With a blend of archaic yodelling, lullabies, oral tradition and improvisation, the evening brings together musical traditions rooted in Alpine and folk heritage. Bernhard Betschart and Echo vom Schattenhalb bring the sounds of the Muotatal valley into the present day, with natural yodelling, Schwyzerörgeli dancing and ancient vocal calls. Vent Negru explores the musical heritage of the Southern Alps through ballads, spontaneous singing and storytelling, whilst the Aba Trio weaves together Baroque, Alpine repertoires and improvisation in an instrumental language of surprising freedom.

Bernhard Betschart accordion, double bass, Büchel, Chlefäli
Echo vom Schattenhalb:
Daniel Schmidig Schwyzerörgeli, accordion
Cornel Schelbert Schwyzerörgeli, accordion

In the remote Muota Valley, calls across the pastures and songs dedicated to the cattle gave rise to the Naturjuuz, a form of polyphonic singing in which the focus is not on the perfection of the sound but on the power of expression. Bernhard Betschart captures its shifting inflections alongside Echo vom Schattenhalb, a Schwyzerörgeli duo that weaves together traditional Tänzli, unexpected changes of rhythm and ancient vocal repertoires, including Büchelgsätzli, Jüüzli and melancholic Chuäreihäli, bringing one of the most archaic expressions of Central Swiss music back to the present.

Vent Negru
Mauro Garbani vocals, accordions, guitar, piva, ocarina
Esther Rietschin vocals, alto and soprano saxophones, accordion, ocarina, flutes, percussion
Mattia Mirenda vocals, guitars, accordions, mandolin

Active since 1991, Vent Negru is dedicated to researching and reinterpreting the songs and music of the southern Alps, which have survived to the present day through oral tradition or the collections of early scribes. Ballads, lullabies, dance songs and forms of ‘spontaneous singing’ coexist with stories, anecdotes and new compositions inspired by tradition, in a project to promote the musical culture of Ticino, which was awarded the Swiss Music Prize 2025.