With just under two months to go until Eurovision Young Musicians 2026, Manoush Toth and SRF reveal more details about preparations for the contest.
19-year-old Manoush Toth will represent Switzerland this June in Eurovision Young Musicians 2026. The pianist was selected in March to represent Switzerland in Armenia, with SRF revealing new details of how the selection worked.
SRF collaborated with Swiss music academies and conservatories, the Swiss Youth Symphony Orchestra (SJSO), and the Swiss Youth Music Competition to encourage musicians to apply for Eurovision Young Musicians. A pre-selection was held to review all the applications with seven musicians invited to the radio hall at the SRF campus in Zurich-Leutschenbach to perform for a jury. The jury that selected the overall winner was formed of bassoonist Valeria Curti, pianist Oliver Schnyder, violinist Meret Lüthi, and classical music influencer Sumina Studer. Oliver Schnyder commented on the selection of Manoush, stating:
“Manoush convinced the jury across the board. Her pianistic development is already exceptionally advanced, technically masterful, and her interpretations are highly nuanced. She can make the piano sing, but also shape it in a way that is equally expressive. Even now, she demonstrates an uncompromising artistic personality with a pointed stance. She is not only capable of subtle nuances, but also of virtuosity and great decisiveness”
Giving her first comments since winning the Swiss selection process, Manoush added:
“I am proud and grateful to represent SRF in Armenia. I am very much looking forward to meeting the other participants who share my love of music. It means a great deal to me to present the piano concerto by the still underrated Clara Schumann on this important stage.”
SRF will air Eurovision Young Musicians 2026 on television, radio and online, with further details to be announced in the coming weeks.
Eurovision Young Musicians 2026 will take place on June 6 in Yerevan, this is the first time that Eurovision Young Musicians has been hosted by Armenia, and the third time Yerevan has hosted a Eurovision competition.
The countries and broadcasters competing and musicians selected so far are:
🇦🇲 Armenia: AMPTV – Elen Virabyan
🇧🇪 Belgium: RTBF – Simon Nakhimovitch
🇨🇾 Cyprus: CyBC – Iakovos Kedaritis
🇨🇿 Czechia: ČT
🇩🇪 Germany: WDR
🇱🇻 Latvia: LSM – Sonja Misiņa
🇵🇱 Poland: TVP – Selects on April 14
🇵🇹 Portugal: RTP – Beatriz Li Rosão
🇷🇸 Serbia: RTS – Jana Jakovljević
🇸🇪 Sweden: SVT – Edward Ahlbeck Glader
🇨🇭 Switzerland: SRF – Manoush Toth
Eurovision Young Musicians
A total of 42 countries have competed over 21 editions of the contest. Norway has competed in 20 out of the 21 contests, tied with Austria. Austria is the most successful country, having won six editions and competed in 17 finals. Leonhard Baumgartner from Austria is the latest winner of the contest, taking victory in Bodø in 2024.
Eurovision Young Musicians is a contest for musicians between the ages of 12 and 21. It has been held since 1982, as the first spin-off contest of the Eurovision Song Contest. The event celebrated its 20th edition in 2022, when Montpellier hosted the competition.
Source: SRF