The Spotlight Swiss Film Music is a programme funded by FONDATION SUISA to promote Swiss film music. It showcases composers who work for film and audiovisual media, and makes their music accessible outside its original visual context.
Le Spotlight Swiss Film Music will be presented as part of ‘Cinema in Concert’, the film music evening at the Zurich Film Festival in the Grosse Tonhalle, Zurich.
Michael Künstle & Matteo Pagamici
Michael Künstle and Matteo Pagamici compose together for film and television. Their works include, for example, ‘Sisi & Ich’ and ‘Neumatt’. In 2026, the FONDATION SUISA will dedicate the Spotlight Swiss Film Music to the duo as part of ‘Cinema in Concert’ at the Zurich Film Festival.
This year’s featured artists, Michael Künstle and Matteo Pagamici, met whilst studying ‘Composition for Film, Theatre and Media’ at Zurich University of the Arts. They develop their projects together from the very beginning: they exchange ideas, work out musical concepts and clarify what role the music should play within a story. They then write musical suites individually, which are later brought together to form a complete work. After several years of collaboration, they have become a well-established duo: in the finished piece, it is often no longer possible to say definitively who originally came up with an idea.
This collaboration also shapes their work on Frauke Finsterwalder’s feature film «Sisi & Ich». The film tells the story of Empress Elisabeth from the perspective of her lady-in-waiting Irma Sztáray, played by Sandra Hüller. Künstle and Pagamici arranged and produced the song performed by Hüller for the end credits.
In 2025, their first joint album, ‘Dimensions’, was released; it was recorded with a 92-piece orchestra at Abbey Road Studios in London and released on their own label, ‘Handcrafted Music’..
«Cinema in Concert» 2026
Thursday, 1 October 2026, 7 p.m.
Tonhalle, Zurich
Ticket information and programme
FONDATION SUISA Spotlight Acts from recent years
2025 ｜ Balz Bachmann
In 2025, this ‘Spotlight’ was awarded to Balz Bachmann, one of Switzerland’s most renowned and internationally sought-after film composers. The Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra presented a specially arranged suite featuring highlights from his film music of recent years.
In 2024, Bachmann was selected from among only twelve composers worldwide to participate in the prestigious ‘Spot the Composer’ promotion programme at the Cannes Film Festival. His works have received numerous awards, including the Swiss Film Award, and have been performed internationally.
balzbachmann.com
2024 ｜ Nicolas Rabaeus
Multi-award-winning Swiss film composer and musician, known for his stylistic versatility in film, television and theatre.
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2023 ｜ Mark Baechle
Swiss composer and arranger specialising in orchestral film music; also does work for theatre, audio productions and advertising.
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2022 ｜ Marcel Vaid
Swiss-German composer and musician born in 1967, who has set over 50 feature films and documentaries to music. Known for combining acoustic instruments with electronic elements. Four-time winner of the Swiss Film Award and lecturer at the Zurich University of the Arts.
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2021 ｜ Diego Baldenweg
One of the three Baldenweg siblings (along with Nora and Lionel), who produce work for film and TV. They combine orchestral and modern soundscapes and have won multiple international awards.
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2019 ｜ Adrian Frutiger
Swiss composer and producer who has create music for productions such as “Sennentuntschi” and “Davos 1917”.
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2018 ｜ Christine Aufderhaar
Swiss composer for cinema, TV and concerts, based in Berlin. Winner of multiple awards, including “European Composer 2008 for Switzerland”.
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2017 ｜ Fabian Römer
Römer is a Swiss film composer for cinema and TV productions such as “Die Tür” and “Tannbach” and a winner of several international awards.
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2016 ｜ Niki Reiser
One of the most well-known Swiss film composers. He has worked with Dani Levy and Rolf Lyssy, amongst others, and received the Swiss Film Award on multiple occasions.
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2015 ｜ Martin Tillman
Swiss cellist and composer born in 1964, a close collaborator of Hans Zimmer on Hollywood productions such as “The Dark Knight” and “Pirates of the Caribbean”.
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2014 ｜ Marcel Barsotti
Swiss film composer born in 1963, creator of over 100 soundtracks for cinema and TV, including “Deutschland. Ein Sommermärchen“ and “Pope Joan”.
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