Dear Friends of Music,

Every era is shaped by an invention that transforms the way we perceive the world. Ours is confronted with an unprecedented revolution: never before have “machines” been capable of writing, speaking, composing, creating images, or simulating the expressions of human intelligence with such remarkable realism.

This revolution holds immense promise, but also profound risks. It compels us to reflect on what makes human experience truly unique. For the real challenge is probably not that computer systems are becoming ever more like us, but that we may gradually come to accept—without even realizing it—a world in which genuine presence is replaced by its simulation, human encounter by its illusion, and emotion by its imitation.

Against this backdrop, the live concert takes on a renewed significance. Nothing in a concert hall can be reproduced: people gather to share the same space, the same moment, the same silence. On one side, the performers embrace the uncertainty of the unforeseen; on the other, the audience witnesses an experience that will never exist again in exactly the same form. It is precisely this fragility that gives live performance its truth.

Chamber music is among the finest expressions of this ideal. It is founded on listening, trust, dialogue, and the willingness to embrace our own vulnerability. It reminds us that a work of art comes fully to life only when it passes from one person to another. This conviction lies at the heart of the 2026–2027 season of Swiss Chamber Concerts.

From masterpieces by Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann and Beethoven to the creations of our own time, every programme affirms that music is not a static legacy but an ongoing conversation between generations. Great works endure because they continue to speak to our intellect, our sensitivity, our freedom, and our hearts.

At a time when artificial intelligence is reshaping our relationship with the world, the live concert remains, more than ever, one of the last places where we can experience the irreplaceable reality of genuine human presence. Preserving this space is not merely an artistic mission; it is a profoundly humanistic act.

We are delighted to welcome you.

Daniel Haefliger

Artistic Director