Explore the 2026 Programme

Prix Yves Paternot Laureate (2018), Timothy Chooi returns to Verbier after a remarkable rise on the international stage. His masterclasses open the Academy’s violin sessions in a spirit of generosity and exchange, offering young artists an inspiring example of a career that began here.

At just 20 years old, Amira Abouzahra, a student of our Academy with Hungarian and Egyptian roots, captivates with her rare intensity and already commanding presence. Trained in Vienna within a family of musicians, she makes her Verbier debut this summer alongside Julien Quentin, in a spirited and contrasting program featuring, among others, the brilliant Violin Sonata by Richard Strauss.

With Mihaela Martin, sound and structure go hand in hand. Her masterclasses bring young violinists into the discipline of refined technique and attentive listening, where precision and control lead naturally to depth of interpretation.

With Mihaela Martin, sound and structure go hand in hand. Her masterclasses bring young violinists into the discipline of refined technique and attentive listening, where precision and control lead naturally to depth of interpretation.

Kirill Gerstein brings clarity and curiosity to his chamber music work. A former student of Solomon Mikowsky, Dmitri Bashkirov, and Ferenc Rados, he challenges musicians to think before they play — to balance structure with spontaneity and to approach interpretation as shared exploration.

Kirill Gerstein brings clarity and curiosity to his chamber music work. A former student of Solomon Mikowsky, Dmitri Bashkirov, and Ferenc Rados, he challenges musicians to think before they play — to balance structure with spontaneity and to approach interpretation as shared exploration.

Augustin Dumay inspires young violinists to seek fullness of sound and strength of musical line. His masterclasses, at once intense and generous, reflect a vision of violin playing where technique serves phrasing, breath, and emotion.

A legendary figure of the Festival and founder of the Takács Quartet, Gábor Takács-Nagy encourages young musicians to move beyond technical perfection and embrace freedom and emotional truth. His classes, full of energy and humanity, remind us that music begins where the fear of making mistakes ends.

Augustin Dumay inspires young violinists to seek fullness of sound and strength of musical line. His masterclasses, at once intense and generous, reflect a vision of violin playing where technique serves phrasing, breath, and emotion.

An original programme paying tribute to the two masters of Leipzig, Bach and Mendelssohn, brought to life by the immense baritone Peter Mattei and a top-tier chamber ensemble for Mendelssohn’s Piano and Strings Sextet.

A legendary figure of the Festival and founder of the Takács Quartet, Gábor Takács-Nagy encourages young musicians to move beyond technical perfection and embrace freedom and emotional truth. His classes, full of energy and humanity, remind us that music begins where the fear of making mistakes ends.

Former concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic, Kolja Blacher brings a vision of playing that is clear, free, and deeply engaged. His masterclasses reveal how instrumental command can become musical thinking, serving a performance that feels alive and genuine.

From the famous Funeral March of Schumann’s Quintet to the timeless tune of Schubert’s Trout, the finest soloists become chamber musicians to help us rediscover the popular heritage of Romantic music, with unmatched charm and inventiveness.

Former concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic, Kolja Blacher brings a vision of playing that is clear, free, and deeply engaged. His masterclasses reveal how instrumental command can become musical thinking, serving a performance that feels alive and genuine.

An heir to the great German piano tradition, Klaus Hellwig brings to his teaching a rare clarity of thought and sound. His masterclasses, rooted in precision and depth of understanding, offer young musicians a lesson in balance, discipline, and the shared artistry that defines chamber music.

An heir to the great German piano tradition, Klaus Hellwig brings to his teaching a rare clarity of thought and sound. His masterclasses, rooted in precision and depth of understanding, offer young musicians a lesson in balance, discipline, and the shared artistry that defines chamber music.

The final chamber music recital of the Verbier Festival Academy’s Soloists & Ensembles programme brings together musicians of the Soloists programme and the inn.wien ensemble, one of the Academy’s 2026 ensembles in residence, in works by Bartók, Schumann and Dohnányi. The concert is followed by the Academy Awards ceremony.