The countdown is on

The Entrada in the Classica category will take place from March 22 to 24 at seven different locations in Switzerland; the PreSelection Jazz&Pop will be spread over the weekend in March and will take place live in five different cities in 2024. For the first time, all disciplines will come together for the grand finale in 2024: From May 9 to 12, La-Chaux-de-Fonds will host the Classica and Jazz&Pop finals as well as the live performances of Composition and FreeSpace. This is the 49th Swiss Youth Music Competition.

The preparations for the audition for the Swiss Youth Music Competition, which usually take months, are entering their final phase. Many a participant discovers new aspects of the chosen pieces here and there. Now it's time to get the tricky passages under control, but not to flatten the pieces by playing them too often. I wonder what the jury will say? Whether the choice of pieces was a good one? It is too late to have fundamental doubts about the program: the choice of piece had to be submitted with the application by the end of November. Will we be able to enjoy the performance? When will it even take place? And where? Participants will be informed of the time and venue at least three weeks before the performance. Will it be enough for a 1st prize and thus participation in the final?

The Entrada auditions and the PreSelec-tion Jazz&Pop are open to the public and take place throughout Switzerland, this year for Classica in Arbon, Burgdorf, Geneva, Hünenberg, Lugano and Winterthur and for Jazz&Pop in Basel, Bern, Lausanne, Lucerne and Zurich. While the Chamber Music, Composition, FreeSpace and Jazz&Pop competitions take place annually, the solo competitions alternate: At the Entrada at the end of March, woodwinds, accordion, harps and percussion will be heard in the competition alongside the solo string players. The specialists for old instruments, several guitar and piano duos as well as other exciting chamber music entries will compete in the ensemble categories. In the Jazz&Pop category, the aesthetic range of the participating soloists, bands and large ensembles promises an exciting and varied competition for both the audience and the jury.

In the Classica Solo category, 62 of this year's entries came from harpists, 27 from double bassists and 11 from classical percussionists. However, the most entries were submitted for the traditional instruments violin and violoncello, namely 331. 115 woodwind players between clarinettists and flutists, 26 bassoonists and even 5 panpipe players registered for this year's competition.

In the Classica Solo and Chamber Music competition, age category III (*2007-2009) is the category with the most registrations. Age group II (*2010-2012) is in second place, followed by age group IV (*2004-2006) and age group I (*2013-2016).

Compared to 2023, the number of registrations for FreeSpace and Composition remained constant. A pleasing 48 applications were received for the Jazz & Pop competition this time.

We hope that all participants will have the much-vaunted momentum on their side and that they will be rewarded - with or without a prize - with some good experiences for their commitment and dedication.