Lunch with OSI

At the heart of the Lunch with OSI project is accessibility. The aim is to take the Orchestra della Svizzera italiana (OSI) beyond traditional paths to create vibrant and engaging musical experiences that attract new and diverse audiences.

In a context of increasingly complex social challenges linked to global developments, new fractures and difficulties in interpersonal relationships are emerging. Addressing them requires collective commitment to inclusion, dialogue, mutual understanding, well-being, and social cohesion. Cultural mediation plays a decisive role, strengthening social bonds and fostering active community participation. From this awareness, Lunch with OSI as part of a larger initiative Be connected project was born. Using the universal language of classical music, it connects people across generations and cultures, removes barriers, and offers inclusive experiences. Targeting a broad and diverse audience it provides not only concerts but also genuine opportunities for active participation and shared experiences.

Ticino is a small but culturally diverse region, where generational gaps, linguistic boundaries, and growing social fragmentation challenge community cohesion and interpersonal relations. Shared spaces for genuine encounter and dialogue are increasingly rare, and cultural life too often remains confined to those already familiar with its formats. Without active intervention, these divides deepen. Lunch with OSI responds now by using live orchestral music as a tool for social mediation — creating informal, welcoming settings where people across generations and backgrounds can meet, connect, and participate together. Consistent action over time is essential to build lasting bonds between OSI and the broader Ticino community.

Lunch with OSI consists of 3 events during the 2026–2027 season, held at LAC Lugano: 26 Nov 2026 — Schubert, Symphony No. 9 The Great | dir. Markus Poschner 25 Feb 2027 — Bruckner, Symphony No. 5 | dir. Robert Treviño 8 Apr 2027 — Stravinsky, The Firebird suite | dir. Krzysztof Urbański Each event transforms the lunch break into a live musical experience: participants attend an open rehearsal and engage in dialogue with the conductor and OSI musicians, exploring curiosities, historical context, and behind-the-scenes insights alternated with live musical moments. A take-away lunch is available at the end. Tickets are offered at a low price to remove financial barriers and ensure broad access to cultural participation. The informal atmosphere with smaller audience, brighter stage lighting, relaxed setting makes these events particularly suited for people with visual or motor disabilities, actively involving vulnerable groups who are often excluded from traditional concert formats.

Lunch with OSI is an OSI production developed within the framework of LAC edu, the educational and mediation programme of LAC Lugano, which provides venue, infrastructure, and shared expertise in audience engagement and cultural mediation. To actively reach vulnerable audiences, the project collaborates with organisations working with people with disabilities and the elderly in the Canton Ticino, including UNITAS (association supporting people with visual impairments) and residential care homes, which are invited to bring their residents to attend the events in an accessible and welcoming setting.

Output: 3 events at LAC Lugano, reaching new and diverse audiences including people with disabilities and elderly residents from care homes. Outcome: Participants develop a sense of belonging through shared musical experiences, breaking down barriers and prejudices toward classical music. The low-threshold format and informal setting foster genuine exchange between artists and the public, increasing awareness of the positive effects of culture on individual and collective well-being. Vulnerable groups gain access to high-quality cultural experiences in an inclusive environment tailored to their needs. Impact: By making orchestral music accessible across generations, backgrounds, and abilities, Lunch with OSI contributes to social cohesion and intercultural dialogue in Ticino. The project reinforces the role of culture as an essential resource for an open, connected, and resilient community — demonstrating that classical music can be a living tool for social mediation, no

Lunch with OSI stands out for its unique format: by transforming a lunch break into an intimate musical encounter, it dissolves the boundary between stage and audience. The rehearsal setting — informal, interactive, and low-threshold — creates a rare opportunity for direct dialogue between world-class professionals and a broad, non-specialist public. Partnerships with local organisations extend this reach to vulnerable groups, adding a concrete dimension of social mediation. OSI celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2025, is the reference symphony orchestra in Southern Switzerland, with deep roots in both artistic excellence and community engagement. Through its collaboration with LAC edu, OSI has developed proven expertise in participatory and inclusive formats, to deliver this project at the highest professional level. Grant-giving foundations can rely on an institution with a strong track record, transparent governance and committment to making classical music a living rescouce.