Maestro Etienne Reymond, with what feelings are you about to inaugurate your tenth season at the helm of LuganoMusica?

"With a heart full of legitimate satisfaction because I think I have achieved almost all the goals I had set myself at the beginning of my mandate. I believe that the various programs presented over the years have managed to offer a significant overview of the history of music, from that of many centuries ago to contemporary music. We had in Lugano, and it was not at all a given, all the greatest orchestras and the most important conductors, the most prestigious soloists and performers. And then, another qualifying point of the project brought to completion, we managed to create around the actual program of concerts a whole series of events, meetings, conversations, in-depth studies and many other initiatives that I believe have contributed to bringing the population, of all ages, professions and social conditions, closer to the extraordinary world of music".

At the beginning of your mandate, in our first interview, we spoke of Lucerne and its Festival as a model to look up to. Where are we today?

I remember that reference very well, and I can say that Lugano today presents a musical season of truly international standing. Of course, other cities boast decades-long traditions that add prestige and appeal to renowned orchestras, conductors, and artists. But Lugano has acquired undeniable prestige and well-deserved recognition in recent years. For this, I am grateful, as well as to all the collaborators who have shared this fascinating challenge with me over the years. My thanks, of course, go to the LuganoMusica Foundation , which ten years ago invited me to take on this role, welcoming me to Ticino. I also thank the City of Lugano for its significant annual contribution, the Canton, and all the sponsors. Now, LuganoMusica is joining the LAC with the creation of a section dedicated to classical music. This move was strongly supported by the City of Lugano, the main funder of both organizations, and supported by the LAC management, as the definitive completion of the project for a multidisciplinary cultural center and a natural consequence of the imminent creation of the City of Music in the Besso district.

What are the most important events on the bill for the 2024-25 season?

The season opens on September 12th with the Tonhalle Orchester Zurich conducted by Paavo Järvi and featuring the young and acclaimed cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason. The program is a demanding one, featuring Dmitri Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1 , followed by Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 1 , "The Titan ." Among the major orchestras invited, Iván Fischer, who conducts his Budapest Festival Orchestra in a concert entirely dedicated to the music of Johannes Brahms, stands out on November 19th. On January 23rd, Lahav Shani conducts the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in a celebration of the most sublime Russian music. Then, on May 25th, Daniele Gatti returns to Lugano to perform with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, with Christian Tetzlaff on violin. The evening is dedicated to the music of Beethoven, through the Violin Concerto and the Symphony No. 3 Eroica . Finally, on June 16, the orchestral season closes with the legendary Philharmonia Orchestra, accompanied by its principal conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali.

In addition to the large orchestras, the program of recitals and chamber music is also very dense…

«Absolutely yes. It would be enough to mention Mike Svoboda's trombone and Stefan Hussong's accordion, or Beatrice Rana, a true musical icon, who is also the promoter of a chamber music festival; and again, from Berlin come the 12 Cellisten der Berliner Philharmoniker, spectacular champions in playing bows and restoring all the nuances of the cello. Baroque music will shine in the impeccable interpretation of the Basel Cetra, led by the Venetian director Andrea Marcon. To worthily celebrate the 340th anniversary of Bach's birth, the Ensemble Claudiana directed by Luca Pianca is joined by the Wiener Sängerknaben, by the soprano Joanne Lunn, the contralto Terry Wey, the tenor Daniel Johansen and the bass Florian Boesch.

I would also like to mention the presence of new talents, such as the young graduates of the Capuçon Foundation who will perform on stage with Gautier Capuçon himself. And then, Alexandre Tharaud, a symbol of French keyboard art, with a refined and recognizable style whose program could not fail to include Ravel, whose 2025th birthday will be celebrated in 150 and of whom Tharaud is undoubtedly one of the leading interpreters. Finally, we will have an excellent chamber music couple, Leonidas Kavakos and Enrico Pace, who are dedicating their presence in Lugano to the Sonata, the cornerstone of their collaboration».

An extraordinary event is set for December 6th when the brilliant chamber group Festival Strings Lucerne directed by Daniel Dodds will see the participation of Maria João Pires, who is celebrating her 80th birthday.

On March 16, Superar Suisse celebrates its 10 years of musical education. This concert demonstrates the past and future commitment and the tenacity in wanting to bring young people closer to music, not only in the City of Lugano. More than 200 young people, coming from different European locations, are directed by Carlo Taffuri and Pino Raduazzo».

As per tradition, the musical season features a whole series of complementary events…

Indeed. For example, the Quartet Weekends return with three guest ensembles: the Jack Quartet opens the series, bringing its unwavering technique to contemporary music. Then there's the Modigliani Quartet, one of the most internationally acclaimed, and then the Carmina Quartet, performing pieces by Joseph Haydn, Claude Debussy, and Antonín Dvořák.

At Teatrostudio, appointments with the LuganoMusica Ensemble are renewed , a musical laboratory born within LuganoMusica that draws its strength from the union of teachers from the Conservatory and musicians from the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana.

For Nuova Generazione , three events are planned dedicated to the best young musicians: Sean Shibe (guitar), Giuseppe Gibboni (violin) with Ingmar Lazar (piano) and finally Dominik Wagner (double bass), accompanied by pianist Lauma Skride.

The EAR, Electro Acoustic Room , and Early Night Modern series also return for contemporary music, opening new horizons in the intersection of genres and arts. The EAR series presents four concerts dedicated to electronic and electroacoustic music and the experience of listening, a project by Spazio21 of the Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana in co-production with the LAC.

This year 's Early Night Modern is a blend of music, light, dance, and movement. The program is a co-production between Oggimusica and LAC, in collaboration with the Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana, and supported by the Canton of Ticino – Swisslos Fund, the City of Lugano, and Pro Helvetia.

This year too there will be no shortage of conference cycles and musical insights that frame and enrich the great music on the bill… 

Part of the series of lectures Great Conductors and Switzerland , Giovanni Gavazzeni, a great expert on the world of orchestra conductors, will present four conductors who have established a special bond with our country.

This year, for the series of Musical Insights , five conferences are proposed whose subjects are Mahler's First Symphony , the centenary of Puccini's death, compositions for string quartet after 1950, an in-depth look at the musical world of Alexandre Tharaud and the 150th anniversary of Ravel's birth.

For the Allegro con brio…Musical chats before the concert series , in a light and informal atmosphere, Enrico Parola guides listeners on a journey of discovery and analysis of the scores and the artists.

In short, I think we can really talk about an extraordinary cultural offering for the city of Lugano and for all enthusiasts."