Clarinettist and pedagogue Jože Kotar lives and works in Ljubljana, where for 12 years he served as principal clarinet of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra. Currently he holds the same position with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra. He is tenured professor of clarinet at the Academy of Music and also teaches at the Conservatory for Music and Ballet, both in the Slovenian capital.
Karolina ŠANTL ZUPAN is professor and vice dean for scientific and artistic research at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana. She began her professional artistic career in 1991 in the orchestra of the Slovenian Philharmonic. She also worked as a solo flutist in the SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana orchestra. She is also active as a soloist and chamber musician.
Igor Ranković is an internationally acclaimed trombonist and principal bass trombonist in the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition to playing in the orchestra, he is also active as a chamber musician and mentor in orchestra academy of Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra.
Blaž Ogrič is a pricipal hornist in the the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition to the job in the orchestra, Ogrič is active as a soloist and as a member of various chamber ensembles.
Krunoslav Babić is an internationally acclaimed tubist and principal tubist in the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition to playing in the orchestra, he is also active as a soloist, chamber musician and professor.
Aleksandra Šuklar is a multi-percussionist and marimba artist based in Vienna. Her musical spectrum expands from classical music, contemporary works for percussion until film music and crossover projects. She finished her Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees with Prof. Nebojša Jovan Živković at MUK – The Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna…
Ivana Bilić is an international marimba virtuoso and percussion artist. Known for her versatility, she regularly appears as soloist with European orchestras (Danish Radio Symphony, W. Lutoslawski Philharmonic, Pannon Philharmonic, Slovenian Philharmonic, Dohnany Symphony, Presidential Symphony Orchestra Ankara, Symphony Orchestra of the Croatian Radiotv…) Her concert activities include recitals, crossover projects, stage productions, cd recording…
Simon Klavžar is Associate professor for percussion and head of Winds, Brass and Percussion Department at the Academy of Music, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. As performer, he is currently mostly active in the contemporary music field, performing with Ensemble Modern, Ensemble Neofonia Ljubljana, Schallfeld Ensemble Graz, Konzerthausorchester Berlin and others. Since the formation in 2006, he has been performing with Jože Bogolin as percussion duo Drumartica in the USA, Japan and across Europe at venues such as the Carnegie Hall (New York), Hermitage Theater (St. Petersbourg), Berlin Philharmonie (Berlin), Auditorio de Tenerife (Spain), Kennedy Center (Washington DC) and Luxembourg Philharmonic Hall. The duo received first prizes at the International Percussion Competition Luxembourg, Salieri-Zinetti chamber music competition in Verona and numerous other prizes. Simon Klavžar recorded CD’s Drumartica I and Saxala with new music for percussion and saxophone.
In 2015, Simon Klavžar apeared as a soloist at the World Music Days with Radio Symphony Orchestra of Ljubljana and performed a world premiere of a double concerto by Matej Bonin for percussion and saxophone in season 2022/23 with the same orchestra. In the 2023/24 season, he performed Bonin’s concerto with the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra and Agata Zubel’s percussion concerto ‘Flash’ at the New Music Forum festival. He was a member of the World Percussion Group touring Northern Europe in 2017 and has held masterclasses at the music academies and universities of Furman, Western Washington, Gdańsk, Liszt Ferenc Budapest and Salerno, as well as at numerous percussion festivals.
With his projects, Filip Mercep constantly proves that he is a man and an artist of a wide range. Since 2010, when he performed in finale of Evrovision Young Musician Competition in front of 45.000 people in Vienna, Filip became well known and very demanded percussionist in Croatia and abroad.
Ulrike Stadler is an internationally acclaimed orchestral musician. Since 2001, she has been a timpanist with recreation Großes Orchester Graz. Ulrike Stadler is currently Percussion Professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz and at the Joseph Haydn Conservatory in Eisenstadt.