The Serge Rachmaninoff Foundation carries Rachmaninoff's music, legacy and artistry out into the world from his house, Villa Senar

History: Thanks to the commitment of the Serge Rachmaninoff Foundation, discussions among the artist's heirs were successfully concluded in 2021. The Canton of Lucerne purchased the listed property and is responsible for the maintenance and renovation of the house and the surrounding park. The Serge Rachmaninoff Foundation is responsible for the programs and cultural events at Rachmaninoff's Villa Senar, wit-hout any financial support from the Canton of Lucerne. 

VILLA SENAR is the name of the artist house of the composer, conductor, pianist, Hollywood star and family man Sergei Rachmaninoff (SE=Sergei, NA=Natalia, R=Rachmaninoff). Expelled from his native Russia, the artist lived in exile in various countries from 1917 onwards. On the Hertenstein peninsula near Weggis in the canton of Lucerne, he found a new home and renewed creative energy.  



Our mission as a foundation is to create international awareness for Rachmaninoff's Villa Senar and to develop and establish its artistic program over the coming years and make an artistic contribution to the region and beyond. We want to communicate Rachmaninoff's Villa Senar as a cultural and educational center with a broad partici-pation with the highest quality standards from home. 

Rachmaninoff's Villa Senar locally and regionally and, together with partners, posi-tion the Hertenstein peninsula as a special and sustainable place of art and culture. Attention will also be paid to international activities, as the name Rachmaninoff is a global trademark. 

The magic of the place, its uniqueness and class should continue to shape the fu-ture; we always want to treat the soul of Senar and the Hertenstein peninsula near Weggis with respect. 

Performing and communicating Sergei Rachmaninoff's work at his former place of residence. His personality, his interests, his musical depth, his role models, visions, zeitgeist, curiosity for new and unusual things, enthusiasm for technology, architec-ture, literature, poetry and art form the foundation of the cultural program. 

Rachmaninoff's Villa Senar is a place of inspiration and home. The aura of this cen-ter (family home/meeting place/garden and nature) and the creative power can be experienced and experienced on site during a visit. The real presence, the quality and authenticity of the location and content, and the intensive time spent at Villa Senar make every visit unique and, in this sense, special for every visitor. 

The cultural program is designed for broad cultural participation, seeks the inter-faces to the present and enables suitable, fine, subtle, high-quality approaches for every target group. 

As an artists' residence, Villa Senar offers a home for all generations and different disciplines. Sergei Rachmaninoff was a family man and patron of all the arts, uniting art and people in his home through his charisma, his values and his interests. 



PROMOTION: Website, program sheet, word of mouth, channels of our partners, allies and sponsors, regionally via associations and public institutions, volunteers, friends and Rachmaninoff fans.

NEED: In the oversupply of leisure activities, the oversaturation of a variety of offers, a discomfort with high culture, perceived barriers and associated fears of not under-standing something in the music and culture sector, couch coziness created by Co-vid, we need new formats that convey closeness to people in a relaxed, fresh and un-conventionally conventional way. We offer a feeling of home, a sense of arrival, a kind of cultural exile within your "own four walls". 

TARGET GROUPS: The projects are tailored to specific target groups and/or are aimed at cross-generational, broad and public participation: 

Children Educational and participative projects with the Weggis music school and the music schools of the canton of Lucerne. Interdisciplinary theater, music, dance, light and sound: Gänsebliemli im Rosengarten, SENAR ARTS ACADEMY, SENARADEN im Park & Boot, Carte Jaune for the talent promotion of the Lucerne music schools

Senior citizens Cooperation with the senior citizens' universities of Lucerne, Weg-gis, Zurich, Basel, cultural associations and service clubs. 

Youth premieres and co-development of new music. Inclusion of virtual reality, augmented reality and new media. Up-to-date, close and at eye level. Sustainabi-lity programs, new regional policies for the promotion of the community. We deal with questions about the future and are committed to values and meaningfulness. 

Young adults and families SENARaden in the park or on the boat, exhibitions, sound walk, art exhibitions in the park with an out-door stage created by spatial designers for Rachmaninoff's Villa Senar. Picnic openair, barrier-free and relaxed, Celebrating Rachmaninoff Podcast in collaboration with Decca Classic and WFMT Radio Chicago, RACHMANINOFF ECHOES - The staging of Rachmanin-off's artifacts in his villa using virtual reality and augmented reality.

Afficionados and Afficionadas-To-Be concerts, residencies, master classes, workshops, public expert tours - thematically coordinated, film: The Alchemy of Piano Playing, jazz evenings, literature & music, competitions and commissioned works on Rachmaninoff.



CHANCE: Potential, unique location, curious people, Rachmaninoff's Villa Senar has not been open to the public until now, the house belongs to the Canton of Lucerne, this partnership needs to be well positioned in the long term, we start "from scratch" and can react optimally to current events, small team, manageable size of the venue, small, fine, barrier-free, approachable, potential outdoors, involvement of the region, already established partnerships and strong allies, agility through rapid decision-making and a doer mentality of the people involved, network. Rachmaninoff as a mil-lennium pianist, Hollywood star, family man, composer, conductor, promoter of the arts and mobility, speed freak, entrepreneur, architect is attractive, his music appeal-ing and is the perfect music to introduce an audience to "classical music" and open up new audiences. 



RISK: A good financial basis must be established, project-based financing, provisions should be made to enable long-term planning, partnership with the canton without a performance mandate and financial support, demands from the canton of Lucerne, few personnel resources, reliance on voluntary commitment which can also slow down processes, recruitment of voluntary work, establishment in uncertain times, consumer behavior of the public has changed, planning uncertainty.

INDICATORS regular evaluation, experts on the voluntary Board of Trustees with regular exchanges, partnerships with know-how, demanding and quality-conscious advisors/friends/network. 



NETWORKING: Rachmaninoff's Villa Senar sees itself as a networker and meeting place, with freedom for the special, the new and the tried and tested. Projects with our partners: Lucerne Festival, Lucerne Theater, Lucerne University of Applied Sci-ences and Arts - Music, Tourism, Engineering, Business, Architecture, Design & Art, Lucerne Museum of Transport, Hans Erni Museum, Weggis Music School, Lucerne Cantonal Music Schools, Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, schools, Stella Matutina House of Education - House of the Future, Baldegg Monastery, Senior:inside univer-sities, IG Kultur (Freie Szene), Richard Wagner Museum, Saint Charles Hall, Künst-lerhäuser global, Library of Congress Washington, Philadelphia Orchestra, Van Pelt University Philadelphia, National Symphony Orchestra, Swiss Embassy in Washing-ton, Interessengemeinschaft Musikstadt Luzern, Zurich Opera, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, Lucerne Tourism, Switzerland Tourism, artists, associations and allies, sponsors and patrons. 



The nucleus and center of the events are Rachmaninoff's Villa Senar and the park. Due to the limited space available, we also use the venues of our partners as satelli-tes. We strive for broad participation, want to connect cultural institutions via Lake Lucerne, create national attention and deepen international relationships. 



MANAGING DIRECTOR: The Serge Rachmaninoff Foundation has employed the Managing & Artistic Director, Andrea Loetscher, since June 1, 2022. As a musician with a teaching diploma and soloist diploma, a master's degree in mar-keting and management from the University of Basel, as an entrepreneur and music school director, she has local roots and a national and international network. In 2024, she will also complete an MBA in Business Development & Marketing at the Univer-sity of Basel. The Managing Director is supported in financial matters by Ludwig von Mutius, economist, financial consultant and former CFO of major international com-panies. Ludwig von Mutius makes his expertise fully available to the Serge Rachma-ninoff Foundation on a voluntary basis. In addition, the Serge Rachmaninoff Founda-tion has employed the Managing Assistant, Salome Rüttimann, on a 40% basis since 1.1.24. Volunteers for concert support, guided tours and other work. 

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