Swiss Conductor 

Hedy Salquin was a Swiss conductor, pianist, painter, and poet whose exceptional musical talent was evident from a young age. She began piano lessons at the age of six, encouraged by her father, who recognized her abilities early on.

In 1939, Salquin was admitted to the advanced piano class of Alexandre Mottu at the Geneva Conservatory. There, she also studied orchestral conducting under Samuel Baud-Bovy, composition with Charles Chaix, and solfeggio with Lydie Meylan. In 1949, she traveled to Paris with a recommendation from Dinu Lipatti to his esteemed teacher, Nadia Boulanger, where she joined Boulanger’s piano accompaniment class.

That same year, Salquin applied to the prestigious orchestral conducting program of Louis Fourestier, competing as the sole woman among forty candidates. Three years later, she made history as the first woman in the class to earn first prize with honors.

Upon completing her studies in Paris in 1952, Salquin launched an international career as a conductor, leading major orchestras in Switzerland and across Europe. She conducted frequently with the Radio Orchestra in Denmark and the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. In 1958, she directed her own women’s orchestra at the Musikwochen Braunwald festival and the SAFFA exhibition in Zurich, becoming the first Swiss woman to conduct prominent orchestras.

In addition to conducting, Salquin maintained an active career as a pianist, performing as a soloist, accompanist, and chamber musician. She began composing during her student years and returned to it in the 1980s, enriching her musical legacy further.

In 1966, Salquin founded the “Schlosskonzerte Schauensee Kriens” chamber music festival, serving as its artistic director until 1996. Her multifaceted contributions to music as a conductor, performer, and composer left an enduring mark on Swiss and European cultural life.