Founded in 2005, the Zermatt Music Festival & Academy is built around an orchestral and chamber music academy led by the Scharoun Ensemble of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and open to young musicians from Switzerland and around the world. It offers the public a series of concerts in which the members of the Academy, the Scharoun Ensemble, ensembles from Valais and renowned soloists come together.
The festival takes place every year in late summer and involves numerous venues throughout Zermatt: St. Mauritius parish church, Riffelalp chapel, English church, Backstage Hotel Vernissage, Matterhorn Museum as well as hotels, the school and the retirement home. The festival program is organized in collaboration with other cultural players in Valais, such as the Fondation Pierre Gianadda in Martiny. One of the special features of the festival is its extremely varied program: it includes not only famous orchestral works by classical composers, but also lesser-known chamber music works, jazz, folk music and films.
Zermatt Music Festival & Academy, Opening Concert, 2023 © Aline Fournier
In an effort to make the concerts accessible to as wide an audience as possible, the festival pursues a corresponding pricing policy. The maximum ticket price is limited to CHF 35, and each year a quarter of the program is free. For example, the public has the opportunity to attend the Matterhorn Serenades, a series of free short concerts on the church square. Treat yourself to this unique musical experience in Zermatt, where the breathtaking beauty of nature forms the backdrop for a festive musical program that unites young talents, dedicated teachers and renowned artists in all simplicity.
September 5 to 15, 2024
