02.06.2026 The 48 First-Round Candidates Have Now Been Announced
The video pre-selection round took place over three days in May. The jury, composed of Stuart Patterson and Carine Séchaye, carefully reviewed and evaluated all applications in order to select the candidates who will advance to the First Round of the competition.
This edition attracted strong interest, with close to one hundred applications received. Following the verification of eligibility requirements, 82 eligible candidates from all Swiss Universities of Music were admitted to the video pre-selection stage.
At the end of this process, 48 candidates were selected to take part in the First Round of the competition.
Discover the list of candidates selected for the First Round.
The First Round will take place from 19 to 21 September 2026 at HEMU Lausanne (Utopia 1 Hall) and will be open to the public.
We warmly congratulate the selected candidates and thank all participants for the high quality of their applications and video performances.
02.02.2026 Bastien Ferraris: new Director of the Kattenburg Competition
The Cultural Foundation of the HEMU (Haute École de Musique et du Conservatoire de Lausanne) is pleased to announce the appointment of Bastien Ferraris as Secretary General.
The Foundation's mission is to raise, manage and distribute funds to support extracurricular artistic activities and projects run by the HEMU and the Lausanne Conservatoire. The Foundation also assists and supports students and pupils experiencing financial difficulties, enabling them to continue their musical training.
A trained flutist and graduate of the Haute École de Musique de Genève, Bastien Ferraris has spent several years developing a unique career combining artistic practice, music production, and cultural entrepreneurship. Active on both modern and historical flutes, he regularly collaborates with renowned ensembles and orchestras in Switzerland and internationally.
Alongside his work as a musician, he is deeply involved in the structuring and management of cultural projects. Notably, he has held production responsibilities within the Geneva Competition, contributing to its reputation as one of the most prestigious international music competitions. He is also the co-founder and co-director of Flautissimo Genève, an organisation dedicated to providing bespoke support for flautists and selling and repairing instruments.
With his dual perspective as an artist and manager, in-depth knowledge of institutional realities, and ability to bring people together around ambitious projects, Bastien Ferraris is well suited to the missions and development challenges of the HEMU-CL Cultural Foundation.
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20.01.2026 Launch of the Kattenburg 2026 Competition
The fifth edition of the Kattenburg Singing Competition will take place in Lausanne from 19 September to 16 October 2026.
The competition is open to Master's degree students and graduates who have obtained a Master's degree in singing at a Swiss music academy between June 2023 and June 2026, regardless of gender or nationality.
The final, which will be held on 16 October at the Opéra de Lausanne, will see the six finalists perform in front of a live orchestra conducted by Jean-Marie Zeitouni.
The competition will award five special prizes and four official prizes to the winners, including a first prize of CHF 25'000.
Registration opens: 1 March 2026
Registration deadline: 1 May 2026
Please consult the calendar for the 2026 edition of the Kattenburg Competition.