Nowadays, it is rare to be able to boast nearly a quarter of a century in the same job. But in Gstaad, we like to give time, time... Portrait of Christoph Müller, the undisputed boss of the Menuhin Festival, who is stepping down after 24 editions (one edition being  cancelled because of Covid) that went off like clockwork music.

What was it like arriving in Gstaad in 2001, when you were just 30 years old? Was it difficult being from Basel rather than the Bernese Oberland?
As a young arts manager, I had nothing to lose by accepting this position at the festival. The festival needed a reset and a new start, and I was full of ideas and energy. My mission was clear: to breathe new life into it and create a strong artistic identity and regain the public's trust. This didn't happen overnight, but I was given the time I needed to develop the festival, without pressure. A real luxury today. The challenge was to move from the local to the international stage and restoring the Menuhin's reputation by inviting the greatest artists, such as pianists Alfred Brendel and András Schiff, as well as orchestras like the London Symphony Orchestra. But always in the spirit of Yehudi Menuhin, i.e. with a curious mind open to non-classical styles. A pioneer, he recorded famous duos with musicians such as the zither player Ravi Shankar in the 1950s and the jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli in the 1970s.

Was it the same desire for openness that motivated the creation of the Gstaad Festival Amateur Orchestra (GFAO), which gives amateur musicians the opportunity to perform great symphonic works every year?
Yes, we aimed to be open to amateurs and passionate musicians. That’s why we created two amateur orchestras, one for young people and one for adults. It took time, but after three years, the concept took off, to say the least, exploding. Each orchestra now has between 80 and 100 musicians and gives a concert at the end of their week of learning. Hence, diversity and accessibility are well reflected in our “orchestra policy”, alongside the Gstaad Festival Orchestra, which is made up of the best Swiss musicians, a veritable “national team” from the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra, the Opernhaus Orchestra, the Basel Chamber Orchestra, the Sinfonieorchester Basel and the Berner Symphonieorchester.

By multiplying the number of orchestras like hotcakes, you needed conductors... Did this lead to the creation of the Gstaad Conducting Academy
The Gstaad Conducting Academy has undoubtedly become one of the festival's USP, its distinctive feature. We are the only festival with such a musical offering. It’s quite spectacular to see these young conductors perform in the same concert. It took us a long time to establish this format and gain recognition, but after the 8th or 9th edition, it suddenly caught on, and the international scene rushed in. Artistic agencies from all over the world contacted us to come and "shop" among the candidates. Similarly, the seven jury members, who come from seven Swiss orchestras, invite every year the young prize-winning conductors (two or three per edition) to join their orchestras as guest conductors, which is a great way to launch their careers. I must admit that for the first two years, I felt somewhat alone with this project, but we managed to secure funding from partners. Like all the others, this project worked well, allowing us to create a strong image for the festival.

So, what is your formula for success?
I have always believed in building audience loyalty by creating a fairly large and diverse family of artists. Sol Gabetta, Fazil Say, Khatia Buniatishvili, Andreas Ottensamer, Patricia Kopatchinskaïa, Cecilia Bartoli, to name a few. When they started out in Gstaad, they weren't particularly well-known, but I believed in them, sensing their formidable artistic personalities and their potential to connect with the audience.
We also like to invite musicians who have not yet performed here, such as this year's lineup featuring Vikingur Olafsson, Elina Garanca, Marina Viotti, William Christie and Jakub Orlinski. Additionally, we promote new stars under the guidance of the Menuhin Heritage Artists – providing young musicians with the opportunity to present themselves for five Festival editions with a wide variety of repertoires.

Over 60 concerts per edition! How did you manage to bring such a prestigious, cutting-edge classical music festival to the Bernese Oberland, where yodelling is more popular than Ode to Joy?
I have never forgotten that we are a festival in the mountains with a strong tourist focus. Hence the difficulty of creating a programme that is not boring and encourages people to travel to Gstaad in the summer. My goal has always been to emphasise the incredible combination of spectacular landscapes and classical music.

Apart from the festival, what do you do in your spare time? I hear you are an excellent hiker and cyclist. But it's uphill in the Bernese Oberland…
Every other day, I go jogging near the Saane from the Spitzhorn Hotel, where I am staying during the festival, to Rougemont and back, which is about 10 km, allowing me to stay connected to nature.

You are known for being naturally reserved and for keeping your private life private. Why is that?
It's just my nature. I'm not the type of person who would get up on stage and put on a show, or even give a speech. I prefer to stay behind the scenes. It's the artists who should be in the spotlight.

What new challenges do you plan after Menuhin?
I have many ongoing projects (Basel Chamber Orchestra, my concert serie Lucerne Chamber Circle in KKL Luzern, Solsberg Festival and many more, editor’s note), but in terms of new developments, I will be involved in a festival that has been running for over 80 years in Ascona in Ticino. It is also located in a tourist region surrounded by lakes and mountains, with great potential. I have also joined the Habisreutinger Foundation Council as vice-president, which owns nine Stradivarius and other old Cremonese-String-instruments! Finally, I am a musician at heart: I have started playing the cello again, for the first time since 2012. To remain an artist is important when developing new artistic projects, in order to rediscover inspiration, energy and the meaning of our profession.

What will happen on 6 September at the end of the final evening of the festival? Will you never return to Gstaad?
Certainly not! I don't practise a scorched earth policy. Although my involvement is coming to an end, I'm leaving with a sense of accomplishment. Everything is unfolding very organically. The festival has a great team that is staying on, and attendance has nearly doubled, rising from 14,000 to 27,000 people. This is a logical step that I've had in mind for a long time, ever since the years of the pandemic. I am very happy to be leaving on good terms with everyone I have worked with. And I believe the feeling is mutual (he laughs). I am also looking forward to attending concerts +privately in the coming years.

What will change most for you after the festival?
After 25 years, I will finally be able to enjoy the freedom of July and August! Although I loved being in Gstaad during this period, I am looking forward to experiencing summer in a different way, in a more intimate setting. And I’m certainly planning to go on one or more hiking tours in Scotland or the Black Forest next year.

SASKIA VON ALTISHOFEN

PROUST QUESTIONNAIRE … WITH A MUSICAL TWIST

Your favourite instrument? Cello !
The artist you'd go out of your way to get a ticket for? The jazz pianist Hiromi Uehara
Your favourite film? Amadeus
The opera you don’t understand? Lulu, by Alban Berg
Music that gives you energy? Georg Friedrich Handel
Music that makes you cry? Sacred music by Bach
Your favourite composers? Schubert, Bach, Handel and Haydn. I founded the Joseph Haydn Foundation Basel for the Haydn2032 project to mark Joseph Haydn's 300th birthday in 2032. We expect to perform and record all 107 of the composer's symphonies with Il Giardino Armonico and the Basel Chamber Orchestra under the artistic direction of Giovanni Antonini. I am a real Haydn missionary, fighting for recognition of his music.
The worst thing anyone could ask you? The difference between Menuhin and the Verbier Festival, I can’t hear this question anymore (laughing)

Your favourite food? Tagliatelle mare e monti
Your most precious possession? My cello, which was made for me, and a 1971 Lancia Fulvia.
A place, a secret garden, where you like to recharge your batteries? My chalet in Zeneggen in Oberwallis
Your favourite quote? Und jedem Anfang wohnt ein Zauber inne by Hermann Hesse. (There is magic in every beginning)