Russian Accent | Blog of Nadia Sikorsky

“Family Matters”

This is the theme of the upcoming Yehudi Menuhin International Music Festival in Gstaad, which will take place from 16 July to 5 September 2026.

Jonathan Nott and the “сhildren”

The contract of the British conductor as Music Director of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande expired at the end of last year. Yet he is already returning to Geneva, this time as a guest conductor, to bring together the OSR and the Orchestra of the Geneva Music Conservatory (HEM Geneva).

Lucerne Impressions

In just two days at the Le Piano Symphonique festival, I gathered enough impressions for an entire season. Let me share them with you.

A Realm of Darkness Without a Ray of Light

Today, the novel Return to Ostrog by Sasha Filipenko goes on sale in bookshops across Switzerland, France, Belgium, and Canada. The French translation, by Marina Skalova, has been published by the Lausanne-based Éditions Noir sur Blanc

A Violin Obsession

From January 30 to February 7, the renowned Swiss Alpine resort of Gstaad will host the international Sommets Musicaux festival for the 26th time — a place where everyone is sure to find something to delight their ear.

“Two Prosecutors”

This is the title of the film by Ukrainian director Sergei Loznitsa, presented as part of the Geneva Black Movie festival.

Musical Waves on Lake Lucerne

From 12 to 18 January 2026, the city on the shores of Lake Lucerne will host the international music festival Le Piano symphonique, whose inspirer, or “associated pianist”, is none other than Martha Argerich herself.

About the author

Nadia Sikorsky

Nadia Sikorsky grew up in Moscow where she obtained a master's degree in journalism and a doctorate in history from Moscow State University. After 13 years at UNESCO, in Paris and then in Geneva, and having served as director of communications at Green Cross International founded by Mikhail Gorbachev, she developed NashaGazeta.ch, the first online Russian-language daily newspaper, launched in 2007.

In 2022, she found herself among those who, according to Le Temps editorial board, "significantly contributed to the success of French-speaking Switzerland," thus appearing among opinion makers and economic, political, scientific and cultural leaders: the Forum of 100.

After 18 years leading NashaGazeta.ch, Nadia Sikorsky decided to return to her roots and focus on what truly fascinates her: culture in all its diversity. This decision took the form of this trilingual cultural blog (Russian, English, French) born in the heart of Europe – in Switzerland, her adopted country, the country distinguished by its multiculturalism and multilingualism.

Nadia Sikorsky does not present herself as a "Russian voice," but as the voice of a European of Russian origin (more than 35 years in Europe, 25 years spent in Switzerland) with the benefit of more than 30 years of professional experience in the cultural world at the international level. She positions herself as a cultural mediator between Russian and European traditions; the title of the blog, "The Russian Accent," captures this essence – the accent being not a linguistic barrier, not a political position but a distinctive cultural imprint in the European context.

Events
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The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande invites music lovers to concerts in Geneva, Lausanne and Lucerne on May 20, 21 and 22. Under the direction of Lithuanian conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, with Latvian pianist Georgijs Osokins as soloist, the orchestra presents an original programme featuring works by Frank Martin, Frédéric Chopin, Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.

On 7 May, the Tbilisi City Court sentenced the world-famous Georgian opera singer Paata Burchuladze to seven years in prison on charges of organising mass violence, attempting to seize a strategic facility, and calling for the overthrow of the government.