If one were to identify a constant in the Swiss trumpeter’s exceptionally diverse career, it would likely be the element of surprise: from one project to the next, Erik Truffaz always goes where you least expect him to. This symphonic work, titled Side by Side and created especially for Jazz à Vienne, is an opportunity to fulfill a long-held dream that dates back to his very first memories of performing on stage, when, at age 16, he took part in a series of concerts in Italy with the Geneva College Orchestra. To reconnect with those early symphonic emotions, he navigates between classical music and jazz, composition and improvisation, surrounded by a lineup featuring an international quartet (Abdullah Miniawy, Stefano Di Battista, Estreilla Besson, and Alexis Anérilles), a unique Franco-Swiss ensemble blending musicians from the Orchestre des Pays de Savoie and the Geneva Chamber Orchestra, along with some twenty students from Annecy-Seynod participating through the national “Orchestre à l’École” program. This was an opportunity for Erik Truffaz to, in turn, give young talents a chance to perform on one of the most prestigious stages there is.