Classical music festivals

Tradition and innovation, international stars and up-and-coming young talents, chamber and symphonic music: every summer the Gstaad Menuhin Festival delights its audiences as one of Switzerland’s largest music festivals, with concerts in historic churches and the elegant festival marquee in Gstaad.

Every year since the event was first founded in 2001, young musicians and internationally renowned artists have come together for the Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad. As the highlight of the winter season, they showcase works from the classical repertoire at the chapel in Gstaad and the village churches in Rougemont and Saanen.

Every spring, the Interlaken Classics present a diverse and high-quality programme under the rubric ‘Meeting today the classic stars of tomorrow’. The event is designed specifically with the promotion of young up-and-coming talents in mind. For them, these demanding concerts are an opportunity to stand in the limelight for the first time.

The violin academy founded in 2013 by musician and educator Prof. Zakhar Bron provides musical training opportunities for young, promising talents. Training modules and public concerts are held throughout the Interlaken Classics.

Each year, the Bachwochen Thun (Thun Bach Weeks) are held in churches and community halls throughout the Thun region over two weekends in September. First-rate concerts ranging from classical music to jazz are complemented by innovative music education projects designed to appeal to young people in particular.

It’s not just the musical genres ranging from classical to jazz that are surprising: every year in June, the Schlosskonzerte Thun (Thun Castle Concerts) prove equally inspiring, with concerts at special venues throughout the town. Nonetheless, the historic Knights’ Hall at Thun Castle remains by far the most important location.

Every year in May, classical chamber music, enthralling voices, and jazz resound throughout Spiez Castle perched above the harbour on Lake Thun. The Schlosskonzerte Spiez (Spiez Castle Concerts) combine a stylish atmosphere with wonderful acoustics to create a very special concert experience.

High above Lake Thun, the International Opera Workshop in Sigriswil promotes talented young voices from all over the world. Every autumn, after intensive sessions preparing both their music and their performances, the workshop participants have the opportunity to present to the public various scenes and arias from all eras of opera.

The Gaia Music Festival Oberhofen is a festival that creates the space, tranquillity, and time needed for music. Every year in the first week of May, the picturesque village of Oberhofen on Lake Thun and its environs provide a magical backdrop for numerous first-rate concerts.

Three municipalities, six award-winning concerts: the autumn festival in the Frutigland region is the occasion for the country’s best up-and-coming ensembles to come together. Thanks to the wide-ranging supporting programme, it is by no means merely classical works that are performed at the festival.

Fantastic musicians await you in July at the Musikfestwoche Meiringen (Meiringen Music Festival Week). Enjoy a wide variety of great works performed in various instrumentations. Not to mention the legendary acoustics inside the beautiful church of St. Michael in Meiringen.

‘From baroque to modern’ is the motto of the Mendelssohn Music Week in Wengen this August, featuring internationally renowned musicians. Besides wonderful compositions, Felix Mendelssohn also painted a view of Wengen and the Jungfrau. In fact, it is considered the oldest historical representation of the village.

Grenzklang features various projects in all sorts of line-ups, from trios to chamber ensembles. With the genre of early music as their focal point, the innovative musicians never fail to delight their audiences with first-rate concerts.

Enjoy music in a wide variety of genres in the Gantrisch Nature Park. Classical music, jazz, folk, rock and pop make for a colourful mix. The fresh mountain air always attracts national and international artists as they share the stage with local village associations, yodelling choirs, and music societies.

The Langnauer Kammermusik-Abende (Langnau Chamber Music Evenings) provide the setting for a wonderful transition from winter to spring. Small, delightful instrumental ensembles enchant their audiences with classical concerts by a wide range of composers and a variety of melodious instruments that are always a discovery.

For more than 75 years, the Kammermusik-Konzerte Langenthal (Langenthal Chamber Music Concerts) have been synonymous with first-rate musical enjoyment. Five classical concerts are held annually in the baroque hall of the Hotel Bären, featuring internationally established musicians and young up-and-coming Swiss artists.

Set in the former monastery church in the Grand Chasseral region, the biennial Battements de l’Abbatiale are a wonderful response to the call of the historical heritage of this baroque site. Over the summer months, contemporary art and a stellar programme of music blend together in an extraordinary symbiosis.

With its rich architectural heritage and tremendous diversity the Grand Chasseral region never ceases to fascinate. In keeping with such a marvellous setting, the Estivales Musicales are held there every summer in several municipalities, boasting a varied programme dedicated to chamber music.

The Chasseral Nature Park provides the backdrop for the Jardins Musicaux Festival, showcasing artists from various disciplines and genres every August. Contemporary music, jazz, classical music, opera, and dance can all be enjoyed at many venues in magnificent surroundings.

The Salon de Musique in Cormoret is the venue that brings together first-rate artists for this summer festival of classical music. With organ music the main focus, these virtuoso musicians combine chamber and vocal music with instruments such as the clarinet, táragotó, dulcimer, singing, recorder, and violin.