Programme

M. Kogoj: Andante for Violin and Piano, arr. F. Avsenek

F. Schubert: String Quartet in A minor, Op. 9

A. Dvoržak: Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 81

The Ljubljana String Quartet has been appearing as the name of the ensemble for more than 50 years. Its first musicians were Leon Pfeifer, Ali Dermelj, Vinko Šušteršič and Čenda Šedlbauer. Since 1983 – and that is thirty years ago – the artistic vocation of the Ljubljana String Quartet has been carried on by Monika Skalar, Karel Žužek, Frenk Avsenek and Stane Demšar. This quartet was performing actively since its beginnings to 2004, and this year we are looking forward to their come back and joint celebration of their distinguished jubilee – the 30th anniversary of their artistic work. The ensemble has been specifically devoting itself to the performing of Slovenian compositions, but their rich repertoire also includes the most important string quartets from the world music literature. In 1997, the Ljubljana String Quartet received the Betetto Award – the highest Slovenian recognition for creative achievements in music.
The French Pianist Michel Bourdoncle studied at the Paris Conservatory. In 1984 he received a grand prize award at the International Pianist Competition Acanthes, presided by Iannis Xenakis. Later on, he won a scholarship to study at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow and in 1986 – the Franz Liszt Competition in Utrecht.
His concert career took this excellent pianist to all of the most important European, as well as American and Asian concert stages. Michael Bourdoncle is not only highly praised as a soloist but also as an outstanding chamber musician.
The artist has also been intensively devoting himself to teaching. Since 1987, he is a professor of piano at the Darius Milhaud Conservatory in Aix-en-Provence, and from 1981 to 1991 he was teaching chamber music at the Conservatory in Marseille.