Biography

Peter Werlen’s musical path began at the teacher seminar of Sitten, where he received his first conducting classes by Hansruedi Kämpfen. Afterwards he studied choir direction at the Musikhochschule Luzern, followed by a decade of conducting several choirs. Amongst others, the Ensemble da capo and the Aargauer Lerche of the Engadiner Kantorei. Peter Werlen was co-founder and director of the Singschule Oberwallis and teacher of choir direction at the Musikschule Oberwallis. Furthermore, he was requested by various choirs as a voice and choir coach or as a guest conductor (Cantuccini Brugg, Zuger Kantorei, Vokalensemble Voices Münchenstein and the Schweizer Jugendchor). In addition, he directed choir-weeks at home and abroad. For example the Herbstsingwoche at the Culture Centre Laudinella St. Moritz, the Mozartwoche Herzberg, the Oberwalliser Singwoche as well as the international European Cantat Meeting in Nevers and Linz.

Between 2002 and 2004, Peter Werlen spent one year of studies and a subsequent sabbatical year in Los Angeles. In the following five years, he focused on orchestral conducting and successfully completed two postgraduate studies in choir direction at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste and at the International Conducting Institute ICI New York/Boulder. He also participated in master classes given by Volker Hempfling, Laszlo Heltay and Kirk Trevor.

During his career, Peter Werlen worked with the following orchestras: Youth Orchestra of Allgemeine Musikschule Oberwallis, Kammerorchester Concertino Brig, Kammerensemble Luzern, Capriccio Barockorchester Basel, Schweizer Kammerorchester, Vratsa Philharmonie, Symphonic Orchestra Pleven and Orchestra Desertina.

In connection with conducting and master classes, Peter Werlen was head of the Academic Orchester Zürich, the Westböhmische Philharmonie Marienbad, the Nordböhmische Philharmonie Teplice, the Bohuslav-Martinu-Philharmonie Zlin, the Berg Kammerorchester Prag, the Boulder Chamber Orchestra, as well as the Astoria Symphonie Orchestra New York.
Peter Werlen was chapel master at the Disentis Abbey until July 2020. He currently directs MG Villmergen, FM Seewen, Camerata Walchwil and the Internationaler Projektchor Walchwil / Kirchenchor Walchwil.