Lara Hrastnik began learning the harp at the age of seven at Celje Music School, where she also took the matura examination. She was taught by several teachers, including Dalibor Bernatović. She is currently a student at the Ljubljana Academy of Music in the class of Mojca Zlobko Vajgl. She has been a regular participant in competitions since her earliest years. Notable results include: in 2012 a first prize and gold plaque at the national TEMSIG competition, in 2013 a silver plaque at the Svirél International Music Competition and first place at the Antonio Salieri International Young Musicians Competition in Legnago, in 2014 a gold plaque at the International Competition of the Harp Association of Slovenia and a special prize for the most promising competitor, and a silver plaque at the Svirél International Music Competition, in 2015 a silver plaque and the prize for the best performance of a work by a Slovene composer at the national TEMSIG competition and a gold plaque at the Svirél. At the same edition of the Svirél competition she won a gold plaque with the chamber ensemble Trio Coeli (flute and two harps). In 2016 she won first prize and the title of “gold finalist” at the Svirél International Music Competition. She frequently performs with orchestras and chamber ensembles. She has worked with the Feguš String Quartet and has played with the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra as a substitute. She regularly attends seminars and summer schools with well-known teachers such as: Irina Zingg, Diana Grubišić Čiković, Coline-Marie Orliac, Marie-Pierre Langlamet, among others.

Academy of Music String Quintet Project: violin players Mojca Jerman and Dora Rakar, viola player Hana Lavrinc, cellist Katarina Kozjek and double-bassist Grega Rus.

Joanna Blejwas is a student of the master programme at the Ljubljana Academy of Music in the saxophone class of Miha Rogina. In 2016 she won the first prize at the national Slovenian competition TEMSIG and first award at the International Woodwind & Brass Competition in Varaždin. She was also semi-finalist of 8^th International Saxophone Competition in Nova Gorica. She took an active part in many masterclasses with significant artists such as: Arno Bornkamp, Jean Denis-Michat, Jan Schulte- Bunert, Vincent David, Matjaž Drevenšek, Paweł Gusnar, Radek Knop, Miha Rogina, Nobuya Sugawa, Michel Supéra, Christian Wirth. Joanna Blejwas has also collaborated with many orchestras: Orkiestra Filharmonii Poznańskiej, Orkiestra Filharmonii Bałtyckiej, Orkiestra Teatru Wielkiego w Poznaniu, Orkiestra Symfoniczna i Kameralna „Le Quattro Stagioni“, Cooperate orchestra, Saxophone Orchestra SOS.

Sae Lee from Osaka (Japan) is a graduate of the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, where she studied with Kazuhiko Nakajima and Etsuko Tazaki. She also studied with Julia and Konstantin Ganev.  In 2007 and 2008 she graduated with distinction in piano and chamber music from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris in the class of Michel Beroff, Eric Le Sage and László Hadady. She has won nine first prizes at international competitions. She has performed as a soloist with orchestras including the Kansai Philharmonic, the Osaka Philharmonic (Opus), the Sofia Philharmonic, the Pleven Philharmonic and the Kojima Symphony Orchestra. She has performed at the Yamaha Music Festival, the Hamamatsu International Piano Academy, the Nice International Summer Academy of Music and the Paris piano festival at Enghien-les-Bains. As an active chamber musician she works with the saxophonist Miha Rogina, with whom she performs around the world as Duo Kalypso. The duo has won first prizes at the international competition »FNAPEC« (Paris, France) and the Carlo Soliva International Music Contest (Casale Monferrato, Italy). Sae Lee is the piano accompanist of Aurélie Dupont, prima ballerina and director of the Paris Opera Ballet. She has given several television and radio broadcasts in Japan and Europe. She has performed concerts in Andorra, Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Slovenia, Spain, Thailand and Ukraine. At UNESCO’s invitation she gave a well-received recital at the UNESCO conference and Kazakhstan. Sae Lee is currently employed at the Ljubljana Academy of Music.

Programme

L. Spohr: Fantasia

B. Smetana / F. Trneček: Vltava

C. Debussy: Danse sacrée et danse profane

***

J.S. Bach: Prelude from Cello Suite No. 4, BWV 1010

W. Albright: Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano

L. Robert: Cadenza for Alto Saxophone and Piano