Anna Vilenskaya in Zurich 16 November 2026

Anna Vilenskaya is a musicologist, lecturer, and advocate for classical and contemporary music. She has a knack for explaining complex topics in a simple, engaging, and humorous way, helping listeners hear music in a new light and understand how it works. 

Topic: How Global Catastrophes Influence the Evolution of Music 
Epidemics, natural disasters, and wars influence the economy, politics, and technological progress. But what about music? In this lecture, we’ll explore how Napoleon changed chords and rhythms, what the tragedy of September 9 brought to music, how World War II influenced background music, how Messiaen composed music in a concentration camp, and what Chopin and anime have to do with it.