Swiss Chamber Music Festival 2025

The institution now known as the ORPHEUS Swiss Chamber Music Competition has existed in Zurich since 1974. Initially, concerts by deserving musicians took place in Zurich, and later throughout Switzerland. ORPHEUS expressly did not intend to be a competition, and the selection rules were entirely in the hands of the local jury. This changed in the 2000s, when the institution became both a competition and concert organizer. This dual role was particularly difficult to manage financially and led to a pause for reflection in 2009. With the fortunate encounter between ORPHEUS and the Adelboden festival idea in the early 2010s, both sides gained profile: ORPHEUS selects, the SCMF presents. ORPHEUS then became a chamber music competition, supported by the Swiss music academies. The jury members are among the top representatives of Swiss classical music. The participating ensembles are affiliated with at least one of the music academies, and the competition is held at a music academie each November. The globalization of music education means that the ensembles are usually international. From an average of 20 participating ensembles, five to six are chosen as "prize winners." In addition to the opportunity to perform, the top three receive a composition commission and a cash prize. Christine Lüthi is also the managing director of ORPHEUS and sits on the jury (without voting rights). Immediately after the competition, she changes her position and, as artistic director, leads the ensembles toward the following year's Adelboden Festival. This explains the very special profile of the Swiss Chamber Music Festival: the majority of the concerts are reserved for the young prizewinners. The artistic director has free rein for additional concerts such as the opening, folk music, and Da Capo – for the latter, she invites previous winning ensembles to return to Adelboden. The Adelboden Festival is therefore based on a complex selection and funding process. This limits the creative freedom in Adelboden while simultaneously ensuring that the very best chamber musicians who received their training in Switzerland can be heard here year after year – a unique opportunity thanks to ORPHEUS!