Echo Theory trio wins the 2025 HUGO Competition

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The final round of Montfort Zwischentöne’s 11th HUGO Competition concluded on 7 March at the Altes Hallenbad in Feldkirch, Austria. Four teams presented new concepts for concert formats, vying for the chance to stage their concert at the next Montforter Zwischentöne Festival in autumn 2025.

The first prize was awarded to Echo Theory, a trio from Bern University, receiving a €1,500 cash prize and a €5,000 production budget for its performance and installation. The €600 second prize was awarded to Duo Zwischen from the Stuttgart and Leipzig universities of music, the €200 third prize to solo entrant Tibor Kovács from the Mozarteum Salzburg, and the €200 fourth prize to the On5 Quintet from the Nuremberg University of Music.

This year’s competition jury comprised Sonja Stibi, professor of music education at the Munich University of Music, Anja Christina Loosli, co-artistic director of the Schlosskonzerte Thun, and Bernhard Günther, artistic director of Wien Modern. The audience was also able to vote online.

Echo Theory comprises South African violist Erin Louise Torres,  30, Swiss flautist Béatrice Laurence Garrido, 22, and Julian Schletti, 22, from Switzerland on electronics. In the ten-minute presentation, the trio focused on the history of Feldkirch, drawing attention to the traditions and dialects of the city as well as to its modern diversity and positive prospects. Linking themes of community, friendship, and love, Echo Theory proposed a day-long installation and an evening concert: ‘We will capture the voices and stories of residents of all ages and backgrounds, who each speak or try to speak the local Vorarlberg dialect in their own way, in pre-recordings and live recordings and incorporate them into a concert installation – always with reference to the theme of ‘confidence’’.

The trio also aims to incorporate the local audience through reflection booths, where visitors will have the option to record their thoughts and stories to then be used as sound echoes at the start of the concert. Echo Theory’s performance will take place on 30 November at Palais Liechtenstein.

‘The road to the HUGO Competition was intense, and we really worked our minds to its end,’ said Torres. ‘Our incredible team — whom I adore and cherish so much— has been amazing throughout this process. I’m beyond excited to continue working on our Sound and Visual Installation and Concert!

‘A huge thank you to everyone who voted for us! I’m eagerly looking forward to even more collaborations between sound arts, music in context, and classical music in the future… Curating our own concert is truly a dream come true!’

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