27.07.2026 – 14:27

A quarter of a century of Alphorn celebrated in Nendaz

The International Alphorn Festival (FICA) took place in Haute-Nendaz from the 24th to the 26th of July 2026. This 25th edition was celebrated in style with a concert by Simon & Mac on Friday evening, performances by around twenty folk groups and the participation of some 130 Alphorn players.

« Throughout the weekend, the sound of the Alphorn echoed through our mountains. But above all, it brought people together. It bridged the gap between generations, regions and countries. » These words spoken by the chairman of the organising committee, Baptiste Constantin, perfectly sum up the spirit of this 25th edition of the Nendaz International Alphorn Festival. Over the course of three days, the event offered truly memorable moments of communion around this iconic Alpine instrument. More than a hundred musicians, aged between 11 and 76, competed in the contest. Some had travelled several hundred, or even several thousand kilometres to be part of this adventure, including five participants from the United States.

Everyone left with unforgettable memories and wonderful encounters. For one of the participants, from Illinois, the trip will be even more memorable. To mark the festival’s 25th anniversary, an Alphorn was raffled off amongst those taking part in the ensemble piece. She was the lucky winner of this exceptional instrument and left with a unique memento of her time in Nendaz.

Another opportunity for intergenerational bonding: the Simon & Mac concert on Friday evening, which brought together more than 1,200 people.. The famous Italian duo promised a blend of tradition and modernity. It was a resounding success: children, teenagers, parents and grandparents all danced together to their unique sound, which combined accordion, percussion and electronic music. Just before that, Walti Sigrist presented the Superhorn, the world's longest alphorn, measuring 14 metres in length and weighing 250 kg.

A victory so eagerly awaited by L’Echo du Tunnel from Fribourg

Was it because they were drawn to perform first in the final ? Might the speech by the President of the National Council, Pierre-André Page – himself from Fribourg – have brought them luck as well ? Be that as it may, their eleventh attempt proved to be victorious. Regularly finishing in the top ten – which consistently saw them reach the final – the Fribourg-based Echo du Tunnel had long hoped to lift the trophy. Emotions were therefore running high at the prize-giving ceremony.

The group consists of two pairs of brothers: Claude Castella, Antoine Castella, Christophe Oberson and Yvan Oberson. True to their philosophy, they play exclusively together: “It’s as a quartet or not at all. ” They are also accompanied by the 5th Castella brother, Michel, who carries the flag in the colours of their canton. Whilst they were still hesitating about returning to Nendaz next year, their victory has swept away all doubts. One thing is now certain: they will be there in 2027 to defend their title.

Final ranking

1. Quatuor l’Echo du Tunnel (FR) 2. Stofer Thomas (LU) 3. Duo FreMa (ZU) 4. Quatuor de la Tournette (France) 5. Trio de la Tournette (France) 6. Hans Matt (AG) 7. Formation Les Sonneurs de Savoye (France) 8. Monory Patricia (VS) 9. Devènes Benjamin (VS) 10. Frossard Jessica (FR)

For all further information 
Baptiste Constantin, Managing Director of Nendaz Tourisme and Chairman of the organising committee: 079 303 41 10 – baptiste.constantin@nendaz.ch