OBERŽAN-KOPAČ-MARENČE-DIVJAK JAZZ QUARTET
Kristina Oberžan, vocals
Jaka Kopač, saxophone
Erik Marenče, keyboards
Ratko Divjak, drums
Kristina Oberžan holds a master’s degree in jazz singing from the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz and has received numerous international awards and scholarships during her studies. In 2007 she released her first CD dedicated to Slovenian evergreen songs entitled Kakor lep roman (Like a Beautiful Novel) at the RTV Slovenia Records & Tapes label and received the award for the best performer at the Slovenska popevka festival. In 2016 she released her second solo CD, My Heart Knew. Between 2008 and 2011 she taught singing at the Conservatory of Music and Ballet Ljubljana and at the St. Stanislav’s Institution. The path then took her to the UK, where she lived until 2017. Currently, in addition to her singing career, she is again devoting herself to teaching. Kristina’s strong voice and sensual interpretations become a gift for the listener’s heart. Her confidence and maturity with her playful and innocent presence on stage create a charming and personal musical experience that you will not easily forget.
Erik Marenče successfully completed his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in jazz piano at the High School of Music and Ballet in Rotterdam (Hogeschool voor Muziek en Dans), with professors Rob van Kreeveld (jazz piano), Jan Laurens Hartong (Latin-jazz, world music) and Chris Goessens. Between 2001 and 2004, he worked as one of the organizers of weekly jam sessions, in the Rotterdam jazz club Jazz cafe Dizzy, where he played with many renowned Dutch musicians, such as Benjamin Herman, Ben van den Dungen, Dik de Graaf, Michael Varenkamp, Ciril Oswald, Hans van Osterhout, Marcel Reis, Louk Boudestijn, Rick Mol, Rob van der Wouw, Shirma Rouse, Johnny Tevreden, Pim Dros, Eelco van den Meeberg etc. He regularly collaborates with renowned Slovenian and foreign musicians.
In 2009, Jaka Kopač completed his master’s degree in jazz saxophone at the renowned Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland. During his studies, he released his debut, Almost There, in which he presented his compositions. He has participated in various European and global projects, such as the European Movement Jazz Orchestra, European Jazz Orchestra, New School Jazz Orchestra, and Umo Big Band, and with musicians such as Jonathan Blake, Jimmy Owens, Doug Hammond, Danny Grissett, Vicente Archer, Benito Gonzalez, Dusko Goykovich, Bosko Petrovic, George Garzone, and others. In 2016, Kopac recorded his second CD in New York called Present Thoughts, starring Orrin Evans, Willie Jones III and Vicente Archer.
Ratko Divjak, a jazz legend on drums, has distinctly marked the music scene in Slovenia and abroad. His rich career began in a rock band, but he was then drawn to the jazz world. In collaboration with RTV Slovenia’s great Big Band soloists, he has performed with many ensembles (such as Ugrin-Divjak Quintet) and with soloists such as Petar Ugrin, Boško Petrović, Duško Gojković, Stjepko Gut, Primož Grašič, Jure Pukl, Jani Moder, Adam Klemm, Aleš Avbelj, Blaž Jurjevčič, Blaž Trček, etc. He has performed at various jazz festivals including Los Angeles, Monterey, Sacramento, Montreux, Berlin and Bologna. He has collaborated with famous musicians (Art Farmer, Gary Burton, Stan Getz, Joe Pass, NHOP Pedersen, Sal Nistico, Albert Mangelsdorf, Dave Libman, Tony Coe, Ferdinand Powel, Gianni Basso, Richard Davis, Joe Pass, Mike Stern, Steve Swallow, etc.). He has played with the Big Band RTV Slovenia under the brilliant conductor Jože Privšek and under many other famous conductors, such as Herb Pomeroy, Michael Abene, Ed Partyka, Peter Herbolzheimer, Mercer Ellington, Maria Schneider, Jerry van Rooyen, Carla Bley, Mike Westbrook, David Murray, George Lewis, Bill Holman, Bob Mintzer and Lalo Schifrin. In recent years, he has been collaborating with excellent established young musicians who have been successful in domestic and international ensembles.
Admission free.*In case of rain, the concert will take place at the atrium ZRC.
Due to the amendments to the decree on the temporary restriction of the cultural services, event may be attended only by persons with a certificate of: recovery of covid-19 (P), vaccination (C) or a negative test result, which must not be older than 48 hours (T). Entry to the event is only possible with a PCT certificate. Certificate is not required for children under the age of 15 who attend the event with close family members or guardians.
