FAQ

Instrumentalists:
- Advanced music students and professional musicians
- Age limit: For the first participation in the Lucerne Festival Academy, the age limit is 28 years (cut-off date: 1 August 2026). For musicians from the Academy Network who have already attended the Academy once, the age limit for re-registration is 32 years (cut-off date: 1 August 2026).
- Course language: English

Conductors:
- Advanced conducting students and professional conductors
- Age limit: 32 years (cut-off date: 1 August 2026: not older than 32 years on 1 August 2026)
- Course language: English

Composers (Composer Seminar):
- Advanced composer students and professional composers
- Age limit: 35 years (cut-off date: 1 August 2026: not older than 35 years on 1 August 2026)
- Course language: German and English

Composers (Roche Young Commissions):
- Advanced composer students and professional composers
- Age limit: 32 years 
- Experience in composing for large ensemble or orchestra
- Uninterrupted background in composition

Please register and apply online on our website. You can upload all requested documents and your recordings/videos/links and fill out the application form. The application will be announced in late autumn.

Composer Seminar
Applications for 2026 are closed. Check back in early fall 2026 to apply for the Lucerne Festival Academy 2027.

Contemporary-Conducting Program
Applications are now open!

Lucerne Festival Academy
Applications are now open!

Composer Seminar
Applications closed on 31 October 2025

Contemporary-Conducting Program
Application Deadline: 5 January 2026 (23:59 CET, Swiss time)

Lucerne Festival Academy
Application Deadline: 15 February 2026 (23:59 CET, Swiss time)

The age limit for instrumentalists is 28, for conductors 32 and composers it is 35.

Unfortunately, applications from older people cannot be accepted.

For musicians/instrumentalists from the Academy Network who have already attended the Academy once, the age limit for re-registration is 32 years (cut-off date: 1 August 2026).

If you have already participated in the Lucerne Festival Academy, the application process will be simplified for you. In addition to the excerpts from 2026 (if available), you will need to upload at least one video of any contemporary piece. Solo or chamber music (one to nine performers) written since 1980, not longer than 10 minutes, and made within the last two years. Please note that you can participate in the Academy a maximum of three times. 

For musicians from the Academy Network who have already attended the Academy once, the age limit for re-registration is 32 years (cut-off date: 1 August 2026). Please use the same login as for your previous applications. 

There is no application fee.

Please see the following site for the audition repertoire.

You are responsible for obtaining the scores for the audition repertoire on time. If any logistical or financial problems arise while acquiring scores, please contact us at coaches@lucernefestival.ch.

All recordings should be made with video. No splicing is allowed within individual videos (including between movements), but each solo piece should be on a separate video. Orchestral excerpts must be recorded in one continuous, unedited video (free choice of order). Use of high-quality microphones is strongly encouraged. Separate audio and video equipment can be used, but both must be recorded live simultaneously. Digital effects, enhancements, or any other post-production audio manipulation techniques are not permitted. There is no dress code.

It is not possible to do live auditions.

Every summer, some 100 talented young musicians from all over the world are given the opportunity to concentrate on a repertoire that is still too much overlooked in the classical music business: the music of the 20th and 21st centuries.

The Lucerne Festival Academy Coaches will decide on active participation upon receipt of the registration forms and recordings. The results of the selections will be announced by mid of March 2026. There is no right of legal appeal. No correspondence regarding the decisions will be conducted.

You will be informed by email if you are on the waiting list. In case of cancellations or changes in the list of participants, we will inform you as soon as possible.

Because of the large number of applications, no individual feedback will be given and no correspondance regarding the decisions will be conducted. Thank you for your understanding.

The following musicians are supporting the Lucerne Festival Academy in 2026:

Christoph Sietzen, percussion
Helen Bledsoe, flute | Ensemble Musikfabrik
Martin Adámek, clarinet | Ensemble intercontemporain
Elise Jacoberger, bassoon | Ensemble Musikfabrik
Daniel Ciampolini, percussion
Frédérique Cambreling, harp | Ensemble intercontemporain
Éric-Maria Couturier, violoncello | Ensemble intercontemprain
Uli Fussenegger, double bass | Hochschule für Musik Basel
… and many more

Have a look at our information brochure.

Please send an email to: academy@lucernefestival.ch

Travel, accommodation, and meals, as well as instrumental parts are provided by Lucerne Festival.

For your stay in Europe you are responsible for the following insurance:

- Travel cancellation insurance (obligatory)
- Foreign health insurance (obligatory)
- Instrument insurance (recommended)
- Luggage insurance (recommended)
- Casualty insurance (recommended)

Lucerne Festival does not provide any insurance.

Arrival day in Lucerne is: 7 August 2026 (no late arrivals possible)
Departure day from Munich is: 7 September 2026

It is possible to arrive earlier, but please get in touch with us: academy@lucernefestival.ch.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to participate only in part of the Academy. Neither it is possible to arr to arrive later, leave earlier or to miss any rehearsals or concerts.

Students from America and Europe do not need a Visa. For all other nationalities, please check with your embassy to learn whether a Visa is needed. Each student is responsible for applying for any necessary visas to Switzerland in timely manner. Lucerne Festival can provide invitation letters for your Visa applications.

Lucerne Festival will organize all flights from your home or place of study to Lucerne and back. If you travel by train to Lucerne and back we kindly ask you to arrange your own tickets and you will be reimbursed in Lucerne (please send us your receipts by email). We will send an online contract with a travel form in March.

No we do not book open flight tickets.

After your confirmation of the flight offer, the booking will be done. All rebooking and cancellation fees have to be covered by yourself. In case you miss the flight by actual fault, Lucerne Festival cannot cover any expenses for a rebooking.

At the latest at the beginning of August we will send you the flight ticket (e-ticket) and your train ticket from Zurich airport to Lucerne (e-ticket) via email.

By the beginning of August we will send you your train ticket (e-ticket) via email. This train ticket enables you to take all trains to Lucerne on this day.

Lucerne Festival will provide you with a ticket for public transport in the main city center for all three weeks. You will receive the ticket on your arrival day in Lucerne.

Lucerne Festival will arrange for all students to stay with a local host family for the entire academy. We will try to respect all your wishes concerning location and room mate.

We will arrange for you to be picked up by your host family on your day of arrival in Lucerne. You will meet your host family in the contemporary foyer.

There's the contemporary foyer either in Südpol or the KKL which is kind of the meeting point / warm-up place for Academy members. Every day important news, rehearsal schedule changes, and meeting points for the next day will be proviede in the "Daily Summary" via email or also via whatsapp. Someone of the Contemporary-Team is always there to help you and aswer your questions.

By May or June 2026 we will send you all the parts / scores and a cast list.

You will receive an according cast list via email and see also the assignments on the platform 442hz.com. The orchestral parts are provided by the Lucerne Festival Academy in May/June. 

If you need an additional instrument (such as english horn, contrabassoon, alto flute, special mutes, etc.), please contact us: academy@lucernefestival.ch

Woodwinds: please bring your own reeds with you (also for any additional rented instruments).

Please note that you should contact us in due time (deadline will be announced).

If you need an additional instrument (as english horn, contrabassoon, alto flute, special mutes, for example), please contact us: academy@lucernefestival.ch

Double bass: it is possible to rent double basses in Lucerne. Please let us know if you need a rented instrument or if you will bring your own. If you wish to rent a double bass, please bring your own bow.

Woodwinds: please bring your own reeds with you (also for any additional rented instruments).

Concert performance (concert hall):
Women: elegant black (long- and short-sleeved); please also black stocking socks - no skin colored stockings or "barefoot”, black shoes

Men: traditional black suit jacket, black dress shirt, black pants, black socks, black shoes

Non-Binary: any of above

Concert visit
Women, men, non-binary: elegant, no jeans or beach shoes!

Switzerland has different electrical outlets. Please bring an adapter with you.

There is wifi in the KKL / contemporary foyer. There is no computer available, so please bring your own laptop or smartphone with you.

Please send an email to: academy@lucernefestival.ch.