The Confederation presents the Swiss Music Prizes 2026 in Lausanne

The Federal Office of Culture (FOC) presented the Swiss Music Prizes 2026 on Saturday 19 September 2026 in the Salle Paderewski at the Casino de Montbenon in Lausanne, as part of the Label Suisse festival and in the presence of Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider.¹² The Swiss Grand Award for Music went to yodeller Nadja Räss, and ten other musicians, collectives and institutions were also honoured.²

The Grand Award for Music, which recognises a life's work, comes with 100,000 francs, the seven Swiss Music Prizes with 40,000 francs each and the three Special Music Prizes with 25,000 francs each.¹ This was the 13th edition of the prizes.¹

Nadja Räss, from Einsiedeln, devoted herself entirely to yodelling culture after studying classical singing and has been a professor at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts since 2018. According to the FOC, she played a key role in getting yodelling added to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage.¹

Among the winners from classical and contemporary music is violinist Esther Hoppe (Zug/Zollikerberg). She has worked as a soloist, chamber musician and teacher for more than two decades and took over as artistic director of the Camerata Zürich in 2025.¹ Ensemble ö! from Chur, founded in 2002 by David Sontòn Caflisch, has in the FOC's view anchored contemporary music in Graubünden.¹ Ruedi Häusermann (Lenzburg) was also honoured: a musician, composer and director, he combines written music and improvisation with ideas for the stage.¹

The other Swiss Music Prizes went to Domi Chansorn (Huttwil/Zurich), Flèche Love, the main project of Amina Cadelli (Troinex/Geneva), Louis Schild (Lausanne) and accordionist Patricia Draeger (Zug/Meierskappel).¹ The three Special Prizes went to Café Bar Mokka in Thun, the label Intakt Records in Zurich and La Via Lattea from Vacallo, a project by Ticino composer Mario Pagliarani that has been creating listening experiences in unusual places since 2004.¹

For anyone wondering how to win such a prize: not by applying. Every year the FOC commissions ten independent experts, who nominate up to 100 people, collectives or institutions; the seven-member Federal Music Jury then recommends the winners.³ According to the FOC, the prizes are state awards and not project funding, which at federal level is the responsibility of Pro Helvetia.³