gerber Grand Prize as well as the Audience Award.

In York, too, nearly all the prizes went to Schola ensembles: Bianca Cucini (class of François Joubert) won the Jury Prize at the York International Young Artists Competition. The ensembles Ossian’s Dream (Jaume Guri Batlle, Léa Al-Saguir, Anne Sophie van Riel, Martin Egidi, Claudia Reyes Segovia, Pau Fernández Benlloch) and Tra Noi (featuring Bianca Cucini and Rafaela Salgado) each receive the Eubo Prize, and the ensemble Lagrime (Franziska Blömer, Maximilien Brisson, Barbora Hulcová) is awarded the Cambridge Early Music Prize.

Born in 1967, Clot Buchli studied clarinet with Antony Morf at the Lucerne University of Music and at the Basel Academy of Music with Hans Rudolf Stalder. He has been a member of the Graubünden Chamber Philharmonic since 2002. In addition, he performs as a soloist and is actively involved in a wide range of chamber music activities in various ensembles and styles. As a sought-after guest musician, he also performs with various Swiss orchestras. In 2002, he received the Canton of Graubünden’s Cultural Promotion Award for his musical achievements. Buchli teaches at the music schools in Chur and Landquart and lives in Haldenstein.

Any Sabadi, born in 1998, is a singer-songwriter. She first gained recognition in 2019 when she participated in the BandXost competition, where she took third place with her original compositions. Initially performing songs in English, she later turned to her native dialect and developed a personal style blending soul, pop, R&B, and singer-songwriting. A hallmark of her performances is her use of a keyboard and loop station, which she uses to create polyphonic soundscapes live on stage.

Through its recognition awards, the city of Chur honors cultural achievements spanning at least ten years that are of particular significance to the city and its surrounding area. The grants and recognition awards are each endowed with 4,000 Swiss francs.

The court has thus upheld Gema’s position: The exploitation and reproduction of musical works from the Gema repertoire are subject to licensing requirements, and providers must pay royalties to the copyright holders. This decision marks Gema’s second legal victory in a case against an AI provider. Back in November 2025, the Regional Court had already ruled in Gema’s favor in a legal dispute against OpenAI.

On January 21, 2025, Gema filed a lawsuit against Suno in the Munich Regional Court in order to enforce its members’ right to compensation for the use of their works. Despite being asked to obtain a license, Suno had not responded.

Original article:
https://www.gema.de/de/w/suno-entscheidung-2026

The award is presented each year to the most promising talent at the Verbier Festival Academy. The announcement was made following Oniani's performance as Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata, presented by the Academy's Atelier Lyrique with the Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra, conducted by James Gaffigan.

Originally from the mountains of Georgia, Ana Oniani first studied orchestral conducting before turning her attention to singing. She is a graduate of the Vano Sarajishvili State Conservatory in Tbilisi. In 2025, she was accepted into the Academy of the Opéra national de Paris.

The Prix Yves Paternot was established in memory of Yves Paternot—founder of the Amis du Verbier Festival and a long-standing member of the festival’s board of trustees. In addition to the prize money, the award includes an invitation to perform at an upcoming edition of the Verbier Festival and also offers the winner the opportunity to receive up to 15,000 Swiss francs in additional support for their artistic and professional development.

Bernardo Ferreira is from Covilhã and is the winner of the Paulo Gaio Lima Prize (2023) and the Helena Sá e Costa Prize (2022). He holds a master’s degree in performance from ESMAE – Escola Superior de Música e Artes do Espetáculo in Porto and began the Master of Performance program at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) in Zurich in February under the guidance of Thomas Grossenbacher. He is a founding member of the Cecilia Quartet, a member of the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra, and a guest performer with the Remix Ensemble at Casa da Música.

The Prémio Jovens Músicos is jointly organized by the Portuguese public broadcaster RTP (via the Antena 2 channel) and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Held annually, it recognizes outstanding talent and the artistic development of young performers across various disciplines and age groups, and is considered one of Portugal’s most prestigious music competitions. The expert jury for the 2026 cello category featured a distinguished panel of judges: Sérgio Neves, Teresa Valente Pereira, and Jed Barahal.

The aim of the study is to «develop possible visions of the future of the music industry and music culture and, based on these, derive concrete recommendations and areas requiring action for policymakers.» The goal is to establish, at an early stage, the conditions for a legally sound, fair, and culturally responsible use of AI in the music sector.

The Popakademie contributes its expertise at the intersection of the music industry, digitalization, and industry practice. In particular, it examines the social, economic, and legal impacts of generative AI on the music industry. The Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology uses its technological expertise in the field of audio AI to analyze the current state and development of generative music AI. It assesses technical potential and risks, thereby providing the basis for realistic future scenarios.

The project’s findings are intended to help policymakers, the music industry, and society at large assess technological developments at an early stage and develop strategies for the legally compliant, ethical, and culturally responsible use of generative AI in the music sector—from production to exploitation.

More info: 
https://www.idmt.fraunhofer.de/de/Press_and_Media/press_releases/2026/projektstart-perspektive-2036-einfluss-generativer-ki-auf-musikwirtschaft.html

Her music for the short film was honored with the Peer Raben Music Award A Better You (Directed by Arina Popa). The international jury praised «the composers» distinctive artistic style, their willingness to experiment with different soundscapes, and the close integration of music and narrative.” Both completed their master’s degrees in composition for film, theater, and media in 25/26.

The Peer Raben Music Award honors the best original music in a short film. The winner receives a cash prize of 1,500 euros. First presented in 2009, the award commemorates the German film composer Peer Raben. This year, seven film scores from festival highlights of the international short film scene were nominated; they were recognized for their innovative and dramaturgically coherent use of music and sound in relation to the narrative.