Prof. Johannes Schlaefli

Johannes Schlaefli is currently serving as “artistic director” of the Swiss Youth Symphony Orchestra and of “Alumni-Symphony-Orchestra Zürich”. He acts as Principal Guest Professor for the Conducting Classes at the Music Universities in Zürich and Frankfurt.

As one of the most highly sought after conducting teachers, Schlaefli is in demand throughout the world and was invited by institutions such as the Sibelius Academy Helinski, the Juilliard- School New York, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Aspen music festival and many others. He also serves as “head of teaching” at the Gstaad Menuhin Festival Conducting Academy, and works together with the prestigious “Dirigentenforum” in Germany as well as with the Norwegian “Dirigentloftet” in Oslo. As a guest professor, he has taught throughout Europe at the Music Universities of Vienna, Berlin, Leipzig, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Manchester, Copenhagen, Helsinki.

Johannes Schlaefli was the co-founder of Basel Chamber Orchestra in 1984. From 1995-2013 he was chief conductor of Bern Chamber Orchestra before leading the Mannheim chamber orchestra as chief conductor from 2013-2019. Since 2018 he was chief conductor of the symphony orchestra “Collegium Musicum Basel” and will end his tenure in summer 2024. As a guest conductor, he has performed in his home country with orchestras such as the Tonhalleorchester Zürich, orchestra della Svizzera Italiana Lugano, symphony orchestras in Biel, Bern, St. Gallen, Lucerne, Kammerphilharmonie Chur, Zürich chamber orchestra, Argovia philharmonic an others. Internationally he also guest conducted Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Knoxville symphony orchestra, Munich Radio Orchestra, Janacek Philharmonic orchestra Ostrava, Philharmonia Prague, Allegra Festival orchestra Sofia, südwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz, symphony orchestra Göttingen, Berlin sinfonietta etc.