A New Executive Secretary for the SMV

This year’s SMV Delegates’ Assembly took place in Biel amid sweltering midsummer heat. The venue was the Farelsaal, an architectural icon from the late 1950s. Originally a parish hall for the Reformed Church, it has been operated by a new management team for the past 10 years as a cultural center featuring an attractive bistro and a hall that hosts a wide variety of events.

The concert opened with a wind quintet from the Biel Solothurn Symphony Orchestra performing Darius Milhaud's King René's Chimney performed it with great nuance and beautiful tone.

In his opening remarks, Co-Central President Davide Jäger said that, in the general public’s understanding, the SMV is primarily associated with «tariffs.» The recently published “Tariff Traffic Light”—which documents which professional orchestras meet or fall short of the SMV minimum tariff—shows where we stand today. Despite widespread pressure to cut costs, this should not even be up for debate; rather, the government should provide more generous support for culture. Defense projects are given priority, even though cultural projects cost much less. In closing, Jäger noted that awareness of the minimum wage still needs to grow.

Co-President Muriel Noble, for her part, noted that appreciation for the profession of musician itself is still somewhat underdeveloped, given that even subscribers to the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande are unaware that it is a professional orchestra. The cost of training is completely overlooked, not to mention the expensive instruments. Noble also reminded the audience that solidarity among permanently employed musicians and freelancers is very important.

Sophie Laville, President of the SMV’s Biel Chapter, also welcomed the delegates and drew parallels between her orchestra—which is seeking a new artistic director for the 2027–28 season—and the SMV, where a new Central Secretary will soon take the helm of our association. A time of change…

Cristian Vasile of Geneva is stepping down from the Central Board after 22 years. Muriel Noble paid tribute to his contributions (which we will cover in a separate report) and described Cristian as someone who followed his own path but still dedicated himself to the collective.

Having reached retirement age, Beat Santschi is also stepping down from his position as SMV Central Secretary (see the article dedicated to him about his work with the SMV and an interview with him). Toni Krein, president of orchester.ch, the Association of Swiss Professional Orchestras, noted that his relationship with Beat Santschi had always been characterized by respect and personal trust—something that cannot be taken for granted. Davide Jäger remarked that Beat Santschi had become the very embodiment of the SMV, first as a member of the Central Executive Board, then as Central President, and finally as Central Secretary. It had always been important to him that freelancers and permanent employees work together toward a common goal. Beat Santschi was awarded honorary membership in the SMV. The honoree expressed his gratitude for the recognition. He noted that he had served on SMV committees for 28 years and was the first freelancer to serve as Central President. He noted that the pandemic had been the most difficult period of his professional life, but that the “Taskforce culture” had been very helpful. As his hopes for the future, he cited fair wages and social security for both permanent employees and freelancers. We are on the right track, but the road ahead is still rocky. More work needs to be done to improve the standing of the musician profession. He hopes that the fight for compensation when musicians’ work is used by AI can be won. International solidarity is important. Various professional associations should also join forces at the national level.

Carlo Mathieu, a candidate for the SMV Central Secretariat, then introduced himself. He will be featured in a separate article in the next issue of the SMZ. He was unanimously elected as Beat Santschi’s successor. Maël Graa, a professional tenor from French-speaking Switzerland who has long been advocating for better working conditions for freelance singers in Western Switzerland, was elected to the Central Executive Board as the successor to Cristian Vasile (see article with interview).

As agreed at the 2025 General Assembly, the «Balancing Care and Work» and «Health and Safety Platform» working groups reported on their activities. There was a lengthy and contentious discussion about which working group should be continued. While the Central Executive Committee seeks and favors a comprehensive solution in which health issues, as well as workplace bullying and the balance between work and childcare, are all facets of a comprehensive health strategy, a majority of the delegates favored prioritizing the «Work-Life Balance» working group for the time being, as it specifically addresses the day-to-day challenges faced by pregnant women and new parents. «Health and Safety» is being further explored and developed by Muriel Noble in collaboration with physical therapist Jody Karoubi.

A motion by the Zurich Section calling for greater transparency in the selection of delegates to national and international labor union assemblies was noted.

With the departure of Beat Santschi and the election of Carlo Mathieu, the Biel Delegates’ Assembly had already taken on an almost historic significance, but the lively discussions and the record-breaking outdoor temperature are also likely to be remembered.

The minutes of this DM will be published on the SMV website and can also be viewed at the Central Secretariat.