OPENING CONCERT OF THE 29TH INTERNATIONAL IMAGO SLOVENIAE FESTIVAL AND SUMMER IN OLD LJUBLJANA TOWN

WITHIN 9th FESTIVAL JUNE IN LJUBLJANA

Programme:

RTV SLOVENIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Soloists:

Talita Sofija Komelj, soprano
Robert Pogorilić, flute
Veronika Brecelj, violin
Domen Lorenz, violin
Zala Vidic, cello
Urban Stanič, piano
Piano Trio Rêverie

Conductors:

Slaven Kulenović
Miha Rogina
Mojca Lavrenčič

Host:

Igor Velše

Schedule:

MIHAIL GLINKA (1804─1857): Overture to the opera Ruslan and Ljudmila
Conductor: Miha Rogina

VITO ŽURAJ (1979): Tango for flute and orchestra
Robert Pogorilić, flute
Conductor: Mojca Lavrenčič

*LEON FIRŠT (1994): Concert tango for piano trio and symphony orchestra
Piano trio Reveriê
Conductor: Miha Rogina

ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810─1856): Concerto in A minor, Op. 54, III. Allegro vivace
Urban Stanič, piano
Conductor: Slaven Kulenović

PETER ILIJIČ ČAJKOVSKI (1840─1893): Pezzo capriccioso in B-minor, op. 62
Zala Vidic, cello
Conductor: Slaven Kulenović

JOHANN STRAUSS II (1825─1899): Mein Herr Marquis (aria by Adele from the operetta Die Fledermaus)
Talita Sofija Komelj, soprano
Conductor: Mojca Lavrenčič

GEORGES BIZET (1838─1875): Danse Boheme (from the opera Carmen, Suite no. 2)
Conductor: Slaven Kulenović

LEO DELIBES (1836─1891): Les filles de Cadix
Talita Sofija Komelj, soprano
Conductor: Mojca Lavrenčič

MAURICE RAVEL (1875─1937): Tzigane
Veronika Brecelj, violin
Conductor: Slaven Kulenović

PABLO DE SARASATE (1844─1908): Gypsy Airs
Domen Lorenz, violin
Conductor: Slaven Kulenović

GEORGES BIZET (1838─1875): Farandole (from L’Arlésienne Suite No.2)
Conductor: Mojca Lavrenčič

 

Free addmission!

* In case of rain, the concert will take place in the Marjan Kozina Hall, Slovenian Philharmonic.

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ABOUT ARTISTS:

The RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1955, left an important mark on Slovenian musical life in the 1960s. Given the scope and variety of performed musical works, it belongs to the first place among all Slovenian musical ensembles. Since its founding, its core business has been studio and concert recordings for the National Music Archive, which is available to radio and television programs.

The orchestra performs an interesting and varied concert program, which attracts a diverse audience. Its repertoire consists of compositions from the world’s music treasury of all artistic periods, anthologies and premiere performances by Slovenian musicians. It has recorded almost the entire Slovenian symphonic repertoire and has received numerous high awards for the best performances of domestic compositions. The orchestra’s domestic and international discography is extremely extensive. Recordings of the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra can be found on more than 400 CDs.

The current chief conductor of the orchestra is the excellent Chinese conductor En Shao, who took over the position in September 2006. In the last decade, the orchestra has attracted the most attention of the professional public with high-profile projects, with renowned conductors and soloists including Christian Mandeal. Rossen Milanov, Marko Letonja, Joe Hisaishi, Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna, Marcello Alvarez, Miša Majski, Stefan Milenković, Emanuelle Bertrand, Aldo Ciccolini, Radu Lupu, Mate Bekavac and others.

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SOLISTI:

Talita Sofija Komelj is the recipient of a gold award and a special award for the best singing performance at the 2014 Music Olympics.

In April last year, she won the Iuventus Canti international singing competition in Vráble, Slovakia, in her category. She has been attending singing lessons with Professor Pia Brodnik since the age of nine, and she also studied piano with Professor Metka Lebar at the Vič-Rudnik Music School. She is currently a third-year KGBL student, majoring in solo singing. In Ljubljana, she performed as Vrabček in the children’s opera Brundibar, at the Evening of Beautiful Music and Opera Arias on Novi trg as part of the International Night Festival in Old Ljubljana Town, at the recital Singing Prospects and Expectations in Križanke, at the New Year’s Concert of City Scholars and at the municipal celebration of Independence and Unity Day at Ljubljana Castle. She regularly attends solo singing master classes. Since 2016, she has also been a scholarship holder of the City of Ljubljana.

Robert Pogorilić began his music education at the age of nine by playing the piano and flute at the Cerknica Music School. After winning the 1st prize at the 39th TEMSIG competition and successfully passing the entrance exams at the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet, he continued his education with Milena Lipovšek and Irena Rovtar. During high school he performed with the Slovenian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra and the KGB Ljubljana Wind Orchestra and regularly participated in competitions in which he received the highest awards, at the end of his schooling he also received the Škerjanc Award. During his studies he won 1st prize at the Virtuoso competition in Salzburg and 1st prize at the EMONA competition. He regularly attends trainings under the guidance of top flutists. He has collaborated with the Esperanza Chamber Orchestra as part of the Next Generation Festival, with the Zadar Chamber Orchestra, and also gained experience with the Branimir Slokar Orchestra Academy and various Swiss youth orchestras (Orchestre de l’Université de Lausanne, Orchester romand des jeunes professionels). He is currently a student at the Lausanne College of Music, where he will complete his undergraduate studies this year.

 

In February 2017, Veronika Brecelj completed her undergraduate violin studies with distinction at the Universität der Künste in Berlin with prof. Tomasz Tomaszewskemu. She continues her master’s studies in the class of prof. Yair Klessa at the Kunstuniversität in Graz. In the school year 2015/16, she was on an exchange at the same university in the class of prof. Boris Kuschnir.

Veronika is a multiple winner of international competitions and a three-time winner of the Temsig national competition. In 2012, the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet awarded her the Škrjanc Award for artistic achievements. She has performed as a soloist in numerous solo recitals in Slovenia, Italy, Austria, Poland, Germany and the Netherlands. She has performed with the Chamber Orchestra of the Slovenian Philharmonic in the subscription of the Lojze Bratuž Cultural Center and with the symphony orchestra of the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet in the Slovenian Philharmonic. She regularly improves her knowledge in international master classes with renowned professors such as H. Rosenberg, I. Ozim, P. Vernikov, I. Gitlis, K. Wegrzyn, Y. Kless.

Domen Lorenz is one of the most promising Slovenian musicians. So far, he has won eight first prizes at national and international competitions in Ljubljana, Gorizia, Trieste and Zagreb, where he was declared the absolute winner of the competition in 2005, and as a member of the trio SGBŠ Ljubljana he received first prize at the TEMSIG competition (2002). He has toured with great success in Slovenia, Austria, Serbia, Italy, Germany, Croatia and the Czech Republic. He has performed as a soloist with the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, the SNG Ljubljana Orchestra, Camerato Labacensis, the Celje String Orchestra and the SGBŠ Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra. Domen completed his studies at the first level of the Bologna system with prof. Gorjan Košuta, and he was also educated at the University of Vienna, in the class of a renowned pedagogue – prof. Dora Schwarzberg. In the 2014/2015 season, he became a permanent member of the Ljubljana SNG Opera and Ballet Symphony Orchestra, and continued his 2nd level of Bologna studies with prof. Volodja Balžalorski.

Zala Vidic started learning the cello at the age of six. She is now a 4th year student at the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet with prof. Karmen Pečar Koritnik. She has already won several awards at domestic and foreign competitions, including being a finalist in the Young Eurovision Musicians competition in Cologne in 2016, winning the 1st prize (100 points) and a special award for the best performance of a compulsory song at the national TEMSIG competition in 2015. She also performed solo recitals in Zagreb, Ljubljana and at the Bled Festival, and in 2014 she won the 3rd prize at the Antonio Janigro international competition in Poreč. Zala is the recipient of the Škerjanc Award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement. Throughout her schooling, she regularly improves her knowledge at seminars and summer schools with renowned professors such as G. Gnocchi, R. Latzko, M. Löhr, C. Hagen.

Klavirski trio Rêverie: Tanja Činč – piano, Mojca Jerman – violin, Katarina Leskovar – cello

The trio consists of young musicians, winners of numerous awards from domestic and international competitions. Pianist Tanja Činč and violinist Mojca Jerman are students at the Ljubljana Academy of Music, and cellist Katarina Leskovar is a student at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz. They have been working together since autumn 2012. Until 2016, their professor was Tomaž Lorenz, and since March 2017, they have been studying for a master’s degree in chamber music under the mentorship of prof. Chie Choua at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz. The members of the trio have performed numerous concerts at home and abroad over the years. At the Tartini International Competition in Piran, they received the 1st prize and were the absolute winners among the chamber ensembles. They won 2nd place and 3rd prize at the international competition of chamber groups within the Bled Festival, last year they received 1st prize at the competition for chamber groups Primož Ramovš and won 1st prize at the international competition Grand Prize Virtuoso and were at the final concert in Paris selected as the absolute winners of the competition. In July 2015, the members of the trio recorded a promotional CD at the Činč studio.

CONDUCTORS:

Slaven Kulenović,conductor and pianist, he first completed his piano studies at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana in the class of Dubravka Tomšič Srebotnjak, and in 2009 he also conducted in the class of Milivoj Šurbek. He also trained in many conducting master classes and summer schools. He is the artistic director of the Domžale-Kamnik Symphony Orchestra, as well as the symphony orchestra of the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet. Among the highlights of his artistic career so far are two very resounding guest appearances with the KGBL Symphony Orchestra in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Germany and conducting at the World Music Days 2015. He is a professor of piano and chamber music at the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet.

Miha Rogina completed his saxophone studies at the prestigious CNSM de Paris in France, where he graduated with honors. He also studied at the famous Estman School of Music in the USA. In 2015, he graduated with honors from orchestral conducting at the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna. He is a professor of saxophone at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, and since 2013 he has also been a visiting professor at Senzoku Gakuen University in Tokyo. As a conductor he has conducted several orchestras: the Slovenian Philharmonic, the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra, the Bratislava Philharmonic, the Pro-Arte Symphony Orchestra, the Paris Conservatory Chamber Ensemble and the Saxophone Orchestra of the Academy of Music. He is a member of the Vienna Wiener Singverein Choir, with which he has collaborated under the direction of great conductors such as Riccardo Muti, Mariss Jansons, Daniel Barenboim and others.

Mojca Lavrenčič is a young promising artist, a student in the last year of her master’s degree in orchestral conducting at the Ljubljana Academy of Music in the class of maestro Marko Letonja and Simon Dvoršak. She is the recipient of the student Prešeren Award for concert activity, the winner of the gold award and the Laureate at the international competition of complementary piano in Niš, and as a harpsichordist she won the silver award at this year’s international competition Svirel. She spends most of her extracurricular time working in the opera field. As an accompanist and assistant conductor, she regularly collaborates with the Slovenian Chamber Music Theater and the SNG Opera and Ballet in Ljubljana, and in 2016 she made her debut as an opera conductor with Grigorij Frid’s monoopera “The Diary of Anne Frank”.