Organisation: Musikdorf Ernen Association

The Musikdorf Ernen association is the organiser of the Festival Musikdorf Ernen.

The Musikdorf Ernen association is the organiser of the Festival Musikdorf Ernen. The association was founded in 1988. It consists of a five-member board and more than 550 members.

Current board members:

  • Francesco Walter, president
  • Andrea Baumann
  • Nicola Imseng
  • Dominique Weissen Abgottspon
  • Andreas Zurbriggen

The festival is managed by executive and artistic director Jonathan Inniger. He is supported by association president Francesco Walter. Jonathan Inniger has overall responsibility for the artistic programme and organisation. Two of the major parts of the festival have their own artistic directors: Baroque specialists Ada Pesch and Deirdre Dowling curate the Baroque concerts and conduct the Aernen Barock ensemble. Renowned pianist and chamber musician Alasdair Beatson curates the Kammermusikfest.

The Musikdorf Ernen association can also count on the support of many dedicated volunteers, without whom this festival would not be possible.

Not yet a member?

Are you not yet a member of the Musikdorf Ernen association, but do you care about Musikdorf Ernen? Then become a member now.

Musikdorf Ernen wants to stay just as it is: serving up musical gems in a charming and intimate setting. Discussions about music, literary treats, wonderful nature and culinary delights in local restaurants – we need your support to continue offering this mix!

Our members' association is the supporting organisation of the Musikdorf Ernen and forms the roots of the festival. Creating a solid financial basis through a well-established supporting association is an important goal for us. This gives us security and facilitates annual financing – freeing up time and energy for artistic projects!

The Musikdorf Ernen association is alive and well, and its efforts are bearing fruit. To ensure that this remains the case, we are always looking for new members to help music grow and flourish in the mountain village of Ernen! Because culture is a plant that needs to be nurtured.

The membership fee is at least CHF 100 per person per year, with patronage contributions starting at CHF 1,000. 

What advantages do I have as a member of the Musikdorf Ernen association? 

Members and patrons of the association receive a 10% discount on subscriptions. They enjoy priority advance ticket sales and free admission to the concert held on the occasion of the General Assembly.

Would you like to become a member? Get in touch directly via the contact form. We look forward to hearing from you.

Membership application via contact form

Statutes of the Ernen Musikdorf Society

People in charge

Board Members of the Musikdorf Ernen Association

Francesco Walter, President
Andrea Baumann, Vicepresident
Nicola Imseng
Dominique Weissen-Abgottspon
Andreas Zurbriggen

Director Festival Musikdorf Ernen

Jonathan Inniger (chief executive officer and artistic director)

Jonathan Inniger studied double bass, musicology and philosophy in Bern, Basel, Fribourg and Vienna, as well as arts management in Zurich. In addition to world premieres and concerts in Ernen, a highlight of his stage career was the performance of Gérard Grisey's full-length spectralist work Les Éspaces Acustiques (1974–1985) as principal double bassist at the 2017 Wien Modern Festival. Jonathan has played in Switzerland's most important concert halls as well as at the Vienna Musikverein and Konzerthaus under Christoph von Dohnányi, Ilan Volkov and Michael Sanderling. In 2014, he founded the musicians' collective arte frizzante in Bern with like-minded colleagues, contributing to its organisational and artistic development over many years. He later led tutorials at the University of Bern on topics including music history, music theory, philosophy of language and writing programme notes, contributed to music history publications and made an important contribution to research on the first Viennese music critic, Hedwig von Friedländer-Abel. He has worked as a music dramaturg, writer, critic and manager for various institutions. Since 2019, he has been an employee of the Festival Musikdorf Ernen, where he became co-director in 2024 and took over full artistic responsibility as director from the 2026 season onwards.