4th International Alberto Lysy Violin Competition - Final
10.10.2026 , Saturday
20 young violinists from around the world compete in 3 rounds before a 5-member jury. The winner receives concert appearances, including at the Menuhin Festival, a master violin by Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume on loan for 4 years, as well as a cash prize. The final selection takes place at the Church of Saanen, where the candidates are accompanied by the St. Gallen Symphony Orchestra. The first two rounds will be held in the large hall of the Gstaad community center, where the candidates are accompanied by pianists.
The competition is publicly accessible — admission is free.
1st Round: Thursday, October 8
Schedule: 09:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m., 01:30 p.m.–04:00 p.m., 04:30 p.m.–07:00 p.m.
Semifinal: Friday, October 9
Schedule: 02:00 p.m.–04:30 p.m., 05:00 p.m.–08:00 p.m.
Venue
Community Center
Untergstaadstrasse 8
3780 Gstaad
Switzerland
Final: Saturday, October 10
With the St. Gallen Symphony Orchestra and its new chief conductor Pietro Rizzo
Schedule: 03:00 p.m.–07:00 p.m.
Venue
Church of Saanen
Chilchgasse 5
3792 Saanen
Switzerland
On the final day, a public prize will also be awarded. The audience is invited to vote for their favorite. The winner will be presented by the Gstaad Menuhin Festival in the "Jeunes Étoiles" series in the summer of 2027.
The Alberto Lysy International Violin Competition was established with the goal of promoting young violinists from around the world and honoring the memory of the great violinist Alberto Lysy. The event is organized in collaboration with the Menuhin Center Saanen.
An internationally renowned jury awards the winner a high-quality violin by Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume on loan for four years.
The Jury
- Adelina Oprean — violin professor at the Music Academy Basel
- Philippe Graffin — concert violinist, professor at the Conservatoire Supérieur de Paris and at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel
- Raphaël Oleg — violinist, violist, conductor, and professor at the Music Academy Basel since 1995
- Ettore Causa — concert violist, professor at the Yale School of Music
- Daniel Geiss — cellist and conductor, coordinator of the Gstaad String Academy 2026 and conductor of the Gstaad Youth Orchestra