MONTREUX VILLE CRÉATIVE: Montreux au rythme de la musique

Traces of a Living Heritage

To mark the publication of the new volume in the Empreintes du Temps series, written by Nicole Meystre, the city archivist, this historical workshop offers an in-depth look at Montreux’s exceptional cultural and musical history.

Published against a particularly symbolic backdrop—Montreux’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Music, the reopening of the Convention Center, the 80th anniversary of the Septembre Musical, and the 60th anniversary of the Montreux Jazz Festival—this book traces how a small town on Lake Geneva became one of the major international hubs of musical creation.

Through archival documents, photographs, posters, and historical accounts, this event highlights the institutions, venues, personalities, and events that have shaped Montreux’s cultural identity: from the Septembre Musical to the Rose d’Or, from the Mountain Studios to the Montreux Jazz Festival, and the many artistic and international networks developed over the decades.

This workshop will also provide an opportunity for Nicole Meystre to present her research, the sources and archives used for this book, as well as the challenges related to the preservation and transmission of Montreux’s cultural heritage.