Music to our ears…

It used to be that the soundtrack to a ski holiday was the swish of skis, the clatter of chairlifts and perhaps an accordion drifting out of an après-ski bar.

In more recent times, live music has become a big part of the ski scene, with resorts across the Alps staging everything from intimate acoustic gigs to huge open-air concerts, on and off the pistes.

For music lovers, this can determine their choice of resort for their ski and snowboard holidays.

Many of the line-ups for this season have yet to be finalised, but here is a flavour of what’s on offer for ‘grown-up’ skiers and snowboarders.

Future blogs will give details on electronic music DJ gigs, which appeal to younger audiences, plus other live music events.

Westlife

Ischgl, Austria: 28 November 2026

Ischgl has lined up another top band for its Top of the Mountain Opening Concert. Westlife is performing at the Top of the Mountain Opening Concert, which celebrates the Irish band’s 25th anniversary. The concert is being staged two days after Ischgl opens its slopes for the 2026/27 winter season.

The band will bring a sizeable back catalogue of crowd-pleasers to the Tyrolean resort, including Flying Without Wings, My Love and You Raise Me Up. Unlike Ischgl’s end-of-season concert high on the mountain, this opening show takes place down in the resort, close to the Silvrettabahn, with doors opening at 4.30pm. Westlife are due on stage at 6pm.

Admission: Entrance to the concert is free to holders of a multi-day ski pass. A one-day ski pass, which includes admission, costs €100 for adults and seniors and €62 for children.

Rock The Pistes

Portes du Soleil, France & Switzerland: 14-21 March 2027

Rock the Pistes concerts are held on stages around the vast Portes du Soleil and effectively sends skiers and snowboarders on a musical tour of the ski area.

The 2027 line-up is already looking particularly interesting for people who prefer live performers. It includes Skip The Use, Deluxe, Marlon Magnée, Pony Pony Run Run, The Molotovs and Skye Edwards performing with pianist Beatrice Berrut, alongside hip-hop artists, and DJ appearances.

The locations are equally unusual. Skip The Use play at Morzine’s Pléney on 14 March, Deluxe at Les Lindarets in the Avoriaz ski area on 16 March, with further concerts at Plaine Dranse above Châtel and on the Swiss side at Morgins.

There are five main concerts on the pistes plus more than 30 après-ski concerts in the resort centres.

Admission: The big mountain concerts are free for lift-pass holders, and the 30-plus après-ski concerts in the resort centres are also free to attend.

Zermatt Unplugged

Zermatt, Switzerland: 6-10 April 2027

Rather than electronic dance music, the emphasis is on musicians performing live, often acoustically and in unusually intimate surroundings. For five days Zermatt becomes one large music venue, with concerts in the village, hotels, and bars as well as on mountain stages at places including Sunnegga and Riffelberg.

The line-up for this season has yet to be finalised but previous years have attracted artists including Emeli Sandé and Rea Garvey, while jazz, blues, rock, pop, and singer-songwriters feature across the smaller stages.

Admission: Some events are free to enter, and others require an Unplugged Pass (CHF85) which gives five-day access to 12 stages featuring more than 80 concerts, plus after-parties. The major headline concerts require separate tickets.

Swing On Snow

Seiser Alm, Italy: 12-14 March and 18-20 March 2027

For six days in March, the magnificent Seiser Alm area of the Dolomites becomes a travelling concert venue devoted to jazz, soul, pop, brass, and folk music.

Live music starts in the morning around the top station of the Seiser Alm gondola, moves to mountain huts at lunchtime and comes down into various villages for evening performances.

The festival has been running for around 20 years and prides itself on finding unusual bands and musicians.

Admission: Concerts are free, with no reservations required. A lift pass is needed to reach performances situated within the ski area.

Rock The Dolomites

Selva Val Gardena, Italy: 18-27 March 2027

Rock the Dolomites returns to Selva Val Gardena for 10 days in March, combining spring skiing with live bands performing on the sunny terraces of mountain huts and in après-ski venues.

There are no enormous arenas or elaborate festival compounds; performances are held at mountain huts and après-ski venues around the resort.

As well as après-ski gigs, skiers and snowboarders can stop for lunch, discover a band playing on the terrace, and enjoy the musical break.

The 2027 band programme has yet to be announced.

Admission: The gigs are free, and the organisers encourage skiers and snowboarders to simply turn up. A ski pass is necessary for venues reached using the lifts.

Dolomiti Ski Jazz

Val di Fiemme and Val di Fassa, Italy: March 2027

Ski slopes host open-air jazz clubs at the Dolomiti Ski Jazz festival, which is held throughout March over Val di Fiemme, Val di Fassa and neighbouring Dolomite areas. The event mixes skiing and snowboarding with jazz, funk, blues and other African-American-influenced music.

Some performances take place directly beside the slopes, meaning skiers can arrive with their skis still on, while other concerts are staged in theatres and venues down in the valley.

The full 2027 programme and concert dates are to be published soon.

Admission: The daytime mountain concerts have traditionally been free to attend, and evening theatre concerts are ticketed.

Tanzcafe Arlberg Music Festival

Lech, Zürs and St Anton, Austria: April 2027

The Tanzcafé Arlberg Music Festival, staged across Lech, Zürs and St Anton, turns the Arlberg into one enormous concert venue, with live performances taking place on mountain terraces, village stages, in hotels and bars.

The type of music is varied, ranging from pop and singer-songwriters to jazz, soul, rock and regional Austrian music, alongside electronic acts and DJs.

The organisers have yet to announce the full 2027 dates and line-up, but Lech Zürs has confirmed that the festival will return as part of its spring skiing programme, with the resort’s 2026/27 ski season running until April 18, 2027.

Admission: Concerts are free to enter. A ski pass is necessary for venues reached using the lifts.

For more information on the resorts mentioned above, and the vast choice of packages, flights and accommodation available through Ski Line, talk to the experts using the contact details below, or online chat facility. You will find these contact details on the Ski Line website.