More about your concert
Your evening with us doesn't have to start in the concert hall. Discover our introductory events around your concert visit - live or online.
To find out which concerts will feature accompanying events, please see the concert calendar.
Short introductions
You want to go to the concert well prepared with the most important facts about the programme? We have designed the new short introduction for you, in which the most important facts about the works performed are presented briefly, compactly and clearly.
The short introduction begins 30 minutes before the concert and lasts 15 minutes. It takes place in the concert foyer.
We offer a short introduction at the following concerts:
Paavo Järvi & Lisa Batiashvili
Nathalie Stutzmann & Diana Damrau
Jan Willem de Vriend with Handel's "Messiah"
Jan Willem de Vriend with Handel's "Messiah"
Marek Janowski & Mao Fujita
Marek Janowski & Mao Fujita
Paavo Järvi & Anna Vinnitskaya
Paavo Järvi & Anna Vinnitskaya
John Eliot Gardiner & Piotr Anderszewski
John Eliot Gardiner & Piotr Anderszewski
Santtu-Matias Rouvali & Seong-Jin Cho
Santtu-Matias Rouvali & Seong-Jin Cho
Franz Welser-Möst & Iurii Samoilov
Joana Mallwitz with Mahler
Joana Mallwitz with Mahler
Gala Concert Freundeskreis: Janine Jansen plays Sibelius
Introduction – the classic
For those who would like to know more about the works performed, there are spoken introductions to several concerts each season. Musicologists talk about the compositions and the period in which they were written, and explain the musical and historical context. Sound samples will get you in the mood for the programme.
The Introduction begins 45 minutes before the concert and lasts 20 to 30 minutes. It takes place at the Kleine Tonhalle.
We offer an introduction at the following concerts:
Surprise with ZHdK students
Five times each season, Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) students provide a musical introduction to the concert.
These half-hour chamber music «pre-programmes» refer to the works performed at the concert itself.
The Suprise starts at 6.30 p.m at the Kleine Tonhalle. It will take place at the following concerts:
Petr Popelka & Antoine Tamestit
Tugan Sokhiev & Haochen Zhang
Semyon Bychkov & Anastasia Kobekina
Giovanni Antonini & Isabelle Faust
Prélude – Introduction to contemporary music
Let us smooth the way to fascinating new works in the repertoire. At our Préludes, we familiarise you with a specific work from the evening programme. Presenters from SRF 2 Kultur moderate discussions with the composer or performers, and music students from Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) present excerpts.
The Prélude begins at 6 p.m. in the Kleine Tonhalle and lasts for one hour. It will take place at the following concerts:
Sonic Matter: André de Ridder
Paavo Järvi & Víkingur Ólafsson
Paavo Järvi, Tanja Tetzlaff & Christian Tetzlaff
Paavo Järvi & Víkingur Ólafsson
Finale with Ilona Schmiel and guests
After the concert, artistic director Ilona Schmiel welcomes the conductor, soloist, composer or other guest as well as concertgoers for a talk. Experience an assessment immediately after the respective concert event, a description of personal experiences in the artistic working process and learn more about future projects of the respective artists and guests.
The Ausklang begins directly after the concert in the concert foyer and lasts about 30 minutes. The Ausklang will take place after the following concerts:
Season opening with Paavo Järvi & Víkingur Ólafsson
Nathalie Stutzmann & Diana Damrau
Petr Popelka & Antoine Tamestit
Paavo Järvi & Víkingur Ólafsson
Patrick Hahn with Dvořák's "Stabat Mater"
Paavo Järvi, Tanja Tetzlaff & Christian Tetzlaff
Eva Ollikainen & Hakan Hardenberger
Cristian Măcelaru & Augustin Hadelich
Guided tours – a look behind the scenes
At our orchestra concerts you can regularly discover the history and architecture of the Tonhalle Zurich with your ticket.
Information on registration and other public and individual tours can be found here.
Intro – the Podcast
What moves artists shortly before a premiere? What personal connection do they have to the masterpieces of orchestral music? What are the goosebump moments in film music? In the podcast "Intro" with host and dramaturge Ulrike Thiele, musicians tell their stories.
On Spotify, Apple Podcasts and many other podcast platforms – and of course here on our website.
Digital programme booklets
As of this season, our programme booklets are only available in digital form (with the exception of selected concerts). You will find the programme booklet as a PDF one week before the concert on the respective concert page or here in collected form. Printed programme sheets will be handed out free of charge before the concert.
Subscribers can order the printed programme. You can find all the information here.
