“SUISA en scène” is a joint project between SUISA and the Murten Classics Summer Festival. It invites young composers to apply for a composition commission, which includes mentoring by a renowned Swiss composer and the rehearsal and premiere of the composed works.
Young Swiss composers or composers residing in Switzerland can apply for the project. The commissioned works, composed under the guidance of the mentor, will be performed by an ensemble from Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) and emerging conductors from the internationally renowned Conductors Studio ZHdK. The premiere will take place in August 2025 at the Murten Classics Summer Festival.
Mentoring by David Philip Hefti
Renowned composer and conductor David Philip Hefti has been recruited to mentor the project participants. Hefti is a leading figure in Swiss classical music. His catalogue of over 100 compositions includes orchestral, vocal and chamber music. Hefti has won numerous international prizes for composition. His orchestral works have been performed under many renowned conductors.
From the applications received, the jury will select two to take part in the first “SUISA en scène” project. The jury consists of project manager Christoph-Mathias Mueller, conductor and artistic director of the Murten Classics Summer Festival, and mentor David Philip Hefti.
Murten Classics offers a platform for Swiss music
The Murten Classics Summer Festival has long sought to shine a spotlight on Swiss music production. Works by Swiss composers are regularly included in the programme, and Swiss musicians are hired to play them. In 2016, “La Suisse” was the main theme of the festival, and in 2023 SUISA celebrated its 100th anniversary with the premiere of Swiss compositions at Murten Classics.
SUISA’s renewed collaboration with the festival as part of the “SUISA en scène” project is an expression of our shared conviction that the country’s many musical talents deserve to be heard. Discovering these talents, supporting their development and connecting them with other musicians is an important goal of this project.
At the same time, it seeks to build a bridge to contemporary music for the general public. After all, the project participants should benefit most from this initiative. In addition to professional guidance from their mentor, concert rehearsals and the premiere of their composition, they also receive a fee for the commissioned work. Ultimately, however, everyone wins: the musicians, the audience, the Murten Classics Festival and SUISA.
Information and documents for the prospective applicants
The terms and conditions of participation and the project schedule can be found in the call for proposals. These and the registration form are available in German, French, Italian and English on the SUISA blog and on the Murten Classics Summer Festival website.
Competition guidelines (PDF)
Registration (PDF)
