Mats Thiersch
Semi-finalist of the Conducting Competition 2025-2026
Biography
Mats Thiersch is a German conductor. He studied composition with Miroslav Srnka in Cologne and conducting with Alain Altinoglu at the Conservatoire de Paris. He has participated in masterclasses with Daniele Gatti, Mikko Franck, and Jaap van Zweden, and served as assistant conductor with the Orchestre National in Cannes and Île-de-France. He is a scholar of Forum Dirigieren of the German Music Council and took part in the Gstaad Conducting Academy in 2024.
COMPETITION PROGRAMME
First Round - Haute École de Musique de Genève Orchestra
- L.v. Beethoven: Symphony No. 2
- F. Schubert: Symphony No. 5
Second Round - Orchestre de Chambre de Genève
- I. Stravinsky: Danses concertantes
- P.I. Tchaikovsky: Serenade for Strings
- R. Wagner: Siegfried Idyll
Semi-Final 1 - Orchestre de Chambre de Genève
- G. Bizet: Symphony in C
- L. Farrenc: Symphony No. 3
- F. Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 « Scottish »
Semi-Final 2 - Ensemble Contrechamps
- Ligeti: Kammerkonzert
- R. Saunders: Scar
Semi-Final 3 - Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
- C. Debussy: La Mer
- R. Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54 (1st movement)
- R. Schumann: Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129 (1st movement)
Final Round 1 - Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
- 3 finalist works from the Composition Competition
Final Round 2 - Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
- G. Mahler: Totenfeier
- R. Strauss: Don Juan
Events
The six semi-finalists of the Conducting Competition each lead a 45-minute public rehearsal with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, working on excerpts from Debussy’s La Mer and the first movement of either Schumann’s Piano Concerto or Cello Concerto, assigned by draw at the beginning of the round.
Session 1: 2:30 PM
Session 2: 7:30 PM
Semi-Finalists:
Soloists:
Kevin Chen (1st Prize, Piano 2022)
Michiaki Ueno (1st Prize, Cello 2021)
With the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
The six semi-finalists of the Conducting Competition each have a 45-minute public rehearsal with Ensemble Contrechamps, working on excerpts from Ligeti’s Kammerkonzert and a contemporary work of their choice: Unsuk Chin’s Gougalon or Rebecca Saunders’ Scar.
Session 1: 2:30 PM
Session 2: 7:30 PM
Semi-Finalists:
With the Ensemble Contrechamps
The six semi-finalists of the Conducting Competition each have a 45-minute public rehearsal with the Orchestre de Chambre de Genève, conducting excerpts from symphonies by Bizet, Farrenc and Mendelssohn, assigned by draw at the beginning of the round.
Session 1: 2:30 PM
Session 2: 7:30 PM
Semi-Finalists:
With the Orchestre de Chambre de Genève