Free tickets for the concert are available at Križanke Box Office.

Programme:
Joseph Haydn: Sonata in B minor, Hob. XVI:32
Fryderyk Chopin: Ballade in A-flat major No. 3, Op. 47
Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin: Sonata No. 5, Op. 53
Federico Mompou: Jeunes filles au jardin and El Lago
Maurice Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit
***
Anton Stepanovich Arensky: Piano Trio in D minor No. 1, Op. 32
Dmitry Shostakovich: Piano Trio No. 1 in C minor, Op. 8

Kuan-Wei Chen won first place at the 4th Radovljica International Piano Competition and third place at the 4th Hauts-de-France International Competition “Les Etoiles du Piano” in Roubaix, where he also received the Best Interpretation of a Commissioned Work Prize and the La Flandre Assurances Prize. In February 2024, he was awarded the Yamaha Music Foundation Scholarship in Austria. He began his musical journey at the age of five, and was admitted to Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin at 16, studying under Konrad Maria Engel. After completing his bachelor’s degree in 2021, he is now pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna with Anna Malikova. His earlier achievements include first prize at the 6th International Piano Competition in Troisdorf, Germany, third place in the Flute-Piano Duo Competition at the Usedom Music Festival, and selection for the 2020/2021 International Music Talent Project by the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra. He received the New Taipei Music Rising Star Award in 2022. Kuan-Wei made his solo debut in 2009 with the Taipei Century Symphony Orchestra, and has participated in masterclasses with Arie Vardi, Robert Levin, Bernd Goetzke, Alexei Lubimov, and Claudio Martinez-Mehner.

Ad Astra Piano Trio consists of pianist Neža Tovšak, violinist Maria Terezija Kolman and cellist Nuša Planinc. Neža began her musical studies at the Fran Korun Koželjski Music School in Velenje before continuing at the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet. She went on to study at the Ljubljana Academy of Music in the class of Ruben Dalibaltayan, graduating with distinction. The winner of gold and silver diplomas at competitions, she has performed at the Slovenian Philharmonic and has given a recital as part of the Solo e da camera  series. She is set to perform Piano Concerto No. 1  by Sergei Rachmaninoff in the forthcoming season. She is the holder of a scholarship from the Ljubljana Rotary Club. Marija Terezija Kolman began her musical training at Laško-Radeče Music School before continuing her studies at the arts gymnasium in Celje, and then at the Ljubljana Academy of Music, where she graduated with distinction from the class of Vasilij Meljnikov. She has won a gold plaque and three silver plaques at TEMSIG (Young Musicians of Slovenia) competitions, as well as prizes at the International Young Musicians Competition Antonio Salieri and the North International Music Competition. She has performed at the Magistrat (Town Hall) in Ljubljana and will give a recital as part of the Solo e da camera  series next year. She is a substitute in the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra and plays a violin made by the Cremona luthier Katharina Abbühl. Nuša Planinc began her musical training at Krško Music School and continued it at the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet and the Ljubljana Academy of Music, where this year she graduated with distinction from the class of Eldar Saparayev. She has taken part in numerous international and national competitions and is a laureate of the Petar Konjović International Music Competition. She has performed in the Meet Me at the Magistrat  recital series and is a member of the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester (Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra). She plays a cello made by Loeiz Honoré in Cremona.

In collaboration with the International Piano Competition Radovljica