How to: Go Beyond Your Limits

A Peek Behind the Curtain

Physical Training with the Rising Stars

Panagiotis Koukis · Exercise Physiologist · Head of Biohacking & Human Performance, Villars Longevity Clinic

Discover how young musicians prepare physically for the demands of performance. This session offers a glimpse into the role of movement, body awareness and physical preparation in a musician’s daily routine.

Participation is optional. You are welcome to take part or simply observe.

Behind Closed Doors: Open Masterclasses

Inside the Teaching Process

Shlomo Mintz · Legendary Violinist and Conductor
Walter Küssner · Violist, Berliner Philharmoniker
Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt · Cellist

Step inside the teaching process as three distinguished musicians work with the Rising Stars of the Villars Music Soloists Lab.

Observe how technique, interpretation and artistic expression are explored and refined through the direct exchange between teacher and student. Discover how experienced musicians approach the challenges of performance, communicate their artistic vision and help young artists develop their own musical voices.

Retreat participants are welcome to observe the masterclasses without prior registration.

A Life in Music

Talk, Interview and Q&A

Shlomo Mintz · Legendary Violinist and Conductor

An opportunity to discover the experiences, choices and reflections behind a lifetime devoted to music.

Through personal stories and questions, Shlomo Mintz shares insights into his artistic journey, the demands of a life on stage and the experiences that have shaped him as a musician.

Conversation led by Manuela Salvi · Cultural Journalist and Presenter, formerly with RTS (Radio Télévision Suisse), where she presented À voix haute on RTS La 1ère.

Inside the Musical Brain

Music and the Brain · Talk and Q&A

Dr. Ilias Kanellos · Scientific Director, Villars Longevity Clinic

How does music engage the brain? Explore the relationship between music, brain function and health, and discover scientific perspectives on the way the brain responds and adapts to musical experience.

This session offers an opportunity to look beyond the sound itself and explore what happens in the brain when we listen to, learn and perform music.

Rising Stars with Masters in Concert

Chamber Music Performance · Groups I and II

Rising Stars of the Villars Music Soloists Lab

Experience the young musicians of the Villars Music Soloists Lab in performance. Through chamber music, discover their individual artistic voices, their musical dialogue and the intensity of making music together.

The performance celebrates the next generation of musicians and the exchange between emerging artists and established masters.

Performing Live

How to Make the Most of Your Talent

Jasper Parrott · Co-founder, HarrisonParrott
Walter Küssner · Violist, Berliner Philharmoniker

A conversation about performing live, artistic potential, presence on stage and how musicians can make the most of their talent.

Inside the Villars Longevity Clinic

Optional Private Group Visit

Dr. Ilias Kanellos · Scientific Director, Villars Longevity Clinic

Discover the clinic and its approach to health, prevention and longevity during a private group visit led by its Scientific Director.

This optional visit offers a closer look at the clinic’s work and its approach to supporting health and wellbeing.

Places are limited. Advance registration is required. Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to availability.

The Master Concert

An Evening with Brahms · Villars Palace Theatre

Johannes Brahms · Piano Quartet No. 1
Ava Bahari, violin · Walter Küssner, viola · Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt, cello · Noriko Sugiyama, piano

Experience Brahms’s Piano Quartet No. 1 in the intimate setting of the Villars Palace Theatre, performed by four outstanding musicians.

A rare opportunity to experience this major chamber music work through the interplay of four distinctive musical voices, bringing together artistic individuality, virtuosity and the shared intensity of chamber music.

The concert is included in the Weekend Package and is also open to the public.

After the Concert · Meet & Greet with the Artists

Join the artists for an informal gathering at the Villars Palace Bar.

The gathering is free of charge and open to everyone.

A Peek Behind the Curtain

Physical Training with the Rising Stars

Panagiotis Koukis · Exercise Physiologist · Head of Biohacking & Human Performance, Villars Longevity Clinic

Discover how young musicians prepare physically for performance and explore the role of movement and body awareness in their daily routine.

Participation is optional. You are welcome to take part or simply observe.

Inside the World of the Berliner Philharmoniker

Talk, Interview and Q&A

Walter Küssner · Violist, Berliner Philharmoniker

A member of the Berliner Philharmoniker for over 40 years and a member of its board, Walter Küssner offers a personal perspective on life inside one of the world’s leading orchestras.

Discover the traditions, teamwork and daily realities that shape orchestral music-making. What does it mean to sustain the highest artistic standards over decades, and how do individual musicians contribute to a collective sound and identity?

Conversation led by Manuela Salvi · Cultural Journalist and Presenter, formerly with RTS (Radio Télévision Suisse), where she presented À voix haute on RTS La 1ère.

Behind the Scenes of an International Music Career

Q&A with the Rising Stars

Jasper Parrott · Co-founder, HarrisonParrott

A dedicated session for the young artists of the Villars Music Soloists Lab.

An open conversation about the realities of an international career, professional choices, artist management, opportunities, relationships and the questions young musicians face as they enter the profession.

A Conversation with Ava Bahari

Conversation and Q&A

Ava Bahari · Violinist, Villars Youth Ambassador and HarrisonParrott Artist

What does it mean to build an artistic identity and navigate the early stages of an international career?

Ava Bahari shares her experiences as a young violinist and reflects on the challenges, opportunities and choices that shape a musician’s path.

A conversation about artistic development, finding one’s own voice and growing into the demands of an international career.

Conversation led by Manuela Salvi · Cultural Journalist and Presenter, formerly with RTS (Radio Télévision Suisse), where she presented À voix haute on RTS La 1ère.

Music, the Brain and Recovery

Music and Stroke Recovery · Talk and Q&A

Dr. Ilias Kanellos · Scientific Director, Villars Longevity Clinic

Explore the role of music in neurological rehabilitation and stroke recovery.

This session examines the relationship between music and the brain and considers how music may contribute to rehabilitation and wellbeing. Discover current perspectives on the role of music in supporting recovery and the wider relationship between music, health and the human brain.

Beyond the Music: A Final Conversation

Farewell Conversation

Manuela Salvi · Cultural Journalist and Presenter, formerly with RTS (Radio Télévision Suisse), where she presented À voix haute on RTS La 1ère.

A final exchange bringing together the themes of the weekend: artistic excellence, the relationship between mind and body, music and human potential.

Through reflections on the experiences and conversations of the past two days, we explore what it means to go beyond perceived limits, both in music and in life.