About us

2025

Objective of the music course

Private lessons for all Instruments
Intensive development of Solo, Chamber Music and Orchestral playing
Acquiring of Concert experience
Preparation of Concerts
Make and maintain friendships across cultural and national borders

Program

Daily private lessons for all instruments
Orchestra rehearsals
House concerts for all participants
Masterclass
Preparation for concerts
Group music Theory for pianists
For all instruments: lessons with correpetitor
Second instrument according to possibility and need

Requirements

Children, Young Adults as well as Older, Music enthusiasts
For Beginners, Advanced and Professionals
Love for the Music

Camp Life

Accommodation will be at Hotel Seaside
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at Hotel Seaside
Individual or communal practice time
Outdoor Activities including Sports, Hiking and day Trips
Fresh alpine air and wonderful views over the Alps

1. Woche

Audition for Academy, and Festival Orchestra
Private Lessons
Chamber Music
Orchestra Rehearsals
Concert Preparation

2. Woche

Masterclasses
Private Lessons
Chamber Music
Orchestra Rehearsals
Concert Preparation
Concerts

3. Woche

Private Lessons
Chamber Music
Orchestra rehearsals
Concerts

Camp Rules

In order to offer all participants an optimal learning and camp experience, the Goppisberg Music Festival and Academy have adopted the following “Camp Rules”.

The following:

1. Punctual participation at Music Lessons as well as at the Rehearsals and Concerts

2. Keep the Hotel House Rules

3. 17 year olds and younger must be in the Hotel at 10.00pm, older participants at 12.00pm

4. No Alcohol for Minors

5. The Artistic Director decides where and when the students will be performing at the public concerts

History

About us

Since 1991, the music camp has taken on an international character, as guest teachers and participants from Switzerland, Hungary, Israel, Russia, Germany, Armenia, USA, Norway, Bulgaria, Italy and Belgium have been teaching since then, as well as music students from these countries take part in the course. Deborah Spiegel has been the new artistic director since 2007. She is supported by her parents Piroska Spiegel Nyffenegger (management / organization) and Bruno Nyffenegger Spiegel (technical management).

How it all began

In the small village of Goppisberg in the Aletsch region of the Canton of Valais violinist Katharina Hardy founded
in the summer of 1987 music weeks for children and young people with a serious motivation to play music, the
music weeks henceforth bearing the name of this romantic village.
Katharina Hardy was guided by the idea of intensively developing the instrumental skills of young talents during
the school vacations. In the first years, the music weeks were held in the village of Goppisberg itself, but with an
increasing number of participants, the location became too small. Therefor the venue of the Goppisberg Music
Weeks was relocated to other places in the Upper Valais. The old name, however, remained, referring to the early
days.
This year, the music festival will be held in the idyllic town of Spiez

Event Locations

In the following years the camp took place in the following locations:

1990 – 1993 Rhone Gletscher, Hotel Belvedere

1994 – 1996 Simplon – Kulm, Hotel Bellevue

1997 – 2006 Grächen, Hotel Sonne und Hotel Abendruh

2007 fand kein Lager statt

2008 Grächen, Hotel Sonne, Hotel Abendruh und Gruppenhaus Ausblick

2009 – 2012 Grächen, Hotel Sonne, Hotel Abendruh und Gruppenhaus Santa Fee

2013 Grächen, Hotel Sonne und Hotel Abendruh und Gruppenhaus Ausblick

2014 – 2015 Grächen, Hotel Sonne und Hotel Abendruh und Hotel Des Alpes

2016 Grächen, Hotel Alpina, Hotel Sonne und Pension Abendruh

2017 – 2019 Spiez Hotel Seaside