Media Release

March 17, 2026 — VERBIER (Switzerland) —The Verbier Festival unveils the musicians selected for its 2026 Academy and Orchestra Training Programmes, reaffirming its commitment to artistic excellence and the development of the next generation of performers.

With a record 2,425 applications representing 2,493 musicians from 81 countries, the 2026 selection reflects both the global reach of the Festival and the continued strength of its training programmes. From this pool, 227 musicians from 43 countries have been invited to join the Academy and Orchestra programmes this summer.

A Global Platform for Emerging Artists

The Verbier Festival Academy offers young musicians the opportunity to refine their craft in close collaboration with leading artists of today. Through intensive coaching, performance opportunities and career-focused initiatives, participants are immersed in an environment that reflects the realities of the professional music world.

The 2026 edition continues to expand its focus on career development, interdisciplinary collaboration and artistic identity, alongside its core training in solo, chamber, orchestral and vocal performance.

Academy Programmes

Soloists & Ensembles

A total of 44 musicians have been selected across instrumental disciplines, including two Junior Soloists and one ‘Artist of Promise’ (a young observing student). Participants represent 20 nationalities, with an average age of 22.

New in 2026, the Festival welcomes inn.wien, a group of eleven young musicians based in Vienna. Integrated into the Soloists & Ensembles programme, the ensemble participates fully in the Academy while also contributing to initiatives that extend the Festival’s presence in the region, including musical walks, regional performances and projects for young audiences.

The programme combines individual coaching and chamber music with masterclasses led by artists including Richard Goode, András Schiff, Augustin Dumay and Steven Isserlis, alongside a distinguished international faculty.

Atelier Lyrique

The Atelier Lyrique welcomes 15 singers from nine countries, selected from 160 applicants. Guided by an internationally recognised faculty including Renée Fleming, Barbara Frittoli, Thomas Quasthoff, Sandrine Piau and James Gaffigan, the programme combines intensive musical preparation with a strong focus on stagecraft, collaboration and professional integration.

A central highlight of the 2026 edition is a semi-staged performance of Verdi’s La Traviata, presented on the Festival’s main stage on the closing afternoon. The project offers singers the opportunity to develop and perform roles within a major international festival environment and to be seen by a global audience through the Festival’s broadcast on medici.tv.

The Atelier Lyrique provides a vital bridge between study and the professional stage, equipping young singers with the artistic and practical tools required for the next stage of their careers.

Musicpreneurship

Musicpreneurship forms a central pillar of the Verbier Festival Academy, reflecting the reality that today’s musicians must not only perform at the highest level but also shape their own artistic paths.

Across the Academy, musicians engage in a series of sessions focused on career development, artistic identity and project creation, including mentoring, peer exchange and practical guidance on building sustainable and individual careers.

At the centre of this work is the Creative Project Development Residency, which each year supports a selected artist in developing an original performance concept from initial idea through to presentation. In 2026, the Residency is awarded to Spanish accordionist Sofía Ros, whose presence also reflects the Academy’s openness to musicians and artistic voices beyond its traditional instrumental framework.

Alongside the Residency, all Academy musicians benefit from this focus through additional workshops and guidance, making Musicpreneurship an integral part of the Academy experience.

Audio Recording

The Audio Recording Programme is a distinctive component of the Verbier Festival Academy and remains unique among European summer music academies.

Each year, up to four emerging sound engineers are selected to work alongside an international team of producers and recording specialists, including Theresa Leonard, Head of the Programme, and guest faculty Mark Willsher. Participants gain hands-on experience in the capture and production of audio and video content across the Festival, working in real-time on live-streamed and recorded performances.

Their work spans a wide range of contexts, from large-scale Festival concerts to UNLTD performances in both acoustic and amplified settings, and includes dedicated projects such as studio recordings with Academy artists, including the Fibonacci Quartet, the Academy’s string quartet in residence.

Working in close collaboration with professional engineers and video teams, participants develop practical skills in recording, editing and production using industry-standard equipment, in conditions that reflect the demands of professional practice.

Orchestra Training

Verbier Festival Orchestra (VFO)

The Verbier Festival Orchestra (VFO), the Festival’s flagship training orchestra, brings together 99 musicians aged 18–28 from 26 countries for a five-week residency under the direction of leading conductors including Simon Rattle, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Daniel Harding and Lahav Shani.

Working closely with musicians from the world’s leading orchestras, participants engage with major symphonic repertoire in a fully professional festival context.

In 2026, the Orchestra performs a programme that includes Messiaen’s Turangalîla-Symphonie, Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 and Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben, presented on the Festival’s mainstage.

Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra (VFJO)

The Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra (VFJO) brings together 60 musicians aged 15–18 from 22 countries for a three-week residency under the direction of its Music Director, James Gaffigan. In 2026, the orchestra will appear in three mainstage performances, including collaborations with Janine Jansen and Bruce Liu.

For the first time, the VFJO will also perform in a prime-time evening concert slot, a strong sign of the Festival’s confidence in this exceptional group of young musicians. The 2026 programme includes Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1, Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3, Orff’s Carmina Burana and a collaboration with the Atelier Lyrique in Verdi’s La traviata.

Conducting Mentorship Programme

Up to four young conductors are selected for an immersive programme that places them at the heart of the Verbier Festival’s orchestral activity. Working across the Verbier Festival Orchestra (VFO), Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra (VFJO), and the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra (VFCO)—the Festival’s professional chamber orchestra—fellows take part in rehearsals, sectionals and performances, while observing and assisting leading conductors including Simon Rattle, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Daniel Harding, Lahav Shani, Gianandrea Noseda and Vasily Petrenko.

Conducting Fellows take on assistant conductor responsibilities, supporting rehearsals and working directly with conductors and orchestral musicians. Fully embedded in the daily life of the orchestras, they gain practical insight into rehearsal process, communication, and artistic decision-making at the highest level. The programme also offers direct access to the Festival’s artistic leadership through mentorship sessions with Festival Founder Martin T:son Engstroem, a roundtable with Gábor Takács-Nagy, and individual exchanges with guest conductors, alongside opportunities to lead small ensemble work.

Masterclasses and Rehearsals Open to All

The Verbier Festival Academy offers more than 100 masterclasses and workshops, free and open to the public, with full listings available on the Festival’s website.

Many orchestra rehearsals, including general and dress rehearsals, are also open to the public, offering a unique opportunity to experience the Festival’s artistic work from within. Details of open rehearsals will be announced in the lead-up to the Festival.

Statistics, Student Names, Festival and Masterclass programme

• Applicant and successful candidate statistics: click here
• Names of 2026 students: click here
• Verbier Festival 2026 programme click here
• Verbier Festival 2026 Academy masterclasses click here

The Verbier Festival is a classical music festival that encourages sharing between great musicians and young aspiring artists from around the world. It is committed to excellence in music performance and education through its highly respected artistic programme, Academy and Orchestra training programmes and cultural development programmes. The next edition of the Verbier Festival will take place July 16 to August 3, 2025 in Verbier (Switzerland). The Festival is made possible with the generous support of its many private and public supporters, including Aline Foriel-Destezet, the Association of The Friends of the Verbier Festival, the Festival’s Chairman’s Circle, the Commune of Val de Bagnes, the Loterie Romande, and the Festival’s Principal Sponsor, Reyl Bank & Cie.

CONTACTS