50 years of the Swiss Youth Music Competition
The Swiss Youth Music Competition (SJMW) is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a broad daytime programme and an anniversary concert in the evening.
Gerd Albrecht, former chief conductor of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, founded the SJMW in 1975 with the aim of finding and promoting young musical talent. Currently, over 1500 musicians from all over Switzerland aged between eight and twenty take part in the competition in the categories Classica, Composition, Jazz&Pop and FreeSpace. Meeting and exchanging ideas with other young musicians from all over Switzerland confirmed the young musicians' passion for music and encouraged them to continue on their artistic path. Many former SJMW participants have gone on to become renowned artists. Some are now also musicians in the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich.
Today, the SJMW is celebrating with its guests, with many musicians who are associated with it and with all interested parties. The children's and jazz concerts, the installation, the vernissage of a publication and the jazz concert are free to attend. The anniversary concert will be recorded by Swiss Radio SRF 2 Kultur, produced as a trilingual "Pavillon Suisse" (SRF, RSI, RTS). The broadcast date on SRF 2 Kultur is Thursday, 18 September 2025, at 8 pm in the programme "Im Konzertsaal".
Programme Sat, 13 Sep 2025
15.00 - 15.50 - Children's concert - Kleine Tonhalle
The little witch Fräxli is 150 years young and eager to finally receive her long-awaited witch's diploma. But first she has to pass a whole series of difficult tests with a bit of luck, pranks and trickery. Young prizewinners of the SJMW frame the adventures of the little witch with works by A. Vivaldi, W.A. Mozart, G. Rossini, A. Dvořák, C. Saint-Saëns, E.W. Korngold, Black Eyed Peas and many others.
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16.00 - 18.00 - Installation - Concert foyer
To mark its 50th anniversary, the SJMW is presenting an interactive installation in which the audience is invited to play and create their own melodies. Thibault Jaccard is curating this performance.
Admission to the installation is free.
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16.30 - 17.00 - Book launch - Concert foyer
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the SJWM, the publication "50" will be released, presenting the development and success of this high-quality competition at national level. It features a portrait of a winner from each year, with texts by Michael Eidenbenz and pictures by Ueli Steingruber. Valérie Probst is the artistic director.
Admission to the book launch is free.
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17.00 - 17.30 - Jazz concert - Kleine Tonhalle
Over 1500 musicians aged between eight and 20 from all over Switzerland currently take part in the SJMW every year. The competition takes place in different categories and since 2012 also in the Jazz&Pop category. In this concert, the Daniel Schnyder Trio will embark on a jazzy journey around the world.
Admission is free of charge. Admission only with ticket for the anniversary concert.
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18.30 - 20.00 - Anniversary concert - Grosse Tonhalle
Today, the success story and the 50th anniversary of the SJMW will be celebrated with a broad programme. For the anniversary concert, two commissions have been awarded to the Swiss composers Daniel Schnyder and Richard Dubugnon. These new and other works will be premiered by the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, current and former SJMW prizewinners under the direction of David Bruchez-Lalli.
Admission CHF 35
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20.00 - 20.45 - Closing with jazz - concert foyer
Cellist Christoph Croisé and pianist Mischa Cheung embark on an improvised journey through jazzy soundscapes.
Admission is free. Admission only with ticket for the anniversary concert.
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In collaboration with the Swiss Youth Music Competition
Supported by the Hirschmann Foundation, theRuth and Ernst Burkhalter Foundation , the Swiss Mobiliar Cooperative and the Ruth Burkhalter Foundation for the Promotion of Young Musical Talent
