This evening, on 1 March, we officially concluded the Ljubljana Festival International Competition – Brass Quintets and Quartets 2025.

At the award ceremony, the audience was addressed by the general and artistic director of the Ljubljana Festival and honorary member of the European Festivals Association, Darko Brlek, the head of the Department for culture of the City of Ljubljana, Mateja Demšič, and the president of the competition jury and artistic director of the competition, Branimir Slokar, who also presented the awards to the winners.

The ensemble that impressed the five-member jury (Branimir Slokar, Reinhold Friedrich, Nina Šenk, Radovan Vlatković, and Andreas Martin Hofmeir) with its technical excellence and outstanding interpretation is KamBrass Quintet. With their performance of Call by Luciano Berio, Brass Quintet No. 1, Op. 5 by Victor Ewald, Laudes by Joan Bach and Brass Quintet by Daniel Schnyder, the ensemble masterfully utilized the rich tonal palette of the brass ensemble, subtly balanced the sound of individual voices, and created a cohesive interpretation with expressive conviction.

Winners of the Ljubljana Festival International Competition – Brass Quintets and Quartets 2025.

1st Prize: KamBrass Quintet
2nd Prize: Les Brasseurs Quintet
3rd Prize: Colombian Brass Quintet
4th Prize: Quatuor Ellius
5th Prize: Iberica Quartet
6th Prize: Kaiser Ensemble

The winning ensemble received the grand prize of 20,000 € and the opportunity to perform at several prestigious recitals.

Special diplomas for outstanding performances were also awarded:

Best performance of an obligatory piece by Slovenian composer Nina Šenk: KamBrass Quintet
Highest-ranked Ensemble representing Slovenia: Bass Brass Collective

Congratulations to all quintets and quartets for their outstanding performances, and best wishes for their continued success on their musical journeys!

We are proud and delighted to support young musicians through this competition, fostering their artistic growth and professional development. A heartfelt thank you also goes to the preliminary jury and the competition jury, led by the esteemed trombonist Branimir Slokar, for their expert and dedicated work.