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

Manja Slak, violin
Beata Ilona Barcza, piano

Pia Rener, double bass
Maja Klinar, piano

Programme:
George Enescu: Impromptu concertant
Richard Strauss: Violin Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 18
***
Giovanni Bottesini: Tarantella and Elegy No. 1 in D major
Lars-Erik Larsson: Concertino for double bass

Manja Slak graduated from the class of Elisabeth Kropfitsch at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna before going on to pursue a master’s degree and further postgraduate studies at the same institution with Anton Sorokow. She won a first prize at the 7th Ars nova Trieste International Music Competition and was awarded the Paolo Spincich Prize at the final concert of first-prize winners (with the Sensibile Piano Trio). Other accolades include a first prize at the Don Vincenzo Vitti International Music Competition in Castellana Grotte (Italy), a second prize at the Accademia Musicale Competition, a first prize and special prize for brilliant and expressive performance at the International Competition for Young Instrumentalists Musicale Euritmia, and a gold plaque and third prize at the Svirél international competition. In 2022 she won the absolute first prize at the International Competition of the International Crescendo Academy in Buje, Croatia and performed in the concert of first-prize winners.

Beata Ilona Barcza is a pianist and chamber musician from Hungary. She obtained a master’s degree from the Faculty of Music and Visual Arts of the University of Pécs in 2013. As a student, she took part in many competitions and won several first prizes. She gives regular recitals at the National Theatre of Pécs together with the outstanding soprano Marianna Váradi. She is also interested in early keyboard instruments, dedicating an additional three years of study to the harpsichord in Hungary, joining a fortepiano masterclass in Ithaca (USA) at the invitation of Malcolm Bilson and participating in Dalibor Miklavčič’s pedal piano masterclass in Ljubljana.

Pia Rener took her first musical steps at the age of just four when she began playing the violin, before later switching to the double bass. After initially studying with Polona Češarek and Janez Avšič, she then enrolled at the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet. Her love for the largest member of the string family led her to enrol at the Ljubljana Academy of Music, where she is currently studying with acclaimed teacher Zoran Marković. She has won first prizes and gold plaques at TEMSIG competitions on three separate occasions (2018, 2021 and 2024), while in both 2018 and 2021 she also won a special prize for achieving a score of 100 points. In 2024 she won a first prize, a gold plaque, a special prize for achieving a score of 100 points and the title of laureate at the 16th String Festival – International String Players Competition “String Fest” in Sremska Mitrovica. To date she has played in the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet Symphony Orchestra, the OrkesterkamP Music Festival & School, the Diocesan Classical Gymnasium Alumni Orchestra and the Slovenian Baroque Orchestra. She is a regular collaborator with the Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra of the Ljubljana Academy of Music, the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra and the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2024 she successfully auditioned for the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester and performed in the musical capitals of Europe as part of the orchestra’s summer tour. With great dedication and talent, Pia continues her unstoppable progress on a musical journey that is full of inspiration and success.

Pianist Maja Klinar graduated from the Ljubljana Academy of Music in the class of Aci Bertoncelj. She attended several international masterclasses during her studies, including with Pierre Sancan. She is currently employed as an associate at the Ljubljana Academy of Music and also works as a teacher. She regularly serves as an accompanist at masterclasses in Slovenia and abroad.