A network for musical talent

Who would have thought that our alma mater was not only a fount of academic excellence but also overflowing with musical talent? An organisation that is bringing these skills to light and providing them with a stage is the ETH & University of Zurich Music Platform. As the official association for amateur musicians, it is open to all students and staff of both universities – regardless of the instrument or style of music they play.

Creating opportunities to perform on campus

The idea of creating a platform for keen amateur musicians arose at ETH about four years ago. The first announcement by founder Daniel Fankhauser via Polykum and the VSETH Newsletter was met with lively interest by ETH members. In April 2010, the Music Platform became affiliated to the VSETH Kulturstelle and the first concert took place just two months later in a full Semper Aula.

Ever since, the Music Platform has been organising Musical Evenings in the Semper Aula every six months. Admission is free; there is a collection to support organisations such as the Swiss Cancer League or the Swiss Red Cross. Audiences and the number of soloists and ensembles wanting to perform both grew quickly and, when the platform was extended to the University of Zurich in 2011, the Semper Aula was definitely too small for the twice-yearly concerts. Today, the Musical Evenings take place alternately in the ETH’s Audimax and the Aula at the University. The musicians also have the chance to play together twice a semester at the so-called soirées: smaller-scale concerts with no advertising or official programme, held in the Quiet Room on the Hönggerberg campus. Signing up for these can be quite last-minute, up to just two days in advance.

Musicians find musicians

As well as creating opportunities to perform, the Music Platform is particularly concerned to encourage more networking among amateur musicians. As we all know, the years spent at university are short and intensive, and building up a musical network takes time. This is where the portal on the Music Platform website can help, where any member of either university can create a profile for themselves, stating their instrument and standard. Over 600 amateur musicians have already done this and some new ensembles have come into existence as a result of contacts made through the network. The Music Platform publishes the dates of concerts and events for all university music groups on its website.

“We have become a permanent part of campus culture,” says Adrien Lücker, doctoral student at the Institute of Fluid Dynamics at ETH Zurich and President of the Music Platform since last year. This is also demonstrated by the fact that the Rectorate of the University of Zurich has invited the Music Platform to give two concerts to mark the anniversary of the University’s Main Building at the end of April (see text box). At the moment, about two-thirds of the people in the network of amateur musicians are members of ETH. That’s why the Music Platform is keen to raise its profile, especially at the University, in the future. The anniversary concerts in the Aula should provide the best possible advertisement.