The pianist Simon Bürki, who was born in St. Gallen, was just 11 years old when he won three prizes at the International Competition for Young Pianists in Memory of Vladimir Horowitz in 2011. They were far from his last: by now he has collected more than 20 awards, including the Franz Liszt Competition in Weimar and the “Step to Mastery” Competition in St. Petersburg. Yet Bürki resisted the lure of a Wunderkind career and pursued his studies with steady determination — first in Kyiv and Moscow and then in the United States with Sergei Babayan, who also trained Daniil Trifonov. In 2023, Bürki released his debut CD, Reminiscence, a collection of Romantic miniatures from Schumann to Rachmaninoff. The critic Attila Csampai wrote that he was “enchanted by the subtle richness of color, the technical brilliance, and the impeccable touch” of the young Swiss pianist, praising above all “an almost numinous shaping power” in the Études-Tableaux of Rachmaninoff. Rachmaninoff also forms the center of Bürki’s Lucerne Festival debut, with three song transcriptions and the technically and tonally demanding 10 Préludes, Op. 23.
Arrival | Parking Facilities
The Lutheran Reformed Church of St. Luke is located just a few minutes' walk from the train station, right next to the popular Vögeligärtli Park.
Arriving by train & bus
Take advantage of a 50% discount on public transport to Lucerne. You can find more Information here: to the SBB offer.
Arriving by Auto
Lucerne has a dynamic system to indicate parking availability that makes parking in the city easier for you. You can find a list of all parking garages in the City of Lucerne here: see List.
Cloakroom
There is an unguarded coat checkroom in the entrance area to the church.
Wheelchair seating
The garden located next to the staircase takes you to the Lukassaal and to the elevator leading to the level of the entrance to the church.
Access to venues | Late admission
The concert box office is located at the church entrance and opens one hour before the start of the event. Admission to the church begins about 30 minutes before the concert starts.
Gastronomy
In Lucerne
Within walking distance of all event venues you can find a wide variety of restaurants, bars, and cafés. The Lucerne Tourism office will gladly assist you in making your selection. Overview of Lucerne Tourism