Swiss Conservatory Launches Emergency Fund for Music Students Amid Pandemic

The Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana has established a solidarity fund to provide emergency scholarships for students facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund, co-created with Elisa Bortoluzzi Dubach, is managed by the Fondazione Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana, a private utility entity that has run the school since 1999. The school originally opened 35 years ago as the Accademia di Musica della Svizzera italiana. In just a few days, the fund raised 97,570 Swiss francs and distributed 45 emergency scholarships, with money deposited directly into students' bank accounts after individual verification. Many of the students are Italian, particularly from the Varese and Como areas. The cancellation of concerts and live events has deprived young musicians of crucial income. Ina Piattini Pelloni, President of the Foundation, called the situation unprecedented, while Christoph Brenner, General Director of the Conservatory, emphasized that supporting young talents now will enable a faster recovery later. The article contrasts this Swiss initiative with the lack of similar measures in Italy for visual artists, despite the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage allocating 20 million euros for theater, music, and cinema.