In memory of Brigitt Leibundgut (1936-2022)

Lucas Bennett - Brigitt Leibundgut was born on April 28, 1936. She attended elementary school and grammar school in Bern and graduated with a type B Matura in 1955. At the same time, she took piano lessons with Ellen Brenner in Bern. At the Bern Conservatory, she studied piano with Rosmarie Stucki, theory with Sándor Veress and pedagogy with Suzanne Egli. She obtained her teaching diploma in 1960. This was followed by further training with Louis Hiltbrand in Geneva, Hubert Harry in Lucerne and John Buttrick in Zurich. In 1973, she also completed a degree in early musical education and basic courses at the Zurich Conservatory.

Brigitt Leibundgut was a versatile music teacher; until 1973 she gave piano lessons for children and adults as part of the SMPV private lessons program; she then worked at the Küsnacht music school, of which she was the initiator and co-founder, as principal from 1973 to 1989 and founded the early musical education and primary school courses in 1973. She also worked as a piano teacher at the Hottingen cantonal school.

Brigitt Leibundgut has performed in concerts mainly as an accompanist and in chamber music formations, for example in a duo with violinist Brigitte Barandun.

In 1978 Brigitt Leibundgut, who had been an active member of the SMPV since obtaining her professional diploma in 1960, was elected to the board of the Zurich section of the SMPV, of which she was president from 1990 to 1999.

Brigitt Leibundgut continued her strong commitment to the SMPV on the Central Board, from 2004 as Vice President and from 2013 to 2014 as Central President. During her year as President, one of her main tasks was to initiate the discussion about the association's direction, which was widely discussed throughout the association and came to a (first) conclusion at the 2016 DM. The author, then Vice President of the SMPV, remembers with gratitude Brigitt's always prudent and, in the best sense of the word, balanced way of chairing meetings of the Board of Directors. As a representative of the SMPV, she also performed important functions in partner associations and organizations; she was a committee member of the Swiss Youth Music Competition, the Swiss Music Council and Youth & Music, where her main focus was on preparing the "Youth and Music" initiative (the so-called music initiative). As a member of the board of the former Schweizer Musikzeitung association, where she served as actuary for 13 years, she oversaw the challenging transition to a new sponsorship model for the SMZ.

For many years, the SMPV was also able to count on Brigitt Leibundgut's commitment to professional music education, which was in transition from the traditional SMPV studies to the Bologna-compatible professional studies of SAMP/Kalaidos. She was a member of the board of the Förderkreis der privaten musikalischen Berufsausbildung in der Schweiz, which campaigned for the preservation of private music studies in Switzerland and provided SAMP with valuable support. Brigitt Leib-undgut stepped down from the Board of Directors at the 2014 Delegates' Assembly and was appointed Honorary President by the Assembly. She remained active on the Board of Trustees of the Swiss Academy of Music and Music Education (SAMP), of which she was President from 2013 to 2019.

As an experienced examiner in vocational training, Brigitt was held in high esteem by everyone. Her curiosity and genuine interest in the development of the students, her calm and thoughtful way of expressing criticism during exams and her generally great goodwill towards the examinees will be fondly remembered.

Brigitt Leibundgut passed away after a long illness shortly before her 86th birthday surrounded by her family.