RMS 5/2026 – Focus on «Encouragement»

RMS - Oct. 15, 2026

Focus

She inspires through music and for the sake of music
How do professional musicians rediscover the joy of playing their instruments? What effect can a kalimba have on the mental well-being of inmates? Music therapist Joana Aderi finds the answers in her daily professional experience.

Between Subscribers and Those Who Have Canceled
Are grants always awarded to the same recipients? Do celebrities or artists with connections have an advantage? We investigated the truth behind the most common fears and prejudices.

We have to fake it!
Learning to play an instrument inevitably comes with its challenges: the fear of making mistakes or of playing in front of an audience. Teachers share the methods they use to encourage their students.

Federal support from Bern
For the 13th time, the Swiss Confederation has presented the Swiss Music Awards: a ceremony that may lack glamour but is lucrative for the winners. The criticism voiced during the award’s early years has long since subsided.

(Italics: French summaries of German articles)

Reviews

New books, albums, sheet music

Echo

(The space available in the print edition is not sufficient for everything we wish to publish. This table of contents also lists articles that only appear online, or of which the print edition contains only an extract. Most of these articles were published before the print edition).

Many Swiss musicians are unemployed—but why is that, exactly?
According to a new survey, many musicians find themselves in a difficult situation one year after graduating. Meanwhile, music schools often struggle to fill open positions.

Between Mountains Festival: Between the Concert Hall and the Dance Floor
The Between Mountains festival took place for the second time in Hölstein, Basel-Landschaft. Classical soloists and ensembles shared the stage with live electronic acts and DJs.

A Perfect Imbalance
There aren’t even a thousand places in the city of Geneva dedicated to building, repairing, selling, and everything else related to guitars. Just a few stores and luthiers—you can count them on one hand. But when it comes to classical guitars, the go-to place is Jacques Vincenti’s workshop.

Gotthelf's Spinne sings, dances, and celebrates
«Codewort: Spider» by the Biel Youth Theater brings together amateurs and professionals, seniors, and children. Wednesday's premiere was met with enthusiasm.

He wanted to make music visible
Conductor, concert promoter, and a decidedly outspoken music educator: An obituary for Armin Brunner, who passed away on August 12 at the age of 93.

How Sebastian Nordmann Brings Music to the Streets of Lucerne
This year's Lucerne Festival, held in August and September, featured a number of unusual formats. The new artistic director, Sebastian Nordmann, hopes this will help attract new audiences.

A Wonderful Discovery of Musical Artifacts in the Upper Engadine
The Upper Engadine Cultural Archive in Zuoz houses one of the largest private collections of 18th-century instrumental sheet music in Switzerland. It has since been cataloged for RISM (Répertoire International des Sources Musicales).