Our mission is to discover, follow, and support young classical musicians. Join us as we help them take the next step in their professional careers.
EXPLORE WHAT WE DO
âAgain this summer, we invite you to witness the exceptional talent and creativity of our Academy musicians. From masterclasses and concerts to off-beat UNLTD collaborations and impromptu performances around Verbier, these young artists embody a spirit of innovation and excellence. Join us in celebrating their journeys as new members of the Verbier Generation.â
The Academy is the heartbeat of the Verbier Festival, a dynamic laboratory where future talents are discovered and nurtured. It sets the gold standard for musical and professional skills training for todayâs emerging musicians and music professionals.
Priority Access: 30 minutes prior to start-time for Friends of the Verbier Festival and Festival badgeholders with tickets
Access with Ticket: 20 minutes prior to start-time for all ticketholders
Access without Ticket: 10 minutes prior to start-time
Access with a ticket is possible up to ten minutes before the start of masterclasses. After this time, entry is no longer guaranteed and ticketholders will be invited to join the queue. Entry and exit from masterclass venues will only be permitted at appropriate breaks during classes.
Chinese pianist Xiaofu Ju is an alumnus of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Ting Zhou. He holds a Bachelorâs and a Masterâs degree from Juilliard, studying with Yoheved Kaplinsky and Nicolas Namoradze. He is a visiting artist at Singapore Capital College. Xiaofu won the Second Hong Kong Youth International Piano Competition and has performed in prestigious venues across Europe, North America, and Asia. He advocates for contemporary music, having premiered works by Philip Glass and Xiaogang. Xiaofu is set to release his debut album, Waldeinsamkeit, this year, having published two poetry collections in 2019 and 2024.
Chinese pianist Victor Yuanhan Lu studied with Yang Yang at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music and now trains with Alexander Schimpf at the University for Music, Drama and Media Hannover.
Supported by the Fondation
Gautier Capuçon, he has participated in competitions like the Geneva International Competition and the Bach Leipzig Competition, where he was the youngest semifinalist. He has performed at Schloss Elmau and Bostonâs Jordan and Williams Hall as a Fondation
Gautier Capuçon, Victor sâest produit au Schloss Elmau et aux Jordan Hall et Williams Hall Ă Boston.
MAYA OGANYAN
Russian Federation | Age 18
Scholarship Donor: Sally Alderson
Maya Oganyan was born in Moscow and has lived and studied in Venice since 2011. She began studying the piano at age four with Alexander Maykapar, professor at the Gnessin Music Academy in Moscow. In 2015 she entered the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory in Venice, where she studied under the guidance of Massimo Somenzi. She has continued studies since 2022 in the class of Olaf John Laneri. The union of the Russian and Italian schools are the key to Mayaâs reading and interpretation of her repertoire. She is the winner of numerous national and international competitions and performs regularly as a soloist, chamber musician and with orchestras at important festivals.
Katya Moeller played her first solo recital at age six and made her orchestra debut when she was 12. Most recently, she was named the First Prize winner of the World Bach Competition, the ODIN International Music Competition, and the World Violin E-Competition Napolinova, in addition to winning the Grand Prize at the ENKOR International Violin Competition, and Second Prize at the Togliatti International Violin Competition and the Harmonium OnlinePlus Competition. As a member of the Avita Duo, she has performed in Austria, Brazil, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Russia, Thailand, Singapore, and United States. The Duo has released a recording of Lera Auerbachâs 24 Preludes for Violin and Piano and the world-premiere recording of Oskolki on the HĂ€nssler Classic label. Katya studies with Masao Kawasaki, pursuing her Bachelorâs degree at The Juilliard School. She previously studied with Almita Vamos and was a fellowship member of the Music Institute of Chicago Academy.
South Korea/United States | Age 22 Scholarship Donors: The Edwin Caplin Foundation, Mr Chretien Risley, Trustee
Dongyoung Jake Shim gained international acclaim by winning top prizes at the Stulberg International String Competition, International Mozart Competition, F. Kreisler International Violin Competition, and Irving M. Klein International String Competition. He was also recognized as a Laureate at the J.S. Bach Competition. Dongyoung has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Alice Tully Hall. He has participated in the Perlman Music Program and CMS of Lincoln Centerâs Spring Festival, and has performed as a soloist with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra and Baltimore Chamber Orchestra. Currently pursuing an Artist Diploma at the Curtis Institute of Music under Shmuel Ashkenasi and Ida Kavafian, Dongyoung plays a 1705
G.B. Rogeri violin on loan from the Sooyoung Art Trade. He previously studied with Donald Weilerstein at the New England Conservatory.
Scholarship Donors: Bruce and Suzie Kovner and Marianne Oundjian
Paloma So has studied with Zakhar Bron since age nine. She is currently in her first year in the Harvard-New England Conservatory Dual Degree Program with Donald Weilerstein, receiving the Deanâs Scholarship and winning the Harvard Radcliffe Orchestra Concerto Competition. She is also mentored by Eduard Wulfson. With multiple victories in international competitions, Paloma has performed as a soloist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin Philharmoniker, China Philharmonic Orchestra, and Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra at venues including the Mariinsky Theater, Buckingham Palace, the Berliner Philharmonie, and Tokyoâs Suntory Hall.
Alexey Stychkin began his studies at Moscowâs Central Music School before going on to the Conservatoire royal de LiĂšge and the Hochschule fĂŒr Musik und Tanz in Cologne. In the 2022/23 season, his talent was showcased as an academy artist with the Staatskapelle Berlin, where he led the orchestra as concertmaster alongside Daniel Barenboim. He also earned the first-ever open application place on the Classeek Ambassador Programme and has received awards from competitions such as the International Tchaikovsky Competition and the Henri Vieuxtemps International Violin Competition.
Germany | Age 22 Scholarship Donor: Fonds GaraĂŻ-Emana de la Fondation Philanthropia
Alexandra Weissbecker began her musical journey at Kazan Special Music School in Russia under the guidance of Julia Vivat, before moving on to study with Pierre Amoyal at Mozarteum University Salzburg in 2019. Currently a student of Stephan Picard at Hochschule fĂŒr Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin, she has also gained valuable insights from masterclasses with musicians including Boris Kushnir and Maxim Vengerov. AÂ laureate of several competitions, including the International Louis Spohr and the Anton Rubinstein Violin Competition, Alexandra has showcased her talents with orchestras such as the Jenaer Philharmonie and the Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra. She plays a violin by NiccolĂČ Gagliano on loan from Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben.
Ami-Louise Johnsson from Stockholm is currently studying at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama with David Takeno, where she has been supported by the Anglo-Swedish Society since 2019.
Ami-Louise won the 2020 Max and Peggy Morgan Viola Award at the Guildhall, was Second Prize and Special Award winner of the 2021 Oskar Nedbal International Viola Competition in Prague. She has also received a Junior award from the Hattori Foundation in London.
Ami-Louise has attended chamber music festivals at Yellow Barn, IMS Prussia Cove, Festival Jong Talent Schiermonnikoog, and Valdres Sommersymfoni. Ami is a 2023 Drake Calleja Trust Scholar as well as being a recipient of the Countess of Munster Musical Trust. She was also awarded the Sigrid Paskell Scholarship 2023 in Performing Arts from SWEA International.
Laura Liu lives in New York City where she studies with Cynthia Phelps and Misha Amory. Last summer, she took part in the Olympic Music Festival Fellowship, Music@Menloâs International Performerâs Program and Perlman Music Programâs Chamber Workshop. She previously attended Taos School of Music, Kneisel Hall, Music Academy of the West, and Heifetz International Music Institute. Laura made her Casals Forum debut, performing in recital at the Kronberg Festival Masterclasses. This past season she received an Honorary Mention and the Pirastro Prize for outstanding young talent at the Third Oskar Nedbal International Viola Competition. She recently earned her Bachelor of Music, and is now pursuing her Masterâs as a recipient of a Kovner Fellowship at The Juilliard School.
Scholarship Donor: The Edwin Caplin Foundation, Mr Chretien Risley, Trustee
Dillon Scott studies at the Curtis Institute of Music with the Mark E. Rubenstein Fellowship under Edward Gazouleas and Roberto Diaz. He was a finalist in both junior and senior divisions of the Sphinx Competition, winning first place at the Nelly Berman Young Classical Virtuosos of Tomorrow. Dillon has performed as a soloist with the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra at venues like Kimmel Center and Carnegie Hall. He frequently performs at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia and advocates for contemporary and underrepresented voices. In past summers, he participated in the Perlman Music Program, Kneisel Hall, Sphinx Performance Academy, and Dali Quartet International Music Festival.
JoĂŁo Pedro Gonçalves began playing the cello at age 12 under the mentorship of Ana ClĂĄudia SerrĂŁo in Lisbon, later continuing his studies with Marco Pereira and Paulo Gaio Lima. JoĂŁo was honoured with the Maestro Silva Pereira Prize as Young Musician of the Year 2020/21 in Portugal. As a soloist, he has collaborated with the Orquestra Gulbenkian, Young Belgian Strings, Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, and Orquestra Metropolitana. He is currently pursuing his studies at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel with Gary Hoffman and Jeroen Reuling, as well as at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels with Jeroen Reuling. JoĂŁo performs on a cello crafted by Nicolas Lupot in 1804, which is on loan from the âFonds de dotation Adelusâ.
Constantin Heise is currently pursuing his bachelorâs degree in Weimar under the tutelage of Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt. He reached the Semifinals at the Queen Elisabeth Competition (2022) and has graced the stages of international festivals such as the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Festspiele MecklenburgVorpommern, and the Beethovenfest Bonn. As a soloist, Constantin has collaborated with esteemed orchestras including the Brandenburg State Orchestra, Jenaer Philharmonie, and the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie. In 2023, he made his orchestral debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker.
Constantin plays a cello crafted by Dietmar Rexhausen in 2022.
Samuel Niederhauser was mentored by Matthias Walpen, Cliodhna Ni Aodain, and Rebecca Firth before starting a bachelorâs degree at the ZHdK with Thomas Grossenbacher in 2016, graduating with honors in 2020. He completed a soloist masterâs degree at the Musik-Akademie Basel under Thomas Demenga. Samuel regularly attends masterclasses with Frans Helmerson, David Geringas, Louise Hopkins, Jens-Peter Maintz, and Troels Svane. He has won several first prizes in national and international competitions, including the Guy Fallot Prize at the Concours de GenĂšve in 2021, a laureate of the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 2022, and Third Prize at the Paulo Cello Competition in Helsinki in 2023. Samuel plays a 1690 cello by Carlo Giuseppe Testore, thanks to a generous loan.
Scholarship Donor: Fonds GaraĂŻ-Emana de la Fondation Philanthropia
Jan Sekaci began playing the cello at age ten in Oradea (Romania) at the High School of Arts. He went on to take part in the Classe dâExcellence de Violoncelle de Gautier Capuçon for three consecutive years and is currently studying at the Barenboim-Said Academy with Frans Helmerson. Jan has attended numerous masterclasses with other renowned cellists, including, Valentin Radutiu, Romain Garioud, Raphael Pidoux, Reinhard Latzko, and Jens Peter Maintz. In 2018, he was chosen as an active participant at the Kronberg Academy Masterclasses under Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt. Jan won First Prize at the 2021 Johannes Brahms Competition in Austria and, as a result, made his debut at Pragueâs Smetana Hall playing DvoĆĂĄkâs cello concerto with the MartinĆŻ Philharmonic. Jan plays a cello made around 1850 in Naples.
Trio Chagall was founded in 2013 by Lorenzo Nguyen, Edoardo Grieco and Francesco Massimino within the Conservatory of Music âG. Verdiâ of Turin. The Trio, named as a tribute to the painter Marc Chagall, now studies with Rainer Schmidt and Anton Kernjak at the Hochschule fĂŒr Musik in Basel and, since last year, is a ProQuartet Ensemble in residence in Paris. Also in 2023, Trio Chagall was awarded First Prize at the Schoenfeld International String Competition in Harbin, China and was a winner at the 2023 Young Concert Artists Trust international auditions at the Wigmore Hall. The ensemble maintains a busy concert schedule across Europe, Kuwait, China, and Japan, performing in prestigious venues such as the Wigmore Hall, Grand Theatre in Harbin, Teatro Verdi in Trieste, and Teatro la Fenice in Italy. Earlier this year, Trio Chagall was named an ECHO Rising Star, resulting in a tour of Europeâs major concert halls in the 2024/25 season.
Daria Brusova graduated from the Academic Musical College at the Moscow State Conservatory with a specialisation in vocal performance. Currently in her fifth year at the Moscow State Conservatory, she has been part of the Bolshoi Theater Young Opera Program since 2022. In October 2023, she won Second Prize in the LiedDuo category at the 56th International Vocal Competition âs-Hertogenbosch (IVC). Possessing a lyrical coloratura soprano voice, Dariaâs repertoire includes classical, chamber, and baroque works, with notable roles such as the Queen of the Night, Gilda, and Musetta.
Valerie Eickhoff is quickly establishing herself as an artist of intense musicality and brilliant vocalism. In the 2023/24 season, she debuts as Ramiro in La finta giardiniera with Theater an der Wien and as Driade in Ariadne auf Naxos with Bayerische Staatsoper. She will return to Deutsche Oper am Rhein as a guest artist for roles like Angelina in Cenerentola and Marylou in MÀrchen im Grand Hotel Her concert work includes performances with Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, Orchestra della Toscana Italy, and KurpfÀlzisches Kammerorchestra. Valerie has also recorded the complete Hanns Eisler Hollywood Songbook with pianist Eric Schneider, released on Ars Production.
Wu Fei studies with Ben Johnson as the Royal College of Music (London), where he has sung the roles of Tamino in The Magic Flute, Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte, Grimoaldo in Rodelinda, and Armand Brissard in Der Graf von Luxemburg. In 2019, he took part in the International Vocal Artists Academy of Payerbach, led by Vladimir Chenov and Olga Topokova. Wu Fei is also wellregarded in Singapore, where he has performed several art song recitals at the EsplanadeâTheatres on the Bay and where he has collaborated with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
Scholarship Donors: The Edwin Caplin Foundation, Mr Chretien Risley, Trustee
In the 2023/24 season, Chelsea Laggan brought her talent to multiple debuts, including her role debut as Carmen with Sarasota Opera. In Spring 2022, she originated the role of Nelly/Heather in the world premiere concert version of Kevin Putsâ The Hours with the Philadelphia Orchestra. She has performed classic mezzo roles like Olga in Eugene Onegin, Maddalena in Rigoletto, and Erda in Das Rheingold with regional companies across the United States. Chelsea also has extensive experience in sacred and secular concert music with various American orchestras. She is a graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts and a 2023 Career Bridges Grant Winner, Jensen Vocal Competition Finalist, and Elizabeth Connell Prize quarterfinalist.
Dafydd Jones made his international debut in 2022/23 season as Clotarco in Haydnâs Armida for the Bregenzer Festspiele. He also recently made his debut in the title role of Albert Herring for Opera North. Other operatic roles include Earl Tolloller (cover) in Iolanthe for English National Opera, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni (OPRA Cymru) and Pastore in LâOrfeo (Garsington Opera). Dafydd won the Royal Over-Seas Leagueâs annual competition at the Wigmore Hall last month and is a recent winner of the Ferrier Loveday Song Prize at the Kathleen Ferrier Competition. He was was also awarded the Verbier Festival Academyâs Prix Thierry Mermod in 2021. Dafydd was member of the 2023 Wigmore Hall French Song Exchange programme where he worked with Dame Felicity Lott and François Le Roux. He has just completed his first year at the Royal College of Music International Opera Studio where he studies with Nicky Spence and Caroline Dowdle.
Le Nozze di Figaro: Bartolo Scholarship Donor: Anonymous
Mark Kurmanbayev has collaborated with conductors Dmitry Korchak, Liubof Orfenova, and Kirill Petrenko, studying under Grace Bumbry, Barbara Frittoli, Freddie de Tommaso, and Sergei Leiferkus. He debuted in Ravelâs Lâenfant et les SortilĂšges at the World Opera Workshop in December 2021. He recently starred as Narumov in Tchaikovskyâs Pique Dame at BadenBaden with Kirill Petrenko and the Berliner Philharmoniker. Last season, under the guidance of bass Alexey Tanovitski, he prepared for the world premiere of Animal Farm at Dutch National Opera. He also trained at the Aix-en-Provence Festival with Thomas Hengelbrock.
Mark recently joined the Dutch National Opera Studio.
Luna Seongeun Park graduated as the top masterâs student at the Mannes School of Music and is now continuing her studies at The Juilliard School. She has won numerous awards in international competitions, including Grand Prize at the Career Bridges Grant Awards, first place at the Korea & China International Vocal Competition, second place at the LISMA International Competition, and recognition in the Opera Index and the Annapolis Opera Competition. Recently, she was a semifinalist in the Belvedere Singing Competition. She has performed in Don Giovanni, Lâenfant et les sortilĂšges, and Dark Sisters and has the roles of Zerlina, Gilda, Nannetta, and Adina in her repertoire. Luna has appeared in major venues including Carnegie Hall and the Seoul Arts Center.
Redmond Sanders studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama as a postgraduate under the tutelage of Susan Waters and generously supported by the Robert Easton scholarship. He graduated from the Royal College of Music as a Rhoddy-Voremburg scholar in 2023. Roles during his time at the Royal College included the Second Armed Man in The Magic Flute, John Styx in Orpheus in the Underworld, and Il Boscaiuolo from Respighiâs La Bella Dormente nel Bosco with covers of LâHorloge Comtoise and Le Chat in Ravelâs Lâenfant et les SortilĂšges. Redmond has also performed oratorio works, recently singing the baritone solo from Vaughan Williamsâ A Sea Symphony at the Royal College of Music and shortly after in St Asaphâs Cathedral (Wales).
Felicitas Wrede started her studies at the Hochschule fĂŒr Musik und Theater âFelix Mendelssohn Bartholdyâ with Brigitte Wohlfarth. Since 2022, she has studied with Amanda Roocroft at the Royal College of Music in London as an ABRSM scholar. She won Second Prize as well as Audience Prize at the Sollima International Competition 2016 in Enna (Sicily). In concert, she has performed at the Thomaskirche, Nikolaikirche, Gewandhaus and at the HĂ€ndelfestspiele Göttingen. On the opera stage she has appeared as Pamina in The Magic Flute, as Clomiri in Imeneo, as the title role in Die Kluge and as Gretel in HĂ€nsel und Gretel.
Milan Siljanov won the prestigious Wigmore Hall/Kohn Foundation International Song Competition in 2015, the Verbier Academy Prix Yves Paternot in 2016, and in 2018 took the second and audience prizes at Munichâs ARD Music Competition. Now a member of Bavarian State Opera (having previously been on the companyâs Young Artist Programme) and a Samling Artist, he has worked with such distinguished conductors and directors as Vladimir Jurowski, Ivor Bolton, Daniel Oren, Mirga GraĆŸinytÄ-Tyla, Barrie Kosky and Dmitri Tcherniakov. His recent roles there include Leporello in Don Giovanni, Dulcamara in Lâelisir dâamore, Schaunard in La bohĂšme, Donner in Das Rheingold, Peter Besenbinder in HĂ€nsel und Gretel and HaraĆĄta in The Cunning Little Vixen. On the concert platform, recent engagements include Zemlinksyâs Lyrische Symphonie with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks under Patrick Hahn and Bachâs Mass in B minor with Oslo Filharmonien under Klaus MĂ€kelĂ€.
The Creative Project Development Residency offers an opportunity to imaginative and entrepreneurial young artists to develop and workshop original projects that push the boundaries of the traditional concert experience. Harpist Helena Ricci, the 2024 Resident, will develop a one-hour innovative, multisensory project around her programme anima.
Penelope Osti, in memory of Bertile Fournier-Huguet
Helena Ricci is a trailblazing classical harpist from Switzerland who is making waves as a creative entrepreneur. In recent years, she has had the privilege of performing at prestigious venues such as St Martin-in-the-Fields, the Royal Opera House, and the Wigmore Hall, as well as playing for King Charles III. Before coming to Verbier, Helena took part in the Encuentro de Santander and the BrittenPears Young Artist programme. She is a Master alumna of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, where she honed her skills and developed her unique artistic vision. She is passionate about merging classical music with technology and art through her innovative MUS!LUX project, which aims to create immersive concert experiences for audiences. In addition to her work as a musician, she is also a talented videographer. Her film on Brian and Roger Enoâs Cerulean Blue was selected as its official video for Deutsche Grammophon, showcasing her versatile talents in both music and visual arts.
Christian Aylward grew up playing piano, drums and guitar, which expanded into songwriting and audio engineering. He graduated from the Royal Conservatory of the Hague with a Bachelor of Music âArt and Soundâ with a minor in composition. During his studies, he increased his audio engineering and language skills through an exchange semester at the CNSMDP in Paris. In 2019, Christian completed a six-month audio engineering practicum at The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, further honing his engineering craft and professionalism. Since September 2023, he has been pursuing his Master of Music degree in Sound Recording at McGill University in Montreal.
Victoria Barroso, born and raised in Toulouse, France, began her musical journey at 12, focusing on piano and music theory. At 14 she began Conservatory studies in double bass. While majoring in music in high school, she broadened her interests to include music production. In 2021, she enrolled in McGill Universityâs Sound Recording programme, graduating from the Qualifying Year in 2022 and advancing to the masterâs programme in 2023. That same year, she showcased her skills as a sound and video engineer at the soundSCAPE music festival in Blonay, Switzerland. Victoriaâs dedication and creativity continue to shape her impactful career in music production.
Jan Olejniczak is a graduate in Sound Engineering from the ĆĂłdĆș Academy of Music and is currently in the final year of his Masterâs studies in Classical Music Sound Engineering at the Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. As the author of interactive multimedia installations showcased at events such as the Musica Moderna Festival in ĆĂłdĆș and the Warszawska JesieĆ Festival, Jan is looking for diverse ways of representing movement in sound. He has been associated with the ĆĂłdĆș Film School for many years, working on film sets and in post-production. His interests span classical and contemporary music recordings and sound creation in audiovisual forms. He is also fascinated by interactive sound and sonification, which he explores in his scientific work.
Each year, a number of awards are presented to soloists, ensembles, and singers of the Academy who merit recognition or are in need of financial help to advance their musical careers. The recipients are decided by the Director of the Academy after observation of musicians during their time in Verbier and through consultation with Academy faculty.
The Prix Yves Paternot recognises the Academyâs most promising and accomplished musician. The Laureate receives CHF 10,000, an invitation to perform at a future edition of the Festival, and is eligible for a contribution of up to CHF 15,000 to support his or her artistic and professional development.
Le Prix Yves Paternot distingue le musicien le plus prometteur et accompli de lâAcademy.
