Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra

The Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra (LFCO for short) sees itself as an orchestra of excellence for the performance of new and contemporary music. It forms a counterpart to the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, focusing on 20th- and 21st- century scores, from modern classics to newly commissioned works that receive their world premieres in Lucerne.

All members of the LFCO have benefited from their training at the Lucerne Festival Academy, which was launched by Pierre Boulez, subsequently led by Wolfgang Rihm, and has been directed by Jörg Widmann since 2026. Thanks to its close ties to the Academy and its network, the LFCO is able to play a trailblazing role in the interpretation of contemporary music and in the development of forward-looking concert formats. Through its projects, the LFCO harnesses the potential of new technologies; interdisciplinary works gives rise to innovative listening and concert experiences. All of this is done always with a clear vision: making contemporary music happen.

The LFCO can be experienced at the Summer Festival as well as at Lucerne Festival Forward, the fall festival devoted to contemporary music. In addition, the orchestra appears on tour: In September 2026, it will perform in Berlin and Munich.

Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra (LFCO) © Manuela Jans / Lucerne Festival

Application Lucerne Festival Academy

Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra (LFCO)

The Academy

For over 20 years, the Lucerne Festival Academy has enabled around 100 talented young musicians each summer from all over the world to dedicate themselves to the music of our time. They work on a diverse repertoire that ranges from the milestones of the 20th and 21st centuries to brand-new scores.