Swiss Youth Music Competition: One of the most rewarding challenges for 50 years

When Gerd Albrecht, then chief conductor of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, founded the Swiss Youth Music Competition in 1975, one idea was central: musical talent needs a platform. As in Austria and Germany, young people in Switzerland should also have the opportunity to face the challenges of a music competition.

His idea was to create a professional setting through a national music festival, where young talents could show an interested audience and renowned jurors what they were capable of and discover where they stood in a national comparison.