Nominees for the first Swiss Music Prize announced
Bern, 31.03.2014 - This year, the Federal Office of Culture (FOC) is awarding the first ever Swiss Music Prize. The 15 nominees are musicians from throughout Switzerland representing a variety of musical genres. The Swiss Music Prize 2014 will be presented to the winner by Federal Councillor Alain Berset on 19 September as part of the Label Suisse festival in Lausanne. It carries prize money of CHF 100,000.
The nominees for the first Swiss Music Prize include Andreas Schaerer, Beat-man and Julian Sartorius from Bern, Irène Schweizer from Zurich, Norbert Möslang from St. Gallen, the Basel-based ensemble Phoenix Basel, Erika Stucky (Thalwil), Hans Kennel (Baar), Marcel Oetiker (Altendorf) and the Steamboat Switzerland ensemble, as well as Dragos Tara from Lausanne, Franz Treichler and Mama Rosin from Geneva, Franco Cesarini from Melide and Corin Curschellas from Rueun.
The Swiss Music Prize is designed to honour outstanding and innovative Swiss music and give it greater public recognition. The award carries prize money of CHF 100,000, with each of the nominees receiving CHF 25,000.
Selection process for the Swiss Music Prize
In 2013, the FOC appointed a ten-member team consisting of music journalists, musicians and music experts. They selected candidates from all parts of Switzerland and every field of music and submitted their names to the Federal Music Jury. In March 2014, the seven jury members then chose the 15 finalists from among the 41 proposals. The winner of the Swiss Music Prize 2014 will be announced at the award ceremony.
Swiss Music Prize 2014 award ceremony
The national award will be presented on 19 September 2014 by Federal Councillor Alain Berset as part of the Label Suisse festival in Lausanne. Swiss public broadcasting organisation SRG SSR is a partner of the Swiss Music Prize.
Further information
Switzerland has a long tradition of awarding national prizes for art and design. Following the entry into force of the Culture Promotion Act (CPA) in 2012, the Confederation has established further awards for dance and literature, beginning in 2013 and, from 2014, theatre and music.
Biographies of the nominees and jury members
Biographies of the nominees for the Swiss Music Prize 2014 can be found in the attached PDF.
Address for enquiries
Danielle Nanchen
Federal Office of Culture, Head of Section Cultural Creativity
+41 31 32 49823, danielle.nanchen@bak.admin.ch
Graziella Contratto
Chair of the Jury for the Swiss Music Prize
+41 (0)76 343 21 11, graziella.contratto@hkb.bfh.ch
Publisher
Federal Office of Cultural Affairs
http://www.bak.admin.ch
