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    20 years of the Lucerne Festival Academy

    Masterclass in conducting with Pierre Boulez at Lucerne Festival Academy 2004 © Priska Ketterer / Lucerne Festival
    Masterclass in conducting with Pierre Boulez at Lucerne Festival Academy 2004 © Priska Ketterer / Lucerne Festival

    Happy Birthday! For 20 years, young musical talents from all over the world have been focusing with a spirit of curiosity on the new at the Lucerne Festival Academy.

    Anniversary events

    The 20th anniversary of the Lucerne Festival Academy will be celebrated this summer with a varied program comprising six concerts by the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra (LFCO), two Composer Seminars, pre-concerts in the KKL foyer, a panel discussion, and tailor-made house concerts – all as part of the Academy’s three-week-long phase of activity, from 17 August to 8 September, in which more than 100 musicians will participate.

    • Pre-Concerts in the KKL Lobby

      Before selected concerts, musicians from the Lucerne Festival Academy will perform 10-minute-long pre-concerts on a small stage in the lobby of the KKL Luzern.

    • Win a House Concert

      20 years – 20 minutes: To celebrate the anniversary of the Lucerne Festival Academy, you can apply for a 20-minute house concert featuring soloists of the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra (LFCO).

       

    • Panel Discussion

      In a panel discussion on 17 August, Michael Haefliger, Wolfgang Rihm, Felix Heri, and Contemporary leader Estelle Costanzo will discuss 20 years of the Lucerne Festival Academy together with Christiane Engelbrecht, Director of the International Ensemble Modern Academy (IEMA); Benjamin Herzog from SRF 2 Kultur will moderate.

    • A special opening night

      Right at the beginning of the official Opening Concert featuring the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, on 16 August, an ensemble from the LFCO will present a work commissioned by Lisa Streich to mark the 20th anniversary of the Academy. It is a musical statement on the theme of “Curiosity” and will be performed in lieu of a celebratory speech.

    Pierre Boulez and Michael Haefliger announce the establishment of the Lucerne Festival Academy, 2002
    Pierre Boulez and Michael Haefliger announce the establishment of the Lucerne Festival Academy, 2002 © Priska Ketterer / Lucerne Festival
    Students of the Lucerne Festival Preview Academy, conducted by Pierre Boulez, perform Arnold Schönberg's "Pierrot lunaire", 2003
    Students of the Lucerne Festival Preview Academy, conducted by Pierre Boulez, perform Arnold Schönberg's "Pierrot lunaire", 2003 © Georg Anderhub / Lucerne Festival
    Birth of the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra: Pierre Boulez in a rehearsal, 2004
    Birth of the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra: Pierre Boulez in a rehearsal, 2004 © Priska Ketterer / Lucerne Festival
    The Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra and Pierre Boulez premiere a new work by Dai Fujikura, 2005
    The Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra and Pierre Boulez premiere a new work by Dai Fujikura, 2005 © Priska Ketterer / Lucerne Festival
    In keeping with the Festival theme of “Language,” 24 singers are invited to take part in the Academy, pictured here in concert with conductor Daniel Reuss, 2006
    In keeping with the Festival theme of “Language,” 24 singers are invited to take part in the Academy, pictured here in concert with conductor Daniel Reuss, 2006 © Priska Ketterer / Lucerne Festival
    Performance of "Gruppen" with Lin Liao, Pablo Heras-Casado, and Kevin John Edusei conducting, 2007
    Performance of "Gruppen" with Lin Liao, Pablo Heras-Casado, and Kevin John Edusei conducting, 2007 © Georg Anderhub / Lucerne Festival
    The Ensemble of the Lucerne Festival Academy and conductor Jean Deroyer perform Messiaen's "Des Canyons aux Étoiles", 2008
    The Ensemble of the Lucerne Festival Academy and conductor Jean Deroyer perform Messiaen's "Des Canyons aux Étoiles", 2008 © Georg Anderhub / Lucerne Festival
    The Lucerne Festival Academy Ensemble performs "Nymphéa Reflection" by composer-in-residence Kaija Saariaho, 2009
    The Lucerne Festival Academy Ensemble performs "Nymphéa Reflection" by composer-in-residence Kaija Saariaho, 2009 © Peter Fischli / Lucerne Festival
    Applause for the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra, Pierre Boulez, and composer-in-residence Dieter Ammann after the world premiere of Ammann's "Turn", 2010
    Applause for the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra, Pierre Boulez, and composer-in-residence Dieter Ammann after the world premiere of Ammann's "Turn", 2010 © Georg Anderhub / Lucerne Festival
    Solo improvisation by Lucerne Festival Academy participant Jeffrey Young at an "Open Stage" event, 2011
    Solo improvisation by Lucerne Festival Academy participant Jeffrey Young at an "Open Stage" event, 2011 © Franca Pedrazzetti / Lucerne Festival
    Family opera "Meister Pedros Puppenspiel" with the Ensemble of the Lucerne Festival Academy and the Luzerner Kantorei, 2012
    Family opera "Meister Pedros Puppenspiel" with the Ensemble of the Lucerne Festival Academy and the Luzerner Kantorei, 2012 © Georg Anderhub / Lucerne Festival
    Pierre Boulez in conversation with Samy Moussa and Piotr Peszat, the first recipients of the "Roche Young Commissions", 2013
    Pierre Boulez in conversation with Samy Moussa and Piotr Peszat, the first recipients of the "Roche Young Commissions", 2013 © Priska Ketterer / Lucerne Festival
    World premiere of Unsuk Chin's "Le Silence des Sirènes" with the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra, Barbara Hannigan, and Sir Simon Rattle, 2014
    World premiere of Unsuk Chin's "Le Silence des Sirènes" with the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra, Barbara Hannigan, and Sir Simon Rattle, 2014 © Priska Ketterer / Lucerne Festival
    "Boulez-Tag" in honor of the 90th birthday of the Academy's founder Pierre Boulez, 2015
    "Boulez-Tag" in honor of the 90th birthday of the Academy's founder Pierre Boulez, 2015 © Peter Fischli / Lucerne Festival
    Tribute speech by Wolfgang Rihm at the memorial concert for Pierre Boulez, 2016
    Tribute speech by Wolfgang Rihm at the memorial concert for Pierre Boulez, 2016 © Priska Ketterer / Lucerne Festival
    The Orchestra of the Lucerne Festival Academy performs in the Elbphilharmonie, 2017
    The Orchestra of the Lucerne Festival Academy performs in the Elbphilharmonie, 2017 © Claudia Höhne
    Péter Eötvös conducts a performance of Stockhausen's "Inori", 2018
    Péter Eötvös conducts a performance of Stockhausen's "Inori", 2018 © Priska Ketterer / Lucerne Festival
    Riccardo Chailly conducts the Lucerne Festival Academy Alumni for the first time, 2019
    Riccardo Chailly conducts the Lucerne Festival Academy Alumni for the first time, 2019 © Priska Ketterer / Lucerne Festival
    First full performance of the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra (LFCO), conducted by Johanna Malangré, 2021
    First full performance of the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra (LFCO), conducted by Johanna Malangré, 2021 © Priska Ketterer / Lucerne Festival
    World premiere of Thomas Adès' "Air" with the composer conducint the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra (LFCO) and Anne-Sophie Mutter, 2022
    World premiere of Thomas Adès' "Air" with the composer conducint the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra (LFCO) and Anne-Sophie Mutter, 2022 © Priska Ketterer / Lucerne Festival
    Participants in the new Contemporary-Conducting Program, 2023
    Participants in the new Contemporary-Conducting Program, 2023 © Priska Ketterer / Lucerne Festival
    Lucerne Festival Academy Year by Year

    The big roundup for lovers of facts and figures

    Read here

    All concerts and events

    Even more about the anniversary in our online magazine

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    20 years of the Lucerne Festival Academy