Willi Valotti
Cosmopolitan traditionalist
Swiss music prize 2018
Accordion player and composer Willi Valotti was born in Wattwil in 1949. He has been a member of the legendary band Alderbuebe for decades and played a key role in shaping the contemporary folk style of Central Switzerland, for example with Kapelle Heirassa. He has broadened the horizons of Swiss folk music with harmonically complex yodelling songs and accordion compositions that are very popular among young musicians and is also a leading expert in and researcher of natural yodelling. A multitalented virtuoso, he has no interest in crossovers for their own sake but is always very open to other musical styles.
