MPI 2027
Beyond the Score: Expression Through Interpretation™
6–13 June 2027, Bürglen, Uri, Switzerland
Each June, flutists from around the world gather in the heart of the Swiss Alps for a week of study with Marina Piccinini. The Marina Piccinini Institute is built on the belief that the deepest artistry lies beyond the notes on the page, and that discovering it can transform the way a musician listens, thinks and plays.
The standard is exceptional and the atmosphere is warm and generous. Musicians at every stage of their careers share the same class, listen closely to one another and grow together. Friendships formed here often last a lifetime, and many participants describe their week at MPI as a turning point in their musical lives.
Three ways to take part
Each morning, the whole Institute gathers for Professor Piccinini's masterclass, Beyond the Score: Expression Through Interpretation™. Performers play in the masterclass. Open Studio participants play every afternoon with Katy Wherry in a warm, supportive setting. Auditors are welcome throughout and listen in on every session.
Read about the three programmes
An opening celebration
The week begins on Sunday 6 June with a Gala concert at the ZAUBERKLANG festival, featuring Marina Piccinini and the grammy-winning Pacifica Quartet, followed by a reception. Every participant is our guest.
Music as a complete discipline
The rhythm of the week is designed with great care. Masterclasses, orchestral excerpt classes, chamber music, warm-ups and improvisation sit alongside conversations, concerts and time for rest and reflection. Inspired in part by Marina Piccinini's longtime practice of kung fu, MPI approaches music as a discipline that engages mind, body and imagination together.
An extraordinary setting
Classes take place at the Alp Hotel Biel-Kinzig, a mountain venue beside the upper gondola station above Bürglen, the legendary birthplace of William Tell. Just below lies the Vierwaldstättersee, a fjord-like lake of deep emerald and turquoise framed by steep mountains, where the Swiss Confederation was born on the Rütli meadow. By train, Lucerne is 30 minutes away, Zurich an hour, and Milan one and half hours. Between classes there is time for hiking, swimming in the lake and enjoying the local cuisine.
Special sessions
All participants are welcome at an open Q&A with Marina Piccinini on performance, repertoire, teaching and life as a musician. Guest lectures will be announced soon.
Scholarships
Scholarships remain an important part of MPI, generously supported by flute makers, private donors and the Eric Maul Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Applications open on 15 November 2026.
Early application fee (by December 31, 2026) : $60
Final application fee (by February 15, 2027) : $95