Etienne Abelin is a Swiss conductor and musician celebrated for his innovative approach to classical music, which blends traditional artistry with a modern, genre-crossing sensibility. Described as a “post-classical pioneer” by BBC Music Magazine and an “icon of new ways in classical music” by Musica Viva Magazine Brazil, Abelin is known for emotionally charged and unforgettable performances, a sentiment echoed by his mentor, the renowned conductor Jorma Panula.
Abelin’s 18-year collaboration with the legendary Claudio Abbado is one of the defining aspects of his career. Abbado, regarded as one of the greatest conductors of all time, personally selected Abelin to be a founding member of both the Lucerne Festival Orchestra and the Orchestra Mozart Bologna, where he served as Principal Second Violin for seven years. With these prestigious ensembles, Abelin performed in iconic concert halls worldwide and contributed to acclaimed recordings with Deutsche Grammophon and Harmonia Mundi.
As a conductor, Abelin has worked with leading orchestras across Europe, including the Beethoven Orchester Bonn, Musikkollegium Winterthur, Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, and Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa. His performances have graced venues such as the Royal Festival Hall London, Teatro alla Scala Milano, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Teatro Sao Carlos Lisbon, and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens. Abelin is also a passionate advocate for contemporary music and has conducted world premieres by Gabriel Prokofiev and William Brittelle, as well as Swiss premieres by composers like Nico Muhly and Sarah Kirkland Snider. His commitment to expanding classical music’s boundaries is evident in his co-founding of the Ynight-Classical Music in Clubs Series and the Apples & Olives Indie Classical Festival.
In addition to his conducting career, Abelin is a gifted communicator and educator. He has spoken as a TEDx speaker and hosted concerts for orchestras like the Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa and the Sistema Europe Youth Orchestra. His work has extended to Swiss National Radio and Television, where he shares insights on everything from genre-crossing music to the art of conducting.
Abelin’s entrepreneurial spirit shines through in his leadership of several projects dedicated to using music for social change and education, such as co-founding the Sistema Europe Youth Orchestra, Superar Suisse, and Music:Eyes – See What You Hear, a music-tech platform focused on music animation. His educational approach includes the 7 Dimensions of Musical Excellence framework, which he developed for the Sistema Europe Youth Orchestra. He is also a member of chamber music ensembles like BachSpace and Nik Bärtsch’s Mobile Extended. His recordings with these groups, released on the Neue Meister and ECM labels, highlight his commitment to innovative classical music.
Abelin is a regular contributor to the Karajan Foundation’s documentary series, Conducting the Future, where he was featured alongside prominent conductors like Marin Alsop and Paavo Järvi.
Born in Bern, Switzerland, Abelin studied violin at the Musik-Akademie Basel, Oberlin College, and Indiana University, while pursuing business studies at the University of St. Gallen. His conducting education includes training under luminaries like Jorma Panula, Neil Varon, and Larry Rachleff at institutions such as ZhdK Zurich, University of Delaware, and Eastman School of Music.
Currently residing in the Capital Region of New York, Abelin enjoys pursuing his passion for coffee and gelato, especially light Ethiopian single-origin brews and Stefino Gelato from Bologna, Italy.