Arosa Music Academy more in demand than ever

With a quality offensive, the 1987 Arosa Culture Association Arosa Music Course Weeks have been strengthened over the last three years. At the same time, opportunities have been created to further expand the culturally and touristically significant offering. The investments totaling over half a million francs are already paying off. The number of participants this summer rose by almost six percent to 1298 compared to the previous year (1218 participants), which also slightly exceeded the previous record from 2011, when 1286 participants made the pilgrimage to Arosa. In addition, there were over 200 teachers and at least 300 family members, meaning that at least 1800 people stayed in Arosa this summer due to the Arosa Music Course Weeks and a total of well over 12,000 overnight stays were generated.

Arosa Culture is particularly pleased with the development of the Arosa Music Academy, which was first held in 2011. In the first two years, around 50 students took part in these international masterclasses offered over two weeks in August and September, but this year there are already 80. This means that the medium-term target of around 100 participants set at the launch has almost been reached. Under the main direction of Markus Fleck (casalQuartett), musicians such as Konstantin Lifschitz (piano), Helge Slaatto and Ingolf Turban (violin), Conradin Brotbek (cello) and Christiane Oelze (voice) work intensively with young talents from ten different countries over the course of a week. The international focus is also a great enrichment for the 40 or so participants from Switzerland.
 

Photo Homberger

The Munich violinist Ingolf Turban teaches Andrina Däppen (violin) and Lisha Kim.

Arosa Kultur is supported in the implementation of the Arosa Music Academy primarily by the Graubünden Cultural Promotion Agency and the Federal Office of Culture. Both institutions also support the Arosa Music Course Weeks, whose program (around 100 music courses), in contrast to the Academy, is primarily aimed at amateurs (children, young people and adults). According to Christian Buxhofer, President of Arosa Culture, the Federal Office of Culture also supports the program because Arosa promotes both the breadth (Music Course Weeks) and the top (Academy) of young musicians.

In order to be able to justify the cantonal and national support in the future, Arosa Kultur will continue to focus on high teaching quality and professional organization. These goals are to be achieved through small classes, top-class teachers, the best possible infrastructure and competent administrative support. According to Markus Fleck, the concept of the Arosa Music Academy, which includes intensive chamber music as well as individual lessons in the presence of all participants, has proved its worth. However, selective expansion is planned for the coming years. And in order to avoid having to turn away any more interested parties, there will now be a "listener" category in addition to the active participants. Students who can attend lessons but do not receive lessons themselves.

Another important part of the Arosa Music Academy are the faculty concerts and the students' final concerts. According to Markus Fleck, the students gain valuable experience both as listeners and as active musicians. To ensure that all graduates have the opportunity to take advantage of this, four final concerts were held.