IPEW 2026. – Umjetnici, ansambli, predavači / Artists & Ensambles & Lecturers
IGOR LEŠNIK
IGOR LEŠNIK i njegova umjetinička suradnja s poznatim kolegama, bogata kolekcija snimaka i solističko koncertno djelovanje predstavili su hrvatsku udaraljkašku scenu svijetu početkom 1990-ih. Njegovu glazbu danas izvode renomirani solisti i ansambli, a njegove skladbe čine obavezan dio programa na međunarodnim natjecanjima udaraljkaša.
Kao osnivač Odsjeka za udaraljke na Muzičkoj akademiji u Zagrebu, profesor Lešnik redovito gostuje na renomiranim sveučilištima pet kontinenata, a njegovi udaraljkaški članci objavljeni su u Europi i SAD-u. Od 1990. organizira međunarodne udaraljkaške događaje, a od 1984. do 2014. vodio je udaraljkašku sekciju Simfonijskog orkestra Hrvatske radiotelevizije. Također je bio predsjednik Hrvatskog ogranka Društva za udaraljkašku umjetnost / SAD i predsjednik žirija Universal Marimba Competition / Belgija.
Za svoja umjetnička dostignuća primio je brojne nagrade u zemlji i inozemstvu. Godine 2003. stekao je francuski viteški naslov (Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres) za postignuća u umjetnosti i književnosti.
Bivši pročelnik Odsjeka za dirigiranje, harfu i udaraljke, prof. Lešnik od 1. listopada 2019. obnaša dužnost dekana Muzičke akademije Sveučilišta u Zagrebu.
IGOR LEŠNIK’s artistic collaborations with famous colleagues, his rich collection of recordings and his soloist concert activities introduced Croatian percussion scene to the world in early 1990s. His music is today performed by renowned soloists and ensembles and international percussion competitions program his works.
As founder of the percussion department at the Music Academy in Zagreb, professor Lešnik is regular guest at renowned universities of five continents and his percussion articles have been published in Europe and USA. Since 1990 Igor organizes international percussion events and had led the Croatian Radio Symphony Orchestra percussion section from 1984 to 2014. He was also the president of the Croatian Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society / USA and Jury President of the Universal Marimba Competition / Belgium.
Igor has received numerous awards for his artistic achievements at home and abroad. In 2003, he was awarded French knighthood title (Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des
Lettres) for accomplishments in arts and literature.
Former Head of the Department for Conducting, Harp and Percussion, Prof. Lešnik serves as the Dean of the Academy of Music at the University of Zagreb since October 1, 2019.
MARKO MIHAJLOVIĆ
MARKO MIHAJLOVIĆ je rođen 23. 7. 1979. u Zagrebu. Nakon završene srednje Glazbene škole u Bjelovaru (smjer – teoretičar) i paralelno srednje Glazbene škole Pavao Markovac u Zagrebu (smjer – udaraljkaš) upisuje studij udaraljki na Muzičkoj akademiji u Zagrebu u klasi prof. Igora Lešnika te završava isti 2004. godine. Već u toku studija postaje honorarni suradnik Zagrebačke Filharmonije i Simfonijskog Orkestra Hrvatske Radio Televizije s kojim redovito svira do danas. U isto vrijeme djeluje kao član ansambla biNg baNg s kojim će u sljedećih desetak godina svirati na najvećim svjetskim festivalima za udaraljkašku glazbu (Taipei, Nashwille, Paris, Varšava, Valencia, Montevideo, Peking), osvojiti nagradu za najbolji studentski ansambl udaraljki na svijetu na festivalu „PASIC“ (Nashwille, USA, 2004.) i snimiti CD za američku tvrku „Equilibrium Records“. Iste godine dobitnik je i Rektorove nagrade. Za vrijeme studija započinje i suradnju sa Zagrebačkim solistima s kojima tokom sljedećih nekoliko godina ima nekoliko nastupa kao solist. Pred kraj studija počinje svirati u ansamblu Cantus u kojem djeluje i danas. Nastupaju diljem svijeta (Paris, London, Peking, Toronto, Villnius, Bern, Köln, Bordoux) te osvajaju nagradu Judita. Također se redovito usavršava na raznim seminarima u Hrvatskoj i inozemstvu.
Nakon završetka studija započinjes radom u Glazbenoj školi „Vatroslav Lisinski“ u Bjelovaru kao profesor udaraljki te nastavlja koncertni život s ansablima i kao solist. U ciklusu Lisinski subotom svira koncert s poznatim glazbenicima Branimirom Slokarom, Stankom Arnoldom, Radovanom Vlatkovićem i Ljerkom Očić, te „Koncert marimba solista“ na kojem nastupaju Ivana Bilić, Eriko Daimo, Bogdan Bacanu i Katarzyna Mycka. Godine 2007. dobiva posao kao prvi timpanist u Hrvatskom Narodnom Kazalištu gdje radi i danas. Također počinje svirati u ansamblu Acoustic Project gdje svira vibrafon. Osniva i kvartet udaraljki Boomerang s kojim koncertira po Hrvatskoj od 2010. na dalje te snima emisiju „Notica“ za djecu (HRT, 2014.).
S orkestrom Hrvatske Radio Televizije nastupa kao solist s djelom „Muzika za marimbu i gudače“ Dubravka Palanovića (2013.). Skladbu je izveo i sa Zagrebačkim solistima, a isto djelo (snimka) je dobitnik nagrade za najbolju kompoziciju na natjecanju „Reiners – stiftung“ u Beču. Godine 2014. odlazi na turneju po Kanadi s ansamblom Cantus s kojim nastupa kao solist u poznatoj dvorani Glenn Gould u Torontu. Od 2015. godine svira i u duu Art MM s violinisticom i budućom suprugom Evom Mach. Nastupaju na festivalima diljem Hrvatske i predstavljaju glazbu raznih stilova u neobičnoj kombinaciji zvuka violine i marimbe, kao i kompozicije izvorno pisane za ova dva instrumenta.
Godine 2017. postaje docent na Muzičkoj akademiji u Zagrebu gdje predaje udaraljkaški ansambl i studij orkestralnih dionica. Na akademiji preuzima vodstvo udaraljkaškog ansambla biNg baNg s kojim redovito nastupa na festivalima u Hrvatskoj i inozemstvu. U istom razdoblju započinje i rad u organizaciji Međunarodnog udaraljkaškog festivala u Bjelovaru na kojem svake godine gostuju renomirani inozemni ansambli i solisti. Godine 2018. zajedno s udaraljkašem Hrvojem Sekovanićem svira s ansamblom Zagrebačkih solista u skladbi Ive Josipovića “Kurosavin nemir svijeta” za koju dobija i nominaciju za Porina. Iste godine ostvaruje suradnju sa zborom HRT-a s kojim svira nekoliko koncerta te snima nosač zvuka “Mir, zlato, tamjan”. Godine 2021. sudjeluje u izvedbi i snimanju djela “Pasija” skladatelja Berislava Šipuša s kojim ove godine osvaja i nagradu “Porin” u četiri kategorije.
MARKO MIHAJLOVIĆ was born on July 23, 1979, in Zagreb. After completing secondary education at the Music School in Bjelovar (majoring in Music Theory) and simultaneously attending the Pavao Markovac Music School in Zagreb (majoring in Percussion), he enrolled in percussion studies at the Zagreb Academy of Music under Professor Igor Lešnik, graduating in 2004. During his studies, he became a freelance collaborator with the Zagreb Philharmonic and the Croatian Radiotelevision Symphony Orchestra, with which he continues to perform regularly. At the same time, he joined the Bing Bang ensemble, with whom he performed at some of the world’s most prestigious percussion music festivals over the next decade (Taipei, Nashville, Paris, Warsaw, Valencia, Montevideo, Beijing). The ensemble won the award for the best student percussion ensemble in the world at the “PASIC” festival (Nashville, USA, 2004) and recorded a CD for the American label “Equilibrium Records.” In the same year, he received the Rector’s Award. During his studies, he also began collaborating with the Zagreb Soloists, with whom he performed several solo concerts over the following years. Toward the end of his studies, he began playing in the Cantus Ensemble, where he remains active today. The ensemble has performed worldwide (Paris, London, Beijing, Toronto, Vilnius, Bern, Cologne, Bordeaux) and has received the Judita Award. He regularly participates in various masterclasses in Croatia and abroad.
After graduating, he started teaching percussion at the Vatroslav Lisinski Music School in Bjelovar while continuing his concert career as a soloist and ensemble member. He performed in the “Lisinski Saturdays” concert series alongside renowned musicians such as Branimir Slokar, Stanko Arnold, Radovan Vlatković, and Ljerka Očić, as well as in the “Marimba Soloist Concert,” featuring Ivana Bilić, Eriko Daimo, Bogdan Bacanu, and Katarzyna Mycka. In 2007, he became the principal timpanist of the Croatian National Theatre, where he works to this day. He also began performing with the Acoustic Project ensemble, playing vibraphone. In 2010, he founded the percussion quartet Boomerang, performing across Croatia and recording the children’s show “Notica” (HRT, 2014).
With the Croatian Radiotelevision Symphony Orchestra, he performed Dubravko Palanović’s “Music for Marimba and Strings” as a soloist in 2013. This piece was also performed with the Zagreb Soloists and won the Reiners-Stiftung composition prize in Vienna. In 2014, he toured Canada with the Cantus Ensemble, performing as a soloist at the famous Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto. Since 2015, he has performed as part of the Art MM duo with violinist and future wife Eva Mach. They perform at festivals across Croatia, presenting music in various styles with the unique combination of violin and marimba, as well as compositions originally written for these instruments.
In 2017, he became an assistant professor at the Zagreb Academy of Music, teaching percussion ensemble and orchestral excerpt studies. He took over leadership of the Bing Bang percussion ensemble, regularly performing at festivals in Croatia and abroad. Around the same time, he began organizing the International Percussion Festival in Bjelovar, hosting renowned international ensembles and soloists annually. In 2018, he collaborated with percussionist Hrvoje Sekovanić and the Zagreb Soloists on Ivo Josipović’s piece “Kurosava’s Restless World,” earning a Porin nomination. That year, he also collaborated with the HRT Choir, performing several concerts and recording the album “Mir, zlato, tamjan.” In 2021, he participated in the performance and recording of Berislav Šipuš’s “Passion,” which won four Porin awards that year.
BJELOVARSKI UDARALJKAŠI
BJELOVARSKI UDARALJKAŠI Udaraljkaški školski ansambl u Glazbenoj školi Vatrosla Lisinskog Bjelovar broji 15 učenika koji pohađaju osnovnu i srednju glazbenu školu smjera udaraljki. Redovito nastupaju na školskim koncertima i kulturnim manifestacijama. Njihov repertoar uključuje sve od klasičnih glazbenih djela i suvremenih aranžmana do obrada najpoznatijih svjetskih pjesama.
Članovi ansambla: Tara Grčić, Ivor Matić, Vida Čale, Oskar Ćurić, Mateo Martinovski, Dominik Šabarić, Pia Crlenjak, Bruno Ključarić, Erik Zemčak, Matej Kokan, David Sabolović, Gabriel Andrić, Martin Roviščanec, Filip Bogadi, Oskar Matuš
Voditelj ansambla: Luka Mihajlović, mag.mus.
PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE OF THE VATROSLAV LISINSKI MUSIC SCHOOL BJELOVAR The percussion ensemble of the Vatroslav Lisinski Music School in Bjelovar consists of 15 students attending the elementary and high music school percussion program. They regularly perform at school concerts and cultural events. Their repertoire spans classical music pieces, contemporary arrangements, and covers of some of the world’s most famous songs.
Ensemble members: Tara Grčić, Ivor Matić, Vida Čale, Oskar Ćurić, Mateo Martinovski, Dominik Šabarić, Pia Crlenjak, Bruno Ključarić, Erik Zemčak, Matej Kokan, David Sabolović, Gabriel Andrić, Martin Roviščanec, Filip Bogadi, Oskar Matuš
Ensemble leader: Luka Mihajlović, mag. mus.
LUKA MIHAJLOVIĆ
LUKA MIHAJLOVIĆ (1999., Zagreb) odrasta u Bjelovaru te tamo započinje svoj glazbeni put. U Glazbenoj školi Vatroslava Lisinskog Bjelovar završio je tri godine osnovne škole za klavir te se kasnije prebacio na udaraljke koje završava 2018. godine. Nakon toga upisuje i diplomira udaraljke na Muzičkoj akademiji u klasi prof. Igora Lešnika. Uz studij na Muzičkoj akademiji završio je i glazbenu produkciju na Music Production Academy u Zagrebu. Tijekom školovanja dobitnik je mnoštva nagrada na natjecanjima u Hrvatskoj i inozemstvu. Redovito se usavršava i sudjeluje na međunarodnim seminarima i festivalima. Već je tijekom studija bio redoviti honorarni suradnik orkestara Hrvatske radio televizije, Zagrebačke filharmonije te orkestra Opere Hrvatskog narodnog kazališta u Zagrebu. Po završetku studija, 2023. godine zapošljava se kao nastavnik udaraljki u Glazbenoj školi Jan Vlašimsky Virovitica, a od rujna 2024. godine radi u Glazbenoj školi Vatroslava Lisinskog Bjelovar, također kao nastavnik udaraljki.
LUKA MIHAJLOVIĆ (1999, Zagreb) grew up in Bjelovar, where he began his musical journey. He completed three years of elementary piano studies at the Vatroslav Lisinski Music School in Bjelovar before switching to percussion, which he completed in 2018. He then enrolled in and graduated with a degree in percussion from the Academy of Music under the mentorship of Professor Igor Lešnik. In addition to his studies at the Academy of Music, he also completed a program in music production at the Music Production Academy in Zagreb.
During his education, he won numerous awards at competitions in Croatia and abroad. He regularly participates in international seminars and festivals to further his expertise. Even during his studies, he was a regular freelance collaborator with orchestras of Croatian Radio and Television, the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra and the Opera Orchestra of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb.
After completing his studies in 2023, he began working as a percussion teacher at the Jan Vlašimsky Music School in Virovitica. Since September 2024, he has been teaching percussion at the Vatroslav Lisinski Music School in Bjelovar.
DANE FRANOLIĆ
DANE FRANOLIĆ (Zagreb, 2004.) student je treće godine udaraljki na Muzičkoj akademiji u Zagrebu koju je kao nadareni kandidat upisao godinu dana prije završetka srednje škole.
Sudjeluje na međunarodnim natjeca-njima i seminarima te nastupa na koncertima. U 2023. osvojio je šest nagrada. Na Percute Competition Catarroja u Valenciji (Španjolska) osvojio je prvu nagradu, kao i na Međunarodnom natjecanju udaraljkaških instrumenata „Stevan Strunjašević“ u Beogradu. Drugonagrađeni bio je u Austriji na Međunarodnom udaraljkaškom natjecanju u Halleinu. U Italiji na Filadelfia Festivalu u Tropei je pobijedio i osvojio prvu nagradu u kategoriji marimbe i prvu apsolutnu nagradu u kategoriji malog bubnja. U Tropei je održao i svoj prvi solistički nastup izvan Hrvatske. Prošle godine mu je dodijeljena Yamaha stipendija, a kao stipendist sudjelovao je i na Yamahinom kongresu u Hamburgu. Ove je godine dobio stipendiju Sveučilišta u Zagrebu. Na početku 2024. je nastupao na IPEW festivalu u Bjelovaru. Kao predstavnik Muzičke akademije u Zagrebu, nastupio je na UniART Festivalu, a pratili su ga plesači s Akademije dramskih umjetnosti. Nastupio je i na ciklusu koncerata mladih glazbenika u koncertnoj dvorani Vatroslav Lisinski. Prošle je godine održao solističke koncerte na Muzičkoj akademiji u Zagrebu, na festivalu Večeri udaraljkaša Križevci te dva koncerta na Filadelfia Festivalu u Italiji. Prošlog je ljeta održao svoju prvu solističku turneju. Odsvirao je dvanaest koncerata po jadranskoj obali, od Paga, preko Makarske, Brača i Visa, pa sve do Lastova. U posljednjih nekoliko godina svirao je i s brojnim sastavima, orkestrima i glazbenicima raznih stilova, od sastava ASMANGU preko talijanskog sastava Il Volo u koncertnoj dvorani Vatroslav Lisinski, pa do Orkestra mladih glazbenika u Berlinu.
Mentori na Muzičkoj akademiji u Zagrebu su mu profesor i dekan Igor Lešnik i asistent Luis Camacho Montealegre. Usavršavao se i s brojnim drugim poznatim solistima i profesorima poput prof. Ivane Kuljerić, Piusa Cheunga, Eriko Daimo, Nanzy Zeltsman i dr.
DANE FRANOLIĆ (Zagreb, 2004) is a third-year percussion student at the Music Academy in Zagreb, which he entered as a gifted candidate a year before completing high school.
He participates in international competitions and seminars and performs in concerts. In 2023, he won six awards. At the Percute Competition Catarroja in Valencia, Spain, he earned first prize, as well as at the International Percussion Instrument Competition “Stevan Strunjašević” in Belgrade. He was awarded second prize at the International Percussion Competition in Hallein, Austria. In Italy, at the Filadelfia Festival in Tropea, he won first prize in the marimba category and the first absolute prize in the snare drum category. He also gave his first solo performance outside Croatia in Tropea. Last year, he was awarded the Yamaha Scholarship and, as a scholarship holder, participated in the Yamaha Congress in Hamburg. This year, he received a scholarship from the University of Zagreb. At the beginning of 2024, he performed at the IPEW Festival in Bjelovar. Representing the Music Academy in Zagreb, he performed at the UniART Festival, accompanied by dancers from the Academy of Dramatic Arts. He also appeared in the Young Musicians Concert Series at the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall. Last year, he gave solo concerts at the Music Academy in Zagreb, at the Percussion Nights Festival in Križevci, and two concerts at the Filadelfia Festival in Italy. Last summer, he embarked on his first solo tour, performing twelve concerts along the Adriatic coast, from Pag to Makarska, Brač, Vis, and Lastovo. In recent years, he has played with numerous ensembles, orchestras, and musicians across various styles, from the ASMANGU ensemble and the Italian group Il Volo at the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall, to the Young Musicians Orchestra in Berlin.
His mentors at the Music Academy in Zagreb are Professor and Dean Igor Lešnik and Assistant Luis Camacho Montealegre. He has also honed his skills with renowned soloists and professors, including Ivana Kuljerić, Pius Cheung, Eriko Daimo, Nancy Zeltsman, and others.
TAMBURAŠKI ANSAMBL MUZIČKE AKADEMIJE U ZAGREBU
TAMBURAŠKI ANSAMBL MUZIČKE AKADEMIJE U ZAGREBU osnovan je 2017. godine pokretanjem modula tambure na Muzičkoj akademiji Sveučilišta u Zagrebu čime je tambura kao koncertni instrument dobila svoje mjesto u visokom glazbenom obrazovanju. Ansambl okuplja studente tambure koji se uz redoviti studij intenzivno bave komornim i orkestralnim muziciranjem. Studenti djeluju u raznovrsnim komornim sastavima, od dua do seksteta, ali i u tamburaškom orkestru u kojem sudjeluju i studenti drugih odsjeka Muzičke akademije. Umjetnički fokus ansambla usmjeren je isključivo na koncertnu glazbu s posebnim naglaskom na suvremeni repertoar, nove obrade i praizvedbe djela hrvatskih i inozemnih skladatelja. Taj je koncept dodatno afirmiran koncertnim ciklusom Tambura klasik koji ansambl predstavlja široj publici u koncertnom kontekstu. Od osnutka ansambl ostvaruje iznimne uspjehe osvojivši brojne prve nagrade na državnim i međunarodnim natjecanjima čime potvrđuje visoku razinu izvođačke kvalitete i umjetničkog rada. Voditelj ansambla od osnutka je Siniša Leopold dok je od prošle akademske godine dirigent tamburaškog orkestra Matija Fortuna. Manje komorne sastave vode Siniša Leopold i Franjo Pećarić.
TAMBURITZA ENSEMBLE OF THE MUSIC ACADEMY IN ZAGREB was founded in 2017 with the introduction of the tamburitza program at the Music Academy of the University of Zagreb, which gave the tamburitza, as a concert instrument, its place in higher music education. The ensemble brings together tamburitza students who, alongside their regular studies, are intensively engaged in chamber and orchestral performance. The students perform in a variety of chamber groups, from duos to sextets, as well as in a tamburitza orchestra that also includes students from other departments of the Music Academy. The ensemble’s artistic focus is directed exclusively toward concert music, with a special emphasis on contemporary repertoire, new arrangements, and premieres of works by Croatian and international composers. This concept has been further reinforced through the concert series Tambura Classic, which presents the ensemble to a wider audience in a concert setting. Since its founding, the ensemble has achieved remarkable success, winning numerous first prizes at national and international competitions, thereby confirming the high level of its performance quality and artistic work. The ensemble has been led by Siniša Leopold since its inception, while Matija Fortuna has served as conductor of the tamburitza orchestra since the previous academic year. The smaller chamber groups are directed by Siniša Leopold and Franjo Pećarić.
MATIJA FORTUNA
MATIJA FORTUNA (Koprivnica, 6. prosinca 1985.) u Glazbenoj školi Alberta Štrige u Križevcima 2001. maturirao je na Odsjeku za tamburu kao prvi maturant u povijesti Hrvatske na tom instrumentu. Na Muzičkoj akademiji Sveučilišta u Zagrebu diplomirao je glazbenu teoriju pod mentorstvom Berislava Šipuša (2009.) te orkestralno dirigiranje u klasi Vjekoslava Šuteja i Uroša Lajovica (2011.). Dobitnik je Top stipendije za top studente u 2010./2011. akademskoj godini. U okviru Erasmus programa za razmjenu studenata, petu godinu studija dirigiranja proveo je na Akademiji za glazbu i scensku umjetnost u Beču na kojoj je završio i poslijediplomski studij dirigiranja u klasi Uroša Lajovica (2013.). Usavršavao se kod uglednih dirigenata i sudjelovao je na raznim dirigentskim seminarima u Hrvatskoj i inozemstvu.
Bio je umjetnički suradnik na Akademiji za glazbu i scensku umjetnost u Beču, a 2015. asistirao je Georgu Fritzschu u pripremi opere “Strijelac vilenjak” na opernom festivalu Jopera u Jennersdorfu. Bio je polufinalist međunarodnog dirigentskog natjecanja Lovro von Matačić 2015. godine. Radio je na nizu opernih i simfonijskih produkcija nacionalnih kazališnih kuća u Rijeci i Zagrebu, Slovenskog narodnog gledališča u Mariboru, te je nastupao sa Zagrebačkom filharmonijom, Varaždinskim komornim orkestrom, Hrvatskim komornim orkestrom i Zadarskim komornim orkestrom. Surađuje sa Simfonijskim orkestrom, Zborom i Tamburaškim orkestrom HRT-a. U dvorani Universität der Künste u Berlinu dirigirao je simfonijski koncert povodom 30. obljetnice njemačko-hrvatskih diplomatskih veza 2021. Zaposlen je na Muzičkoj akademiji Sveučilišta u Zagrebu kao docent na Odsjeku za dirigiranje, harfu i udaraljke. Od rujna 2021. godine šef je dirigent Orkestra mladih glazbenika. U sezoni 2023./2024. postaje umjetnički voditelj Tamburaškog orkestra HRT-a.
MATIJA FORTUNA (Koprivnica, 6th December 1985) graduated from the Department of Tamburitza at the Albert Štriga Music School in Križevci in 2001, becoming the first graduate in the history of Croatia on that instrument. At the Music Academy of the University of Zagreb, he earned a degree in music theory under the mentorship of Berislav Šipuš (2009), and a degree in orchestral conducting in the class of Vjekoslav Šutej and Uroš Lajovic (2011). He was awarded the Top Scholarship for Top Students in the 2010/2011 academic year. As part of the Erasmus student exchange programme, he spent his fifth year of conducting studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, where he also completed his postgraduate studies in conducting in the class of Uroš Lajovic (2013). He furthered his training with distinguished conductors and took part in various conducting masterclasses in Croatia and abroad. He worked as an artistic associate at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, and in 2015 he assisted Georg Fritzsch in preparing the opera Der Freischütz at the Jopera opera festival in Jennersdorf. He was a semi-finalist at the Lovro von Matačić International Conducting Competition in 2015. He has worked on a number of opera and symphonic productions at the national theatres in Rijeka and Zagreb and at the Slovene National Theatre in Maribor, and has performed with the Zagreb Philharmonic, the Varaždin Chamber Orchestra, the Croatian Chamber Orchestra, and the Zadar Chamber Orchestra. He collaborates with the Croatian Radiotelevision Symphony Orchestra, Choir, and Tamburitza Orchestra. In the hall of the Universität der Künste in Berlin, he conducted a symphony concert marking the 30th anniversary of German-Croatian diplomatic relations in 2021. He is employed at the Music Academy of the University of Zagreb as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Conducting, Harp, and Percussion. Since September 2021, he has been Chief Conductor of the Young Musicians’ Orchestra. In the 2023/2024 season, he became Artistic Director of the Croatian Radiotelevision Tamburitza Orchestra.
SOFIJA MILADINOV
SOFIJA MILADINOV rođena je 2005. godine u Zagrebu gdje je završila matematičku gimnaziju i glazbenu školu Pavla Markovca. Glazbom se krenula baviti s 9 godina kada upisuje klavir. Nakon osnovne škole prebacuje se na udaraljke te maturira u klasi profesora Josipa Konfica. Sudjeluje na natjecanjima u i van Hrvatske kao solistica i kao član komornog sastava te tako osvaja nagrade „Profesor Balthazar“ i „Oskar znanja“. Godine 2024. upisuje Muzičku akademiju u Zagrebu te je trenutno studentica 2. godine u klasi profesora Luisa Camachoa Montealegrea. Pohađa udaraljkaške seminare u Bjelovaru „International Percussion Ensemble Week“ u organizaciji profesora Igora Lešnika, a u rujnu 2025. godine sudjeluje u Erasmus+ projektu PERCOMEL u Zagrebu. Član je udaraljkaškog ansambla Muzičke akademije „biNg baNg“, a u slobodno vrijeme svira u rock bendu. Ima iskustvo sviranja s mnogim orkestrima (uključujući Simfonijski orkestar Hrvatske radiotelevizije) i iskustvo rada kao nastavnica udaraljki u osnovnoj i srednjoj Glazbenoj školi Pavla Markovca te Glazbenoj školi Brkanović.
SOFIJA MILADINOV was born in 2005 in Zagreb, where she completed a mathematics high school and the Pavle Markovac School of Music. She began studying music at the age of nine, when she started piano lessons. After finishing primary school, she switched to percussion and graduated in the class of Professor Josip Konfic. She has participated in competitions in and outside Croatia as a soloist and as a member of chamber ensembles, winning the “Professor Balthazar” and “Oskar znanja” awards. In 2024 she enrolled at the Music Academy in Zagreb, where she is currently a second-year student in the class of Professor Luis Camacho Montealegre. She attends the percussion seminar “International Percussion Ensemble Week” in Bjelovar, organized by Professor Igor Lešnik, and in September 2025 she will take part in the Erasmus+ project PERCOMEL in Zagreb. She is a member of the Music Academy percussion ensemble “biNg baNg,” and in her free time she plays in a rock band. She has experience performing with many orchestras (including the Symphony Orchestra of Croatian Radiotelevision), as well as experience working as a percussion teacher at both the primary and secondary Pavle Markovac School of Music and at the Brkanović School of Music.
biNg baNg
biNg baNg udaraljkaški ansambl zagrebačke Muzičke akademije ima kratku, ali bogatu povijest. Pod umjetničkim vodstvom Igora Lešnika ansambl je osnovan 1999. godine kao ansambl Hrvatske glazbene mladeži. Nakon pet godina intenzivnog međunarodnog djelovanja postali su neovisni 2004. godine.
biNg baNg ansambl je laureat mnogih međunarodnih i hrvatskih glazbenih nagrada. Godine 2009. su osvojili Summa cum laude prvu nagradu Međunarodnog natjecanja u Belgiji, a 2004. godine ih je prestižni Arts Society International Convention u Nashvilleu USA proglasio najboljim studentskim ansamblom u svijetu za tu godinu. Među hrvatskim nagradama valja spomenuti nagradu “Ivo Vuljević” za najbolji mladi ansambl u Hrvatskoj te dvije Rektorove nagrade Sveučilišta u Zagrebu.
Ansambl se sastoji od najboljih studenata udaraljki zagrebačke Muzičke akademije. Nastupao je diljem svijeta, od Europe i Azije do Amerike. biNg baNg je također ugostio mnoge poznate međunarodne soliste kao što su: Andy Narell, Dave Samuels, Art Lipner,Ney Rosauro, Jean Geoffroy John Beck, Angel Frette, Daniella Ganeva, Ludwig Albert… Njihov nosač zvuka pod nazivom “biNg baNg plays Lešnik” objavljen za američku tvrtku Equilibrium postigao je međunarodni uspjeh.
Članovi ansambla: Sara Mapilele, Ivona Grančić, Maja Matijević, Sofija Miladinov, Saša Miljanović, Lucjia Šimanović Miščević, Vid Pajić, Luka Glavendekić, Dane Franolić, Marin Benja, Lucija Kovačić, Josip Brajčić, Ivan Brigljević, Svit Štarkl
Voditelj ansambla: Marko Mihajlović, izvanredni profesor
biNg baNg percussion ensemble of the Zagreb Academy of Music has a short but rich history. Under the artistic direction of Igor Lešnik, the ensemble was founded in 1999 as part of the Croatian Music Youth organization. After five years of intensive international activity, they became independent in 2004.
biNg baNg ensemble is a laureate of numerous international and Croatian music awards. In 2009, they won the Summa cum laude first prize at the International Competition in Belgium, and in 2004, they were named the best student ensemble in the world by the prestigious Arts Society International Convention in Nashville, USA. Among Croatian awards, notable mentions include the “Ivo Vuljević” award for the best young ensemble in Croatia and two Rector’s Awards from the University of Zagreb.
The ensemble consists of the best percussion students from the Zagreb Academy of Music. It has performed worldwide, from Europe and Asia to the Americas. biNg baNg has also hosted many renowned international soloists, including Andy Narell, Dave Samuels, Art Lipner, Ney Rosauro, Jean Geoffroy, John Beck, Ángel Frette, Daniella Ganeva, Ludwig Albert, and others. Their album, titled “biNg baNg Plays Lešnik,” released by the American label Equilibrium, achieved international success.
Ensemble members: Sara Mapilele, Ivona Grančić, Maja Matijević, Sofija Miladinov, Saša Miljanović, Lucjia Šimanović Miščević, Vid Pajić, Luka Glavendekić, Dane Franolić, Marin Benja, Lucija Kovačić, Josip Brajčić, Ivan Brigljević, Svit Štarkl
Ensemble leader: Marko Mihajlović, Assistant Professor
IVANA DUVNJAK AKAMATSU
IVANA DUVNJAK AKAMATSU Od početka bavljenja solo pjevanjem te tijekom studija usavršavala je u Beču svoje znanje i tehniku uz renomiranu opernu divu Kammersängerin Oliveru Miljaković. Godine 2020. stječe diplomu iz solo pjevanja u klasi prof. Vlatke Oršanić na Muzičkoj akademiji u Zagrebu. Godine 2016. godine, uz Zagrebački orkestar mladih pod ravnanjem maestra Igora Tatarevića, izvodi Pergolesijev „Stabat Mater“ u Crkvi sv. Marka u Zagrebu. Od tada bilježi brojne nastupe u Hrvatskoj i inozemstvu te 2019. godine debitira u Hrvatskom glazbenom zavodu izvodeći koncertne arije Wolfganga Amadeusa Mozarta. Uz brojne druge suradnje koje je ostvarila uz Zagrebački orkestar mladih, stalna je solistica kostimirano-scenskog spektakla „Mozart u vrtu“ u kojem ostvaruje uloge Konstanze, Zerlin, Donne Elvire, Pamine i Kraljice noći.
Kao vokalna solistica učestalo sudjeluje na festivalu komorne glazbe „Musica Maxima“ koji je pozicioniran u sam vrh glazbenih festivala. Godine 2019. ostvaruje zapažen nastup na Novogodišnjem koncertu uz Simfonijski orkestar Mostar, gdje se kao jedina vokalna solistica predstavila s nekoliko arija koloraturnog karaktera. Iste godine nastupa u prekrasnoj crkvi Sankt Elizabeth Kirche u Beču, gdje je ostvarila zahtjevnu sopranističku ulogu Kraljice noći iz Mozartove opere „Die Zauberflöte“, te se profilirala u koloraturni sopran.
Dobitnica je brojnih nagrada na domaćim i međunarodnim pjevačkim natjecanjima. Godine 2017. dobitnica je II. nagrade na međunarodnom pjevačkom natjecanju „Lav Mirski“ u Osijeku, te iste godine II. nagrade na međunarodnom pjevačkom natjecanju „Vera Kovač Vitkai“ u Novom Sadu. Godine 2018. i 2019. osvaja I. nagradu na natjecanju „Bistrički zvukolik“ u Mariji Bistrici. Kao vokalna solistica ostvarila je nastupe uz Hrvatski komorni orkestar i Simfonijski orkestar Mostar čija je česta gošća u projektima klasične i popularne glazbe, te nastupe u Hrvatskom narodnom kazalištu u Mostaru.Aktivni je sudionik brojnih pjevačkih seminara renomiranih vokalnih pedagoga poput Vlatke Oršanić, Lidije Horvat Dunjko i Olivere Miljaković.
Od 2018. godine nastupa u Beču, u prekrasnoj dvorani Alter Rathausa, kao stalna vokalna solistica u koncertnom ciklusu Con brio, koji se održava pod pokroviteljstvom Kammersängerin Olivere Miljaković.
Osim pjevanja, Ivana je diplomirala i violinu, u klasi prof. Anđelka Krpana na Muzičkoj akademiji u Zagrebu. Od 2012. godine honorarna je članica Simfonijskog orkestra HRT-a te učestalo surađuje sa Zagrebačkom filharmonijom, orkestrima Hrvatskog narodnog kazališta u Zagrebu i Osijeku, Hrvatskim komornim orkestrom, Zadarskim komornim orkestrom, Simfonijskim orkestrom Mostar i Zagrebačkim orkestrom mladih.
Uz koncertnu aktivnost, Ivana se uspješno bavi i pedagoškim radom, te su njezini učenici dobitnici brojnih nagrada na državnim i međunarodnim natjecanjima.
Od 2020. godine stalna je članica i jedna od osnivača violinističkog dua SHIVA BEYOND SOUND, te članica popularnog kvarteta Vortex Strings, s kojima bilježi nastupe u Hrvatskoj i inozemstvu.
IVANA DUVNJAK AKAMATSU From the beginning of her solo singing studies and throughout her education, she refined her knowledge and technique in Vienna under the renowned opera diva, Kammersängerin Olivera Miljaković. In 2020 she earned her degree in solo singing in the class of Prof. Vlatka Oršanić at the Music Academy in Zagreb. In 2016, together with the Zagreb Youth Orchestra conducted by Maestro Igor Tatarević, she performed Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater at St Mark’s Church in Zagreb. Since then she has given numerous performances in Croatia and abroad, and in 2019 she made her debut at the Croatian Music Institute performing concert arias by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In addition to many other collaborations with the Zagreb Youth Orchestra, she is a regular soloist in the costumed stage spectacle Mozart in the Garden, in which she performs the roles of Konstanze, Zerlina, Donna Elvira, Pamina, and the Queen of the Night.
As a vocal soloist, she frequently appears at the chamber music festival Musica Maxima, one of the leading music festivals. In 2019 she gave a notable performance at the New Year’s Concert with the Mostar Symphony Orchestra, where she appeared as the only vocal soloist, performing several coloratura arias. That same year she sang in the beautiful St. Elizabeth Church in Vienna, where she performed the demanding soprano role of the Queen of the Night from Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte”, thereby establishing herself as a coloratura soprano.
She is the recipient of numerous awards at national and international singing competitions. In 2017 she won Second Prize at the international singing competition “Lav Mirski” in Osijek, and in the same year Second Prize at the international singing competition “Vera Kovač Vitkai” in Novi Sad. In 2018 and 2019 she won First Prize at the “Bistrički zvukolik” competition in Marija Bistrica. As a vocal soloist she has performed with the Croatian Chamber Orchestra and the Mostar Symphony Orchestra, where she is a frequent guest in classical and popular music projects, as well as at the Croatian National Theatre in Mostar. She is an active participant in numerous masterclasses led by renowned vocal pedagogues such as Vlatka Oršanić, Lidija Horvat Dunjko, and Olivera Miljaković. Since 2018 she has been performing in Vienna, in the beautiful hall of the Alter Rathaus, as a permanent vocal soloist in the concert series Con brio, held under the patronage of Kammersängerin Olivera Miljaković.
In addition to singing, Ivana also graduated in violin in the class of Prof. Anđelko Krpan at the Music Academy in Zagreb. Since 2012 she has been an associate member of the Croatian Radiotelevision Symphony Orchestra and frequently collaborates with the Zagreb Philharmonic, the orchestras of the Croatian National Theatres in Zagreb and Osijek, the Croatian Chamber Orchestra, the Zadar Chamber Orchestra, the Mostar Symphony Orchestra, and the Zagreb Youth Orchestra.
Alongside her performing career, Ivana is also successfully engaged in pedagogy, and her students are recipients of numerous awards at national and international competitions.
Since 2020 she has been a permanent member and one of the founders of the violin duo SHIVA BEYOND SOUND, as well as a member of the popular quartet Vortex Strings, with whom she performs both in Croatia and abroad.
KSENIJA KOMLJENOVIĆ
KSENIJA KOMLJENOVIĆ Perkusionistica, edukatorica i skladateljica, stekla je međunarodno priznanje kao dobitnica nagrade na Međunarodnom natjecanju udaraljkaša u Luksemburgu. Kao prva Srpkinja koja je doktorirala udaraljke, predaje na University of North Carolina School of the Arts, prvoj javnoj umjetničkoj akademiji u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama.
Njezina strast prema komornoj glazbi i interkulturalnoj suradnji dolazi do izražaja u ansamblu Vesna Duo, koji je osnovala zajedno s pijanisticom Lianom Harron. Njihove hrabre obrade klasične, suvremene, jazz i narodne glazbe donose jedinstven pečat njihovim nastupima. The Wall Street Journal pohvalio je debitantski album sastava Vesna Duo, s Ksenijinim aranžmanom Stravinskog Posvećenja proljeća za marimbu i klavir, opisavši ga kao „impresivno rekoncipiran“ i „izvanredno učinkovit“.
Godine 2024.
Ksenija je proslavila svoj debi u Carnegie Hallu te svjetsku praizvedbu djela Episodes for Marimba and Orchestra, koje je za nju skladao višestruki dobitnik nagrade Emmy i filmski skladatelj nominiran za Oscara, Chris Boardman, koji ju je opisao kao „intelektualno briljantnu, glazbeno znatiželjnu, intuitivnu, sa srcem umjetnice“. Godine 2025. izvela je svjetsku praizvedbu novog aranžmana Gotan Concerta Emmanuela Séjournéa za dvije marimbe i puhački orkestar, donoseći svjež uvid u ovo kapitalno djelo repertoara za udaraljke.
Ksenija je nastupala diljem svijeta, održavši stotine koncerata i više od 60 majstorskih tečajeva po Europi, Aziji i Sjedinjenim Državama. Njezine skladbe, uključujući Slavdom i Epilogue, nadahnute su slavenskim i balkanskim nasljeđem. Umjetnica je pod pokroviteljstvom Marimba One, a diplomirala je na Frost School of Music, Illinois State University i Fakultetu muzičke umetnosti u Beogradu.
Više informacija dostupno je na www.ksenijakomljenovic.com i profilu @ksenijakomljenovic.
KSENIJA KOMLJENOVIĆ a percussionist, educator, and composer, gained international recognition as a prizewinner of the International Percussion Competition Luxembourg. As the first Serbian woman to earn a doctorate in percussion, she teaches at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, America’s first public arts conservatory.
Her passion for chamber music and intercultural collaboration shines through her ensemble, Vesna Duo, which she co-founded with pianist Liana Harron. Their bold arrangements of classical, contemporary, jazz, and folk music bring a unique flair to their performances. The Wall Street Journal praised Vesna Duo’s debut album, featuring Ksenija’s marimba and piano arrangement of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, as “impressively reconfigured” and “smashingly effective.”
In 2024, Ksenija celebrated her Carnegie Hall debut and the world premiere of Episodes for Marimba and Orchestra, composed for her by Oscar nominee and six-time Emmy Award winner Chris Boardman, who described her as “intellectually brilliant, musically curious, intuitive, with the heart of an artist.” In 2025, she performed the world premiere of a new arrangement of Emmanuel Séjourné’s Gotan Concerto for two marimbas and wind band, bringing fresh insight to a landmark work in the percussion repertoire.
Ksenija has performed internationally, appearing in hundreds of concerts and leading over 60 masterclasses across Europe, Asia, and the U.S. Her compositions, including Slavdom and Epilogue, draw on her Slavic and Balkan roots. A Marimba One artist, she holds degrees from the Frost School of Music, Illinois State University, and the Faculty of Music in Belgrade.
Learn more at www.ksenijakomljenovic.com and at @ksenijakomljenovic.
UNCSA Percussion Group
UNCSA Percussion Group Od jeseni 2023. UNCSA Percussion Group, pod vodstvom dr. Ksenije Komljenović, okuplja studente diplomskih i preddiplomskih studija te srednjoškolce s raznolikim glazbenim iskustvima, ujedinjene dubokom ljubavlju prema komornoj glazbi. Tijekom protekle dvije i pol godine ansambl je surađivao s 17 gostujućih umjetnika čije karijere obuhvaćaju doista impresivan raspon — od solista i komornih glazbenika do studijskih glazbenika, jazz poduzetnika, skladatelja nagrađenih Pulitzerovom nagradom, stalnih glazbenika u emisijama The Voice i America’s Got Talent, perkusionista potpisanih na više od 200 holivudskih filmova i mnogih drugih.
Utemeljen na tradiciji poštovanja i brige (prema glazbi i jednih prema drugima!), ansambl studentima pruža širok spektar komornih iskustava: od izvedbi tradicionalno omiljenog repertoara na jesenskom koncertu do stvaranja vlastitih aranžmana za rasprodane proljetne koncerte s programima kao što su reinterpretirane filmske glazbe (UNCSA Goes to the Movies), glazba iz videoigara (LOADING… A Journey Through the History of Video Game Music), a iduće godine i istraživanje rock evergreena (Percussion Rocks!). Ansambl također razvija praktične vještine poput marketinga, dizajna plakata, javnog nastupa i rada na društvenim mrežama, odražavajući cjelovit pristup stvaranju koncertnih programa.
Za više informacija, pratite nas na: @uncsa_percussion i facebook.com/uncsapercussion
UNCSA Percussion Group Since Fall 2023, the UNCSA Percussion Group, led by Dr. Ksenija Komljenović, has brought together graduate, undergraduate, and high school students with diverse musical backgrounds, united by a deep love of chamber music. Over the past two and a half years, the ensemble has collaborated with 17 guest artists, whose careers span a remarkable range—from soloists and chamber musicians to studio players, jazz entrepreneurs, Pulitzer Prize-winning composers, an in-house musician for The Voice and America’s Got Talent, a percussionist credited on over 200 Hollywood films, and more.
Rooted in a tradition of respect and care (for the music and for one another!) students engage in a wide range of chamber music experiences: performing traditionally beloved repertoire in the Fall concert, as well as creating their own arrangements for sold-out Spring concerts featuring programs such as reimagined film scores (UNCSA Goes to the Movies), video game music (LOADING… A Journey Through the History of Video Game Music), and next year, exploring rock anthems (Percussion Rocks!). The ensemble also develops practical skills in marketing, poster design, public speaking, and social media, reflecting a holistic approach to concert-making.
To learn more, follow us: @uncsa_percussion and facebook.com/uncsapercussion
LUDWIG ALBERT / RODRIGO FERNANDES MARQUES & FLANDERS MARIMBA MASTERS ENSEMBLE
LUDWIG ALBERT / RODRIGO FERNANDES MARQUES & FLANDERS MARIMBA MASTERS ENSEMBLE Ansambl Flanders Marimba Ensemble, pod vodstvom međunarodno priznatog marimba virtuoza prof. dr. Ludwiga Alberta, predstavlja večer živopisnog i raznolikog repertoara povodom 25. obljetnice prvog europskog magistarskog odjela za marimbu osnovanog na Kraljevskom konzervatoriju u Antwerpenu (AP University of Arts) i na Luca School of Arts u Leuvenu, utemeljenog na njegovom inovativnom i hvaljenom pedagoškom pristupu kontrole tijela u oblikovanju zvuka. Ovaj je odjel izrastao u dinamičan i predan odsjek u kojem se svestranost susreće sa specijalizacijom, tradicija se isprepliće s inovacijom, a interdisciplinarna suradnja nadopunjuje umjetnička izvrsnost. Marimba ansambl čini srž programa, vodeći studente kroz klasični i suvremeni repertoar te ih potičući na razvoj vlastitih aranžerskih i skladateljskih vještina. Tijekom četvrt stoljeća ovaj je pionirski odjel, koji je osnovao prof. dr. Ludwig Albert, odgojio generacije marimba izvođača, pedagoga i skladatelja, postavljajući instrument u samo središte suvremenog glazbenog stvaralaštva.
Večerašnji program obuhvaća kontinente, epohe i stilove, otkrivajući lirsku i udaraljkašku svestranost marimbe. U središtu večeri nalazi se Albertov nagrađivani koncert The Universe, u kojem se dvije solo marimbe pojavljuju kao istraživači što lebde kozmičkim krajolikom rezonancije, ritma i svjetlucave međusobne igre, ispunjene blistavom jasnoćom i ritmičkom energijom. On također pretvara nekoliko kultnih melodija u živopisnu glazbenu proslavu, zadržavajući njihov radosni karakter dok istražuje lirske i udaraljkaške mogućnosti marimbe. Portugalski marimbist, skladatelj i višestruki dobitnik prvih nagrada na natjecanjima profilira se kao novi skladateljski glas u svijetu marimbe. Svjetska praizvedba djela CHROMA za kvartet marimba, koje je skladao doc. dr. Rodrigo Marques, istražuje timbralne boje i ansambl-dijaloge, pletući složene teksture koje svjetlucaju svakim pokretom. Zajedno, ovaj program slavi izražajni raspon marimbe — od intimnih folklornih melodija do velikih orkestralnih gesta, od živih boja do poetske refleksije — pokazujući kreativnost, virtuoznost i inovaciju koje su tijekom proteklih 25 godina njegovana na obje sveučilišne institucije.
Članovi ansambla: Tiago Chico, Nicolo Demurtas, Ilkka Haapanen, Subin Ku, Oleksandra Makarova, Mario Mascolo, Giacomo Meroni, Francesco Miranda, Mattia Sebastiano Rizza
LUDWIG ALBERT / RODRIGO FERNANDES MARQUES & FLANDERS MARIMBA MASTERS ENSEMBLE The Flanders Marimba Ensemble, under the guidance of international renown marimba virtuoso prof. dr. Ludwig Albert, presents an evening of vibrant and diverse repertoire, celebrating the 25th anniversary of Europe’s first created marimba Master department of the Royal Conserva-toire Antwerp (AP University of Arts) and of the Luca School of Arts Leuven, driven by his innovative acclaimed pedagogical approach of body controlled sound production. This depart-ment has grown into a dynamic and dedicated section, where versatility meets specialization, tradition blends with innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration is paired with artistic excel-lence. The marimba ensemble is at the heart of the program, guiding students through both clas-sical and contemporary repertoire, while encouraging them to develop their own arranging and compositional skills. Over a quarter century, this pioneering department, founded by professor dr. Ludwig Albert has nurtured generations of marimba performers, educators, and composers, establishing the instrument at the heart of contemporary music-making.
Tonight’s program spans continents, eras, and styles revealing the marimba’s lyrical and percus-sive versatility. At the heart of the evening, Albert’s award-winning Concerto “The Universe” casts two solo marimbas as explorers, soaring through a cosmic landscape of resonance, rhythm, and luminous interplay with sparkling clarity and rhythmic vitality. He also transforms several iconic tunes into a vibrant celebration, preserving its joyful character while exploring the marim-ba’s lyrical and percussive possibilities. The Portuguese marimbist, composer and multiple 1st Prize Competition winner profiles himself as a new compositional voice in the marimba world. The Worldpremiere of assistant Professor Rodrigo Marques’s CHROMA for marimba quartet explores timbral color and ensemble interplay, weaving intricate textures that shimmer with eve-ry gesture. Together, this program celebrate the marimba’s expressive range – from intimate folk melodies to grand orchestral gestures, from vivid color to poetic reflection – showcasing the crea-tivity, virtuosity, and innovation, fostered at both universities over the past 25 years.
Ensemble members: Tiago Chico, Nicolo Demurtas, Ilkka Haapanen, Subin Ku, Oleksandra Makarova, Mario Mascolo, Giacomo Meroni, Francesco Miranda, Mattia Sebastiano Rizza
JU PERCCUSION GROUP
JU PERCCUSION GROUP (JPG), koji je osnovao perkusionist Ju Tzong-Ching u siječnju 1986., sastoji se od 20 talentiranih perkusionista i 3 rezidentna skladatelja. Ansambl je posvećen koncertnom djelovanju, edukaciji i promicanju udaraljkaške glazbe. JPG je u svijetu poznat po svojim inovativnim spojovima Istoka i Zapada, tradicije i suvremenosti. Članovi ansambla pokazuju iznimnu virtuoznost u sviranju zapadnih udaraljkaških instrumenata, kao i različitih oblika tradicionalne azijske glazbe.
S više od 3.500 domaćih i međunarodnih nastupa, ansambl je uvelike proširio prisutnost Tajvana na svjetskoj udaraljkaškoj karti. Do danas je ansambl nastupio u 35 zemalja diljem svijeta te je, zahvaljujući svojem obrazovnom sustavu, odgojio gotovo 160.000 polaznika udaraljkaške glazbe. Osim toga, ansambl je do sada naručio čak 284 nova djela. Razvoj ansambla Ju Percussion Group može se, slikovito rečeno, promatrati kao odraz razvoja suvremene udaraljkaške umjetnosti na Tajvanu.
JU PERCCUSION GROUP (JPG), founded by percussionist Ju, Tzong-Ching in January 1986, comprises 20 talented percussionists and 3 composer in residence. The group devotes itself to performance, education and percussion promotion. JPG has become known worldwide for its innovative blends of the East and West, traditional and contemporary. The members possess transcendental virtuosity in playing Western Percussion instruments as well as different forms of traditional Asian music.
Through more than 3,500 domestic and international performances, it has greatly expanded Taiwan’s presence on the international percussion map. To date, the group has played in 35 different countries around the world, cul-tivating nearly 160,000 percussion learners by means of its instruction system. Besides, the group has been commissioned to create as many as 284 pieces so far. The growth of Ju Percussion Group is, so to speak, a reflection of how contemporary percussion develops on the island.
TZONG-CHING JU
TZONG-CHING JU Poznati perkusionist, koji je tijekom posljednja tri desetljeća odigrao značajnu ulogu u povećanju interesa za udaraljkašku glazbu na Tajvanu, velik dio popularnosti udaraljkaške glazbe u zemlji duguje Jou i njegovim pionirskim naporima u glazbenom obrazovanju.
Nakon što je diplomirao na Nacionalnoj tajvanskoj akademiji umjetnosti (danas Nacionalno tajvansko sveučilište za umjetnost), nastavio je studij udaraljki na Visokoj školi za glazbu i scensku umjetnost u Beču kod Waltera Veigla i Richarda Hochrainera, bivšeg glavnog perkusionista Bečke filharmonije. Bio je prvi Kinez koji je 1982. godine stekao diplomu glazbenog izvođača iz udaraljki. Godine 2005. Ju je stekao izvršni magisterij poslovne administracije na Nacionalnom tajvanskom sveučilištu.
Po povratku na Tajvan radio je kao glavni perkusionist Tajvanskog simfonijskog orkestra. Godine 1986. osnovao je prvi tajvanski ansambl udaraljki, Ju Percussion Group (JPG). Tri godine kasnije osnovana je Zaklada Ju Percussion Group radi upravljanja administrativnim poslovima JPG-a. Godine 1991. utemeljio je Školu udaraljki Ju Percussion, prvi domaći sustav obrazovanja u području udaraljki s ciljem promicanja udaraljkaške umjetnosti na Tajvanu.
Godine 1993. pokrenuo je Tajvanski međunarodni festival udaraljki (TIPC), koji je do danas održan jedanaest puta te služi kao važna platforma za razvoj međunarodne scene udaraljki. Godine 1998. osnovao je časopis „Percussion”, a od 1999. svake godine organizira Međunarni ljetni kamp udaraljki u Taipeiju (TIPSC), nudeći mladim studentima udaraljki raznolike mogućnosti učenja. Godine 2016. pokrenuo je projekt inovacija i inkubacije „Ju Percussion Group Laboratory” kako bi podržao mlade perkusioniste u interdisciplinarnim inovacijama te stvorio novu viziju i razvoj udaraljkaške glazbe.
Obnašao je dužnost ravnatelja Nacionalnog simfonijskog orkestra Tajvana, glavnog i umjetničkog ravnatelja te predsjednika Upravnog odbora Nacionalnog kazališta i Nacionalne koncertne dvorane (NTCH), rektora Nacionalnog sveučilišta umjetnosti u Taipeiju (TNUA) te glavnog ravnatelja ceremonija otvaranja i zatvaranja Svjetskih igara 2009. u Kaohsiungu. Od siječnja 2017. do travnja 2022. bio je predsjednik Nacionalnog centra izvedbenih umjetnosti.
Za svoju umjetničku izvrsnost primio je brojna priznanja, među kojima su Nacionalna nagrada za umjetnost, Predsjednički orden Sjajne zvijezde s ljubičastim velikim lentom te Nacionalne kulturne nagrade. Društvo za udaraljkašku umjetnost (Percussive Arts Society – PAS) dodijelilo mu je Nagradu za izniman doprinos i Nagradu za životno djelo u obrazovanju. Godine 2016., za svoj doprinos i postignuća u umjetnosti udaraljki, uvršten je u PAS Kuću slavnih, postavši prva osoba iz kineskoga govornog područja kojoj je ukazana ta čast. Godine 2020. dodijeljena mu je 39. Nacionalna kulturna nagrada za izniman doprinos u područjima udaraljkaške glazbe, umjetničkog obrazovanja i kazališnog menadžmenta. Trenutačno je umjetnički ravnatelj Ju Percussion Groupa, katedarski profesor na Nacionalnom sveučilištu umjetnosti u Taipeiju (TNUA) te profesor emeritus na Nacionalnom sveučilištu umjetnosti Tajvana (NTUA).
TZONG-CHING JU The well-known percussionist, who has played a significant role in enhancing the wide interest in percussion music in Taiwan over the last three decades, owes much of the popularity of percussion music in Taiwan to Ju for his pioneering efforts in music education.
Upon graduating from the National Taiwan Academy of the Arts (now known as National Taiwan University of the Arts), he continued his percussion studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna with Walter Veigl and Richard Hochrainer, the former principal percussionist of the Wiener Philharmoniker. He was the first Chinese to receive the diploma of Music Performer in percussion in 1982. In 2005, Ju received his Executive Master of Business Administration degree from National Taiwan University.
Upon returning to Taiwan, he served as the principal percussionist of the Taiwan Symphony Orchestra. He founded Taiwan’s first percussion ensemble, the Ju Percussion Group (JPG), in 1986. Three years later, the Ju Percussion Group Foundation was formed to manage JPG’s administrative affairs. In 1991, he established the Ju Percussion Music School, the first domestically developed percussion education system to promote the percussive arts in Taiwan.
In 1993, he initiated the Taiwan International Percussion Convention (TIPC), which has been held 11 times to date, serving as an important platform for leading international percussion development. In 1998, he founded “Percussion” magazine, and since 1999, he has annually organized the Taipei International Percussion Summer Camp (TIPSC), offering young percussion students a variety of learning opportunities. In 2016, he established the “Ju Percussion Gropu Labaratory” innovation and incubation project to support emerging percussionists in cross-disciplinary innovattion, aiming to create a new vision and development for percussion music.
He has served as the Director of the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, the General and Artistic Director and the Chairman of the Board of the National Theatre and National Concert Hall (NTCH), the Principal of Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA), and the General Director of the Opening/Closing Ceremony for the 2009 World Games in Kaohsiung. From January 2017 to April 2022, he served as the Chairman of the National Performing Arts Center.
For his artistic excellence, he has received numerous honors including the National Award for Arts, the Presidential Order of Brilliant Star with Violet Grand Cordon, and National Cultural Awards. The Percussive Arts Society (PAS) has bestowed upon him the Outstanding Contribution Award and the Lifetime Achievement in Education Award. In 2016, for his contributions and achievements in the art of percussion, he was inducted into the PAS Hall of Fame, becoming the first person from the Chinese-speaking world to receive this honor. In 2020, he was awarded the 39th National Cultural Award for his exceptional contributions in the fields of percussion music, art education, and theater management. At present, he is the Artistic Director of the Ju Percussion Group, Chair Professor at Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA), and Emeritus Professor at the National Taiwan University of Arts (NTUA).
