The Lucerne Festival

Lucerne, on a beautiful lakeside with a view of Mt. Piatus and the Swiss Alps, is a city that enjoys a long tradition of culture and music. Each summer culminates with the hosting of the famous Lucerne Festival.

The Festival has its origins back in Triebechen’s “Concert de Gala” at the gardens of Richard Wagner’s villa. The concert back then in 1938 was conducted by Arturo Toscanini, who formed an orchestra with members of different orchestras and soloists from around Europe. It is the sentiment that the Lucerne Festival keeps very much intact today. Through August and September each year, it celebrates classical music, featuring resident ensembles and star soloists alongside guest performances of the likes of the Berlin Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic. A hundred or so music events are held at the Culture and Congress Centre (KKL) located on the shore of Lake Lucerne.

So, imagine how honoured we were that the Asian Youth Orchestra, too, held a place at this world-renowned Festival. It was a highlight of this World Tour, a dream come true.

On the big day of the concert, Maestro Bamert took the baton starting with the first rehearsal in the morning. A second rehearsal was held in the evening, this time at the awe-inspiring KKL Luzern Concert Hall.

When guests started to arrive, we were happy to see Maestro Bamert’s family take their seats. This was a big day not only for the AYO but also for the audience, eager to see Mr. Bamert return to the podium at the Festival. Mr. Bamert had been former director of the Lucerne Festival between 1991 and 1998. To top it all off, celebrations were due as the concert had landed a few weeks of his 75^th birthday. Happy Birthday, Mr. Bamert!

The lights on the hall’s ceiling, almost like dazzling stars in the sky, dimmed as the orchestra played the first notes of Mahler. Rarely do standing ovations happen at the prestigious Lucerne Festival, we were told, but a standing ovation is what we received as the music came to a close. This was truly a night to cherish.

We also thought Lucerne was a beautiful city, especially Lake Lucerne and the Chapel Bridge with the Water Tower, the city’s landmark.

According to the 2017 Lucerne Festival program, the theme for this summer’s programming is “identity.” The Festival aimed to enhance awareness on the topic of artistic individuality and globalization, what AYO is all about. Thank you, Mr. Bamert, for selecting us to perform with you in this Festival. How meaningful it was for the Asian Youth Orchestra to take part.