Foundation - Sergej Rachmaninoff Foundation

The Serge Rachmaninoff Foundation’s Vision

The Serge Rachmaninoff Foundation continues to develop Serge Rachmaninoff’s artistic legacy, making his relevance and impact tangible for new generations. It connects his music with new interpretations, on-site performances, works and perspectives, and positions Villa Senar as a unique original site and place of creation with international reach.

About us

Our Artistic and Managing Director Andrea Loetscher about the Serge Rachmaninoff Foundation, its fields of activity, goals and visions and about Villa Senar. Discover the Rachmaninoff cosmos in Hertenstein. Click here for the movie

Our Mission

The Serge Rachmaninoff Foundation develops unique artistic formats with defining artistic personalities, fosters new interpretations and works, and opens up Rachmaninoff through outreach, research and digital offerings. It turns Villa Senar into a magnet for unique ideas, talents and partnerships, and shapes its development in an entrepreneurial, independent way and in strategic partnership with the canton.

Our Uniqueness

Serge Rachmaninoff at the core: The Serge Rachmaninoff Foundation combines artistic authority over his work with the ambition to develop it further for today and make it newly experienceable.

Unique original site and place of creation: Villa Senar, built by Rachmaninoff himself in the style of «Neues Bauen» (New Building movement), makes his life, thinking and work directly tangible.

Artistic leadership with a distinct signature: Andrea Loetscher brings together the work, the place, artistic personalities and partners into distinctive formats with international impact.

Our Values

Vitality: Rachmaninoff’s legacy stays in motion through new interpretations, commissions and formats.

Uniqueness: The interplay of Rachmaninoff’s work, Villa Senar and a distinctive artistic signature creates an unmistakable profile.

Conviction: A clear artistic and institutional stance — independent, forward-looking and responsible.

Independence: Acting entrepreneurially, deploying resources purposefully and consistently developing our own position.

Impact & Influence: The Serge Rachmaninoff Foundation generates impulses that resonate in the arts, with partners, with audiences and internationally.

Our principles

Mission of the Serge Rachmaninoff Foundation: We develop, expand Rachmaninoff’s cosmos and carry Rachmaninoff’s flame.

Your support

Join the worldwide Rachmaninoff-community. Find your perfect membership and be part of the Rachmaninoff Family. Click & Become a Friend.

Reports

«Was für ein grosses, wunderbares, magisches Erlebnis, hier gewesen zu sein und Musik zu machen. Meine Gänsehaut nimmt kein Ende und ich wünsche dem Haus, dem Flügel und der Stiftung von Herzen nur das Beste.»

Alexander Krichel, Hamburg/London

“The plan is to host concerts, talks and masterclasses with small audiences in the villa’s music room; to try and impart something of the spirit of the place and bring the man to a new generation. It’s a noble ambition, and Rachmaninoff’s music is so beloved – his presence at Villa Senar still so potent – that it’s possible to believe the plan might succeed.”

Richard Bratby, BBC

“I am delighted with the successful renovation work at Villa Senar and the wonderful atmosphere in the estate’s garden.”

K.E.L

“Rachmaninoff lived like a combination of modernism and tradition, and you feel this in his music. There is the visionary – the boats, the cars, the horses, the modern house – but then also the family things, the traditions he kept. This makes him so exciting as a personality.”

Jim Allison, wetaclassical.org

Board of Trustees

Alois Zwinggi

President of the Serge Rachmaninoff Foundation,

President and Chief Executive Officer of the World Economic Forum

*Committee Board of Trustees
Valentin Gloor, Hans Ambühl, Andreas Wegelin, Alois Zwinggi

Urs Ziswiler

Honorary President of the Foundation Board, President 2014-2025

Isabelle Chassot

Member of the Council of States, former Director of the Federal Office of Culture (FOC) and Cantonal Councillor of Fribourg. President of the PUK.

Hans Ambühl

former Secretary General of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Culture. General Secretary of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education, President of educationsuisse (Swiss schools abroad)

Valentin Gloor

Hochschule Luzern – Music

Andreas Wegelin

CEO SUISA

Gabriela Christen

Presdent “Association Stella matutina – House of the Future” and researcher Hochschule Luzern

Dimitri Kushaev

Bankier

Dr. Armin Hartmann

Cantonal Councillor Lucerne

Franziska Tschudi Sauber

Verwaltungsratspräsidentin/Chairperson Weidmann Holding AG

Managing and Artistic Director

Executive Director, Curator, Musician and Cultural Entrepreneur. Andrea Loetscher continues to develop Sergei Rachmaninoff’s legacy as a living, forward-looking cosmos, leading the Serge Rachmaninoff Foundation artistically, operationally and entrepreneurially. She combines artistic excellence, pedagogy and outreach with strategic leadership, an international network and financial responsibility. Together with a strong, growing team, she is building and expanding Villa Senar as a unique place of origin and creation with regional roots and international reach. Click: Profil Andrea Loetscher on one page.

andrea.loetscher@rachmaninoff.ch

Managing Assistant

As Managing Assistant, Jan Zwahlen is active for the Serge Rachmaninoff Foundation in the areas of artistic planning, project management, team leading, event organisation, administration, marketing and communication.

jan.zwahlen@rachmaninoff.ch

Guides

Our Rachmaninoff-experts will stand by your side in public tours and events, and will introduce you to Rachmaninoff’s world.

Museum Lucerne

We are one of nine original sites that make the cultural and natural heritage of the canton authentically accessible— inspiring, surprising, and unforgettable.

Further information at Museum Luzern.