Robert Dunand Prize

Celebrating excellence, vision, and the power of music to shape a future.

The Robert Dunand Prize was established by the Villars Music Academy, to encourage and support exceptional young talents at a pivotal moment in their careers.

The final round of the Prize takes place at a public concert during the Academy in the Villars Palace Theatre. The winner receives a professional promotional video and concert engagements with partner institutions.

The 2025 Robert Dunand Prize winner's promotional video will be shared soon

Robert Dunand (1928 – 1991) was a Swiss conductor whose influential career began as a percussionist with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. Alongside this role, he managed opera broadcasts at Radio-Geneva and led music criticism for the Courrier de Genève. That same year, Dunand founded the Orchestra of Musical Youth, which he transformed into the Orchestra of the Collegium Academicum of Geneva in 1958. This initiative bridged the gap between the renowned Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and the conservatory environment that lacked opportunities, fostering the creation of the Opéra de chambre de Genève and the Printemps carougeois. Dunand's contributions were pivotal in the formation of the Chamber Orchestra of Geneva, renamed by Thierry Fischer in 1992.

The Villars Music Academy has dedicated their music competition to honour his legacy and commitment to nurturing young talent. This dedication stems from the Villars Institute's mission to promote intergenerational collaboration by bridging generational divides, bringing together talented young people and experienced professionals to share knowledge, develop ideas, and launch initiatives.

Described as “a young virtuoso of remarkable depth and poise” (The Violin Channel), Yesong Sophie Lee — winner of the second Robert Dunand Prize — first gained international attention after winning the 2016 Menuhin International Violin Competition.

Yesong Sophie Lee, Violin

Described as "captivating: full of passion, imagination, and boldness" by The Times, the South Korean violinist SongHa is a winner of numerous major international competitions and is now the first recipient of the Robert Dunand Prize.

SongHa

We are thrilled to announce violinist Aoi Saito as the winner of the 2023 Balik Farm Prize. Aoi now has the opportunity to record a CD and a video, generously sponsored by Caviar House & Prunier, to help launch her international music career. Raised in Tokyo, Aoi began playing violin at the age of 5 at the Toho Gakuen Music School. She completed her Bachelor’s degree at the Tokyo University of the Arts with honors and is currently studying for her Master’s degree at the Berlin University of the Arts.

Robert Dunand Prize