Newsletter HKB Music 

June 2026

Dear music lovers

There’s still plenty of music on offer at the HKB before the summer break: Today marks the start of the Bachelor’s concerts in Jazz and Contemporary Music; in the Classical Music department, numerous graduation recitals will take place through the end of June; and in Biel, the Pulsations festival featuring dance, music, and rhythm is underway.

Best regards - the HKB Music team 

Playtime 2026: Festival Recap

In January 2026, the 8th edition of the HKB music festival Playtime took place. Our clip offers a glimpse into the organ concert at Münster Bern and works by Mathias Spahlinger, the projects of Sound Arts and Rhythmics students, and Ambra Biaggi’s diploma production, which combines Monteverdi with contemporary music.

Salvatore Sciarrino visits the HKB

Due to the world premiere of his opera ‘L'Agamennone’ at Bühnen Bern, composer Salvatore Sciarrino was in Bern. In this context, students from the HKB performed his works in three concerts and were coached personally by the composer.

Soloists’ Diploma Concert

Students at the highest level of training will take to the main stage of the Kulturcasino in Bern as soloists. On Instagram, the young musicians offer a glimpse into their extensive preparations.

Anyone wishing to explore the topic of ‘Research at Art Academies’ beforehand is warmly invited to the event at the Kornhausforum from 12.30 pm to 3 pm.

Mon, 15.6.2026, 7.30 pm – Casino Bern, Casinoplatz 1, 3011 Bern

Founding Celebration ‘Chance’

Due to significantly higher tuition fees compared with other Swiss universities, lecturers, students and staff from the music and theatre departments of the Hochschule der Künste Bern (HKB), together with other private individuals, founded the Förderverein ‘Chance’ in May 2026. The association supports music and theatre students at HKB.

Tue, 16.6.2026, 7 pm – Yehudi Menuhin Forum, Helvetiaplatz 6, 3005 Bern

New lecturers from autumn 2026

From the next semester, we will be welcoming Benoît Delbecq (piano and composition) and Simon Jermyn (electric bass) to the Jazz and Contemporary Music department. In the Sound Arts department, Viola Yip and Salomé Voegelin, as a tenure-track professor, will be joining the lecturer team. Wojtek Klemm will now be teaching acting to opera students, and in Music and Movement (Rhythmics), Jonas Kocher will take over the role of lecturer for project management and project supervision.

Keep up to date: 

Picture above: Diplomas 2026 (HKB Atelier)
Picture below: At the end of May 2026, students on the Master’s in Music Composition – Creative Practice presented their current work in the Trafic format (Photo: Luz Gonzalez).