Verbier Festival Orchestra: The Talent Accelerator

How does the VFO propel the careers of young musicians from around the world? An interview with Samuel Goldscheider (Head of Orchestras) and Mattia Bornati (Artistic Administrator of Orchestras) on the Festival’s secrets.

“During the six Festival concerts, VFO musicians perform between fifteen and twenty different scores.”
Mattia Bornati, Artistic Administrator of Orchestras

Verbier Festival Orchestra © Nicolas Brodard

The Verbier Festival Orchestra welcomes young musicians from around the world. What makes it unique?

SG: We are the only orchestra in Europe to recruit on such an international scale. Musicians from five continents live and work together for five weeks. Each brings their musical culture and sensibility. Our ambition is not to erase these differences, but to bring them together to build a common orchestral identity.

Beyond virtuosity, what qualities do you look for?

MB: Humility, above all. We seek musicians capable of listening, questioning their certainties and adapting. During the Festival, they work with several conductors, each with their own vision of a work. Playing in an orchestra means accepting that there is no single musical truth and placing one’s individual talent
at the service of the collective.

You often describe the VFO as a “talent accelerator.” Why?

MB: Because in five weeks, the musicians experience what would normally take several years. Playing an instrument and playing in an orchestra are two different professions. Here, they learn to listen to nearly a hundred colleagues, to respond to conductors’ requests and to approach an exceptional repertoire. This immersion provides them with invaluable experience as they enter professional life.

The VFJO, VFO and VFCO form a true pathway. How do they complement each other?

SG: They represent three stages of the same journey. The VFJO introduces orchestral work. The VFO reaches a new dimension with large ensembles, a more demanding repertoire and conditions close to those of a professional orchestra. Finally, the finest musicians join the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra, where they become professionals performing on international tours.

Interview by Jean-Philippe Jutzi

The Verbier Festival wishes to express its deepest gratitude to its patrons, sponsors, partners and public institutions for their support and generous contributions.