60^th Gstaad Menuhin Festival

We probably owe the founding of the Gstaad Menuhin Festival 60 years ago for the choice of the element “Family” in this year’s festival theme. In the 1950’s Yehudi Menuhin and his family were searching for a summer residence, a place where the maestro could rest and relax from his travels and countless concerts, a place where his children could go to an international school and profit from a calm and quiet atmosphere set in the midst of nature’s beauty. After having spent a first holiday here they were convinced that Gstaad was the suitable place and decided to build a chalet here; soon thereafter in 1957 Yehudi Menuhin performed the first two concerts in Gstaad together with Benjamin Britten at the piano. The Gstaad Menuhin Festival was born. I don’t think that it is a coincidence that the festival is celebrating the centenary of Menuhin’s birth as well as the 60^th edition of the festival in the same year: at the age of 40 Menuhin felt the need to find peace and tranquility after a fast and furious life as a child prodigy, an international star and the turmoils of the Second World War. 
We have chosen especially to honor Menuhin’s memory with two commemorative performances of Mozart’s Requiem. The Festival in 2016 is oriented primarily toward the future with special emphasis on realizing and conveying the maestro’s philosophy: for example, with a project for children and young people, “Beethoven4all”, that will run in all of the Canton of Berne for more than nine months; or with the five special Academies that we now offer in Gstaad; or with many concerts featuring young prize winners (which always involves fundamental questions regarding prodigies and music competitions), and of course with many concerts in homage of Yehudi Menuhin and his spirit featuring leading international artists.  
Hereditary families and people who have come together to form musical families have the leading role at the Gstaad Menuhin Festival in 2016. Sibling ensembles, two-generation formations, parents and children share the intimate familiarity of their musical lives and thus celebrate the heart of the Gstaad Menuhin Festival: the family as the point of origination for all creative activity, for the rhythm of life itself. 
We look forward to welcoming you to the Gstaad Menuhin Festival in 2016, whether you come alone or with your whole family! 

Sincere regards, 
Christoph Müller, Intendant