"The Swiss Group of Five": Myth or Reality?
Jul 23, 2026 • 15:30
A whisper is running through the Swiss music scene, that of a legend in the making: “The Swiss Group of Five.” Is it a simple echo of the great collectives of the past, or a genuine emerging artistic movement? At the heart of this myth are five young composers: Gauthier Dupertuis, Maurice Donnet-Monay, Théo Schmitt, Théo Rossier, and Aurélien Darbellay.
Without an official manifesto, but united by a powerful creative emulation, they are forging a new identity for contemporary Swiss music. This presentation invites you to unravel the mystery. Through the analysis of their works, we will discover whether this myth is a mere construct or the tangible reality of a major artistic renewal.
Stéphane Delley and Boris Oppliger
Stéphane Delley, president of WASBE-Switzerland Professor of Wind Band Conducting at Conservatoire de Fribourg, Principal Conductor of “La Concordia de Fribourg” Championship section Wind Orchestra and member of the music music-committee of the Swiss Wind Band Association. Boris Oppliger, secretary of WASBE-Switzerland Conductor of two 1st section and two 2nd section Wind- and Brass Bands, former conductor of Swiss Army Bands, trumpet teacher and prize winner of the Frederick Fennell Conducting Competition, BBCA Conducting Competition and Swiss Conducting Competition.