Search

    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

      Featuring musicians from the Lucerne Festival Academy in the KKL Luzern’s Concert Hall lounge:

      Pop music has its opening act. For our part, we offer a 10-minute pre-concert. Allow us to surprise you!

      • 22. August | 19.05 | before the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra concert
      • 23. August | 19.05 | before the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra concert
      • 25. August | 18.05 | before the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra concert
      • 28. August | 19.05 | before the Berliner Philharmoniker concert
      • 30. August | 19.05 | before the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra concert
      • 4. September | 19.05 | before the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra concert
      • 5. September | 19.05 | before the Orchestre de Paris concert
      • 6. September | 19.05 | before the Vienna Philharmonic concert

    • Concerts at Home by the Lucerne Festival Academy

      20 years – 20 minutes: Experience the sound of the present in your living room.

      To mark the 20th anniversary of the Lucerne Festival Academy, we are raffling off ten concerts, each lasting 20 minutes, to be performed at your own home. Soloists from the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra (LFCO) will perform contemporary solo and duo works. What exactly will be played? Get ready for a surprise!

      Submissions are unfortunately now closed. We will be happy to draw names for each of the ten concerts from all the entries we have received and inform the lucky winners in the next few days.

    • Podium Discussion “20 Years of the Lucerne Festival Academy”

      Sat 17. August | 15.00 | “20 Years of the Lucerne Festival Academy”

      Round Table (in German) with

      • Michael Haefliger Executive and Artistic Director of Lucerne Festival
      • Felix Heri Director of the Lucerne Festival Academy
      • Christiane Engelbrecht Executive Director of the International Ensemble Modern Academy (IEMA)
      • Estelle Costanzo harpist and Contemporary Leader of the Lucerne Festival Academy
      • Johanna Malangré conductor
      • Benjamin Herzog (SRF) moderator

      Free admission

    • 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.

    Video gallery

    To mark the occasion, we spoke to people who have been close to the Lucerne Festival Academy over the past twenty years: Alumni, guest artists and leading personalities.

    Um Youtube Inhalte zu laden, akzeptieren Sie bitte Youtube als externe Quelle in den Cookie-Einstellungen Accept
    Michael Haefliger
    Um Youtube Inhalte zu laden, akzeptieren Sie bitte Youtube als externe Quelle in den Cookie-Einstellungen Accept
    Phoebe Bognár
    Um Youtube Inhalte zu laden, akzeptieren Sie bitte Youtube als externe Quelle in den Cookie-Einstellungen Accept
    Mariano Chiacchiarini
    Um Youtube Inhalte zu laden, akzeptieren Sie bitte Youtube als externe Quelle in den Cookie-Einstellungen Accept
    Barbara Hannigan
    Um Youtube Inhalte zu laden, akzeptieren Sie bitte Youtube als externe Quelle in den Cookie-Einstellungen Accept
    João Carlos Pacheco
    Um Youtube Inhalte zu laden, akzeptieren Sie bitte Youtube als externe Quelle in den Cookie-Einstellungen Accept
    Sir Simon Rattle
    Um Youtube Inhalte zu laden, akzeptieren Sie bitte Youtube als externe Quelle in den Cookie-Einstellungen Accept
    Peggy Grueninger
    Um Youtube Inhalte zu laden, akzeptieren Sie bitte Youtube als externe Quelle in den Cookie-Einstellungen Accept
    Stephen Menotti
    Um Youtube Inhalte zu laden, akzeptieren Sie bitte Youtube als externe Quelle in den Cookie-Einstellungen Accept
    Johanna Malangré
    Um Youtube Inhalte zu laden, akzeptieren Sie bitte Youtube als externe Quelle in den Cookie-Einstellungen Accept
    Ben Roidl-Ward
    Um Youtube Inhalte zu laden, akzeptieren Sie bitte Youtube als externe Quelle in den Cookie-Einstellungen Accept
    Pablo Heras-Casado
    Um Youtube Inhalte zu laden, akzeptieren Sie bitte Youtube als externe Quelle in den Cookie-Einstellungen Accept
    Clara Giner Franco
    Um Youtube Inhalte zu laden, akzeptieren Sie bitte Youtube als externe Quelle in den Cookie-Einstellungen Accept
    Alexander Bieri
    Um Youtube Inhalte zu laden, akzeptieren Sie bitte Youtube als externe Quelle in den Cookie-Einstellungen Accept
    Alexander Bieri
    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

    Magazine
    Discover the Magazine
    20 years of the Lucerne Festival Academy