Scholarship awarded to an young local talent, cellist Benjamin Jacobs, Season 2023 – 24

21 August 2023

The Vevey Spring Classic is happy to announce a Scholarship awarded to the Lausanne born cellist Benjamin Jacobs for the Season 2023 – 24. As part of our commitment to music education and mentoring, this special scholarship is intended to give an emerging local talent from Canton de Vaud the opportunity to study periodically under the guidance of the great cellist Daniel Müller-Schott, Co-Artistic Director of Vevey Spring Classic.

Quoting Daniel Müller-Schott’s statement:

“Mentoring young artists means an essential part to me. Back in 1992, the personal support I gained through Anne-Sophie Mutter and her Foundation “Anne-Sophie Mutter Stiftung” gave me the opportunity to have lessons with giants like Mstislav Rostropovich, masterclasses with Frans Helmerson and Steven Isserlis…….I look forward to working together with Benjamin and to follow his musical and artistic growth”

It is in this spirit and vision of “giving back” which motivated us to give the structured opportunity for an emerging local talent, in this case to the young cellist Benjamin Jacobs, to develop further his musical skills under the masterful guidance of Maestro Daniel Müller-Schott.

Over the course of the 2023 – 24 Season, we will share further news in regards to Benjamin Jacobs’ activities in relation to his scholarship program with the Vevey Spring Classic.

Benjamin E.J.F. Jacobs biography

Born in 2000, Benjamin Jacobs has already had numerous noteworthy experiences as a concert cellist. He took part and won the Swiss Music Competition for Youth in Hünenberg at the age of seven.

Benjamin received the certificate from the Lausanne Conservatory of Music with brilliant results and commendations from the jury in 2016, working under the guidance of his teacher during 10 years, Susan Rybicki-Varga (daughter of the legendary violinist Tibor Varga). Two years later in 2018, he graduated the bilingual International Baccalaureate and in 2021 received the Bachelor of Music from the Haute École de Musique Vaud. Further he continued his cello studies at the Royal College of Music in London, obtaining the Master of Music Performance degree in July 2023 under the tutelage of Professor Raphael Wallfisch.

Along the way, Benjamin undertook many noteworthy projects; in 2018 he performed a Duo in collaboration with Jia Yong Sun, Principal Dancer of the Béjart Ballet Lausanne, at the Opéra de Lausanne. The following year he performed the Prélude of J.S Bach Suite no. 1 for the 30th anniversary concert of Medair at Salle del Castillo Vevey, an evening shared with artists such as Daniel Müller-Schott, Wilson Hermanto and the chamber orchestra Cameristi della Scala. More recently Benjamin performed together with the Russian harpist Alexander Boldachev for the Soirée Favorit 2022 at the Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne. This year he was honored to have the unique opportunity of sharing his passion in music at the 2023 Maria Callas Monaco Gala and Awards, held under the high patronage of His Serene Highness the Prince of Monaco at the Opéra Monte-Carlo and Hôtel de Paris, which celebrated the Centennial anniversary of the birth of the great Maria Callas. Following his performance at this ceremony, Benjamin Jacobs received the award of Young Music Talent.