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The Verbier Festival Academy provides a unique opportunity for a select group of exceptional young performers to participate in masterclasses and workshops with the world’s leading artists, to exchange creative ideas and to perform together in beautiful surroundings. It offers a life-changing experience, an opportunity for learning, for reflection, for inspiration and for making new connections.

Our programme focusses on Violin, Viola, Cello, Piano, Chamber Music and Voice.

Download detailed information on the Verbier Festival Academy.

Imagine

Dream to be one of a small and select group of exceptional young artists invited to participate in the Verbier Festival Academy.

Take daily masterclasses and play chamber music. Relish the chance to perform in public. Take risks, inspire audiences, meet people and have fun. Challenge yourself to exceed your perceived limits of performance and to grow artistically and personally.

Discover how exceptional teaching and extraordinary artistry can inspire you.

Reflect

Focus on how to make the best impression and think about your stagecraft. Consider all the elements which may make up your performing career.

Reflect creatively on how to develop your own career. Learn from the experiences from great musicians and ask questions. Present from the stage and inspire others.

Engage

Engage with musicians present in Verbier. Go out of your way to hear and meet the world’s renowned masters and performers.

Network with artists, agents, promoters, orchestra directors and recording company executives who come to Verbier; they are actively encouraged to take an interest in the Academy and they have the possibility to help your development as a performing artist.

Stay connected with the Academy all year round; we are committed to helping participants even when the summer is over. We actively follow and promote careers, and provide performing opportunities and auditions through our global network.

Enjoy

Enjoy all that a summer in Verbier has to offer.

Attend Festival concerts given by the Verbier Festival Orchestras and many internationally renowned performers. Play for fun with musicians from the Amateur Chamber Music Week, and participate actively in the Discovery programme.

Savour the majestic beauty of the Swiss Alps and, of course, enjoy the Verbier nightlife.

Watch

Watch these films made at the Verbier Festival Academy.

Ana Chumachenco
Extract from Ana Chumachenco’s masterclass on a Mozart Violin Concerto with Eldbjorg Hemsing. Verbier Festival Academy 2007.

Gábor Takács-Nagy
Extract from Gábor Takács-Nagy’s masterclass on Brahms Piano
Quartet op. 60 at the Verbier Festival Academy 2007.

Frans Helmerson
Extract from Frans Helmerson’s masterclass on Dvorak Cello Concerto with Sebastian Baverstam. Verbier Festival Academy 2007.

The Masterclass Media Foundation and the Verbier Festival Academy have collaborated together on over twenty films made in Verbier and which feature many of the world’s leading teachers. More information can be found at masterclassfoundation.org

Violin

Violinists will have solo masterclasses with Zakhar Bron, Pamela Frank and Ferenc Rados.

All violinists also play chamber music. This programme is led by Gábor Takács-Nagy with additional coaching from Ferenc Rados and Antoine Tamestit.

Violinists may also participate in our Baroque Academy with Masaaki Suzuki.

Apply now

The Verbier Festival Academy is delighted to be associated with Queen Elisabeth Competition for Violin 2012.

Viola

Violists will have solo masterclasses with Lawrence Power and Lars Anders Tomter.

All violists also play chamber music. This programme is led by Gábor Takács-Nagy with additional coaching from Ferenc Rados and Antoine Tamestit.

Violists may also participate in our Baroque Academy with Masaaki Suzuki.

Apply now

The Verbier Festival Academy is delighted to be associated with Tokyo International Viola Competition 2012.

Cello

Cellists will have solo masterclasses with Ralph Kirshbaum and Torleif Thedéen.

All cellists also play chamber music. This programme is led by Gábor Takács-Nagy with additional coaching from Ferenc Rados and Antoine Tamestit.

Cellists may also participate in our Baroque Academy with Masaaki Suzuki.

Apply now

Piano

Pianists will have solo masterclasses with Dimitri Bashkirov and Menahem Pressler.

All pianists also play chamber music. This programme is led by Gábor Takács-Nagy with additional coaching from Ferenc Rados and Antoine Tamestit.

Pianists may also work on Bach and Baroque Interpretation with Masaaki Suzuki and on Lieder Accompaniment with Malcolm Martineau.

Apply now

Chamber Music

Existing chamber groups (strings with or without piano) may apply to join our Chamber Music programme. Previous Academy groups have included the Ardeo, Badke, Barbirolli, Danish, Ebène, Modigliani and Navarra String Quartets.

Each group will receive chamber music coaching from Gábor Takács-Nagy, and there may be additional coachings with Alfred Brendel, Pamela Frank and Ferenc Rados.

The Chamber Music programme also includes all instrumentalists selected to participate in the Verbier Festival Academy.

Apply now

Voice

There will be two Voice Classes in Verbier in 2012.

One group will focus on Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro. This project is led by Caroline Dowdle, and includes masterclasses with Sir Thomas Allen and Renata Scotto. The public performance of
Le Nozze di Figaro on 5 August in the Verbier Church will be directed by Tim Carroll.

The other group will focus on Lieder, Songs and Arias with masterclasses from Thomas Quasthoff.

Both groups may have additional masterclasses with Alfred Brendel, Malcolm Martineau and Masaaki Suzuki.

Apply now