Meet the New Generation of Verbier

Founded in 1994 as a festival to connect established artists with promising young talents, the Verbier Festival has become a springboard for many of today’s leading musicians. As Verbier points out, many of this year’s performers weren’t even born when the festival first began. Discover a preview of this year’s featured young artists and explore our favourite recordings.

Sheku Kanneh-Mason, b. 1999 British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason has become a global figure in classical music, blending influences from Jacqueline du Pré to Bob Marley. This year he performs Saint-Saëns, Haydn, Beethoven, and Brahms in dazzling chamber music collaborations.

Randall Goosby, b. 1996 American violinist Randall Goosby is known for championing underrepresented composers and making classical music more inclusive. He makes his Verbier recital debut with works including Saint-Georges, and returns for a chamber concert featuring Glinka and Elgar.

Mao Fujita, b. 1998 Japanese pianist Mao Fujita, 26, stunned audiences last year with an improvised solo performance. This summer he pairs Scriabin’s and Chopin’s 24 Preludes and joins leading young artists in the Rencontres Inédites.

DID YOU KNOW: The Rencontres Inédites concerts, French for unprecedented encounters, were created to present unique performances you won’t hear anywhere else. These exclusive collaborations between world-class musicians have become legendary, capturing the festival’s spirit of camaraderie and artistic curiosity.

Klaus Mäkelä, b. 1996 Now a major international conductor, Klaus Mäkelä began as a cellist and returns to that role in rare appearances this summer. He performs Schumann’s Piano Quintet and Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht in chamber concerts, while also conducting two orchestral programmes.

Alexandre Kantorow, b. 1997 French pianist Alexandre Kantorow shot to fame with his win at the 2019 Tchaikovsky Competition and is admired for his fiery playing. He returns with Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.

Arthur Trælnes, b. 2002 Swiss violinist Arthur Trælnes is a Verbier Festival success story, having risen through the Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra to international acclaim. He opened the festival with a virtuosic performance of Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen.

Tjasha Gafner, b. 1999 Swiss harpist Tjasha Gafner has won top prizes at the ARD Competition and is celebrated for her lyrical artistry. She debuts at Verbier with a poetic solo programme from Bach to Tournier and joins in on a unique performance of a reimagined Haydn Trio with harp.

Thibaut Garcia, b. 1994 French guitarist Thibaut Garcia rose to prominence after winning a Victoires de la Musique award and is known for his charismatic interpretations. His Verbier debut honours Paraguayan composer Agustín Barrios Mangoré in a solo recital.

Ekaterina Bonyushkina, b. 2002 Russian pianist Ekaterina Bonyushkina is a standout Verbier Festival Academy alumna and multiple competition winner. She makes her debut with a recital of German Romantic repertoire and jazzy Kapustin variations.

Johan Dalene, b. 2000 Swedish-Norwegian violinist Johan Dalene, winner of the Carl Nielsen Competition, is praised for his deeply expressive tone. He joins four Rencontres Inédites and performs a recital with music by Rautavaara, Grieg, Ravel, and Franck.

Anastasia Kobekina, b. 1994 Russian cellist Anastasia Kobekina, an Academy alum, has earned acclaim for her radiant playing. Her appearances span a recital with Isata Kanneh-Mason, chamber works including Elgar’s Piano Quintet, and Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations.

Alexander Malofeev, b. 2003 Russian pianist Alexander Malofeev has quickly become a global sensation with major orchestras and dramatic, emotionally charged performances. His Verbier recital highlights Russian repertoire including Kabalevsky and Scriabin, alongside Janáček, Schubert, and Liszt’s Funérailles.

Verbier Festival 2025: Next Generation is available on IDAGIO.