Magazine / News
What’s happening in Swiss music. Every day, with the source.
Brief · Live & festivals · French-speaking Switzerland
In Fribourg, the Cantonal and University Library and Fri-Son are starting work on the venue's archives. The inventory is expected on Fri-Memoria by the end of 2027.
Noémie Favre · Editorial profile Sources: 3
Brief · Releases & charts · German-speaking Switzerland
Shirley Grimes releases 'Tender'. The announcement calls it her return with new songs after eight years. The launch is on 3 November 2026 in Rubigen.
Selin Aydın Sources: 3
Brief · Releases & charts · Italian-speaking Switzerland
Kety Fusco releases the single 'Ravìs' with three singers. It is the first song from the Murmür project.
Selin Aydın Sources: 5
Brief · Folk, brass & choirs
The board of the Swiss Wind Band Association proposes Fabrice Reuse as its new president. President Luana Menoud-Baldi is standing again.
Theres Zgraggen Sources: 1
Brief · Releases & charts · German-speaking Switzerland
Arkas from Chur releases his first EP, 'woni wohna ghöri nüt'. It has six songs, three of them new.
Selin Aydın Sources: 4
People · Classical & opera · German-speaking Switzerland
Bern's former cantonal minister for culture has led the association of 14 classical festivals and concert series in the Bernese Oberland since 22 October 2026.
Felix Oberholzer Sources: 2
Brief · Releases & charts · German-speaking Switzerland
With ‘Bashō’, Jochen Baldes devotes an album to the haiku poet Matsuo Bashō. It is out on 23 October 2026 on Unit Records.
Selin Aydın Sources: 3
Brief · Policy & funding
Pro Helvetia supports 17 co-creation projects from 118 applications, five of them in music. Each project gets at most 25'000 francs.
Mara Zwahlen Sources: 2
Brief · Classical & opera · German-speaking Switzerland
Winning Basel Sinfonietta's composition competition brings Paul Taro Schmidt CHF 5,000 and a commission. His new work will be premiered on 19 September 2027 at the Stadtcasino Basel.
Felix Oberholzer Sources: 1
Brief · Policy & funding
The SSV and SKK propose that project applications must include fees and social contributions. Lausanne already requires a minimum wage for subsidies of 100,000 francs or more.
Mara Zwahlen Sources: 3
Brief · Live & festivals · German-speaking Switzerland
In Kestenholz (SO), Sting plays St. Peter at Sunset on 9 July 2027. Presale opens on 23 October 2026.
Noémie Favre Sources: 4
Brief · Work & money
If you negotiate with Sonart's fee recommendations, you do not hold a binding minimum fee. Sonart is asking funding bodies to put money behind those fees.
Ana Kovač Sources: 2
Brief · Releases & charts
Stubete Gäng top the Swiss album chart for week 42/2026 with 'Hände höch!'. Bligg drops to number 7.
Selin Aydın Sources: 4
Brief · Live & festivals · German-speaking Switzerland
In Sursee, the Nachteulen-Festival draws markedly fewer people to its third edition. Whether it returns next year is uncertain.
Noémie Favre Sources: 3
Brief · Folk, brass & choirs · German-speaking Switzerland
At the ceremony in Altdorf, folk musician Fredy Reichmuth received the 'Goldener Violinschlüssel'. Association president Walter Näf and last year's recipient Nadja Räss presented it.
Theres Zgraggen Sources: 3
Brief · Folk, brass & choirs
Swiss brass bands compete in Montreux on 28 and 29 November 2026. The nine jury members and the ten own-choice pieces for the top section are now known.
Theres Zgraggen Sources: 5
Brief · Classical & opera · French-speaking Switzerland
The baritone from the Hochschule der Künste Bern (HKB) takes the 25,000-franc first prize at the Opéra de Lausanne. For the first time, the singing competition was open to every Swiss university of music.
Felix Oberholzer Sources: 3
Report · Work & money · German-speaking Switzerland
The city and canton of Schaffhausen are writing the professional associations' fee guidelines into new service agreements. For music, that means 600 to 800 francs per person per evening, while several venues currently pay far less.
Ana Kovač Sources: 3
Report · Industry & law
Since 15 October 2026, music.ch has been running on a new platform. It is for everyone in Switzerland who makes, teaches, organises or enables music.
Ruedi Baumberger Sources: 5
Brief · Policy & funding · German-speaking Switzerland · French-speaking Switzerland
Bern's 2026 music prizes go to Ludmilla Mercier, Lo & Leduc, Rebecca Solari and Droujelub Yanakiew. The 'Coup de cœur' for emerging talent goes to the rap collective ETO.
Mara Zwahlen Sources: 3
Brief · Classical & opera · Italian-speaking Switzerland
From 1 November 2026 Giuliana Zanoni leads the OSI artistically and also curates music at LAC Lugano. The post drew 54 applications.
Felix Oberholzer Sources: 3
Brief · Releases & charts
The Swiss Music Awards plan to honour Swiss artists who succeed abroad. The criteria have not yet been announced.
Selin Aydın Sources: 2
Report · Industry & law
On 14 October 2026, YouTube Music began showing a label on recordings created primarily with generative AI. YouTube relies on disclosures from music partners and its own detection tools.
Ruedi Baumberger Sources: 3
Brief · Industry & law
A new switch hides fully AI-generated music from search results. Manipulated streams already earn nothing in royalties on Deezer.
Ruedi Baumberger Sources: 1
Brief · Releases & charts · German-speaking Switzerland
Billed by Bligg as his last studio album, The Bligg Picture tops the Swiss album chart dated 11 October 2026.
Selin Aydın Sources: 4
Brief · Education & young talent · German-speaking Switzerland
The pilot run by the Bern University of the Arts with the Oberemmental music school starts a year late. More partner music schools are now being sought.
Luca Bernasconi Sources: 3
Brief · Live & festivals · French-speaking Switzerland
On 15 October in Paris, Lone Assembly and Lady O play the Swiss reception at MaMA. At the end of October, Swiss Music Export takes a delegation to Bilbao for the first time.
Noémie Favre Sources: 5
People · Policy & funding · German-speaking Switzerland
The Canton of Lucerne has appointed a new head of culture funding and outreach. Severin Barmettler starts in January 2027.
Mara Zwahlen Sources: 1
Report · Industry & law · Italian-speaking Switzerland
Nightclubs, late-night venues and halls for more than 300 people in Ticino must be inspected every two years, the first time by the end of 2027. Seven municipalities have lost their appeal.
Ruedi Baumberger Sources: 3
Brief · Releases & charts · French-speaking Switzerland
The album came out on 9 October 2026 on Mouthwatering Records: eight songs in French and Spanish, written in Lausanne.
Selin Aydın Sources: 2