In April, 100 talented young oboists and bassoonists will come to Muri. They travel from all over the world and stay with host families in Muri and the surrounding area during the competition.
This is exactly what The Muri Competition special: music takes place not only in the rooms of Muri Abbey, but also in everyday life in the region. There are encounters at the breakfast table, short conversations after practicing and new perspectives. An international competition becomes personal.
«It's a great experience every time. We get to know people from all over the world and there is always something warm about it. The fact that Muri is hosting this competition again makes us proud.»
- Susi and Ueli Strebel, Muri
Host families are needed so that talents like Hana Hasegawa, shown here taking part in 2023, can concentrate on their performance.
As a host family, you give the young talents a temporary home. In this way, Muri becomes a lively music venue for ten days. Interested parties provide concrete help: they offer a bed and a sympathetic ear. A place to practise is ideal. The musicians can also use the rooms at Muri Abbey for practicing. Host families accompany young musicians on their way to an international career. They facilitate cultural exchange and show how music connects people.
World format on site - with two people from Aargau
The Muri Competition is an international music competition for oboe and bassoon. A preliminary jury anonymously selected 50 talents per instrument from over 300 applications. Only the music counts.
With Julia Silvana Graf (2002) and Leonardo Bizzotto (1999) two young bassoonists from Aargau are also taking part. Julia Silvana Graf comes from Brugg. She is studying bassoon and has been studying for a master's degree in bassoon performance at the Haute École de Musique in Lausanne since 2025. She won first prizes at the Swiss Youth Music Competition. The jury also recognized her musical expression. As an active chamber musician and orchestral musician, she regularly plays in national and international projects. Leonardo Bizzotto comes from Muri and studied bassoon at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. He was also awarded first prizes at the Swiss Youth Music Competition. As an active soloist and chamber musician, he can regularly be heard in national and international projects.
Registration as a host family: https://portal.the-muri-competition.ch/host-family/
Der Freiämter, January 20, 2026