PGV 1 st Evening – 25 June2026

Tinkara Teinović - Tina Uršič, piano duo
Nina Leiler, violin
Konstantin Đoković, piano

Tinkara Teinović began playing the piano five years ago at the music school in Sežana, under the mentorship of Prof. Tamara Ražem Locatelli. Her exceptional dedication and love of music quickly brought her to the winners' podium. To date, across numerous performances and international and national competitions, she has won a total of 19 gold medals and absolute first prizes, both in solo categories and in piano duo. These awards are firm proof of the excellent rapport between her and her teacher, and at the same time a great encouragement for her continued success and work in music.
Pianist Tina Uršič began her musical path at the age of six under the mentorship of Prof. Tamara Ražem Locatelli. She is distinguished by exceptional musicality and dedication. She has performed in Slovenia, Italy, Serbia and Portugal, and regularly wins first and absolute prizes at national and international competitions. She sees competitions as an opportunity for artistic growth and for sharing her love of music. Among her greatest achievements is a gold award with full marks at the Crescendo competition in Rome in January 2026. As a prizewinner, she performed at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York. Tina takes pleasure in chamber music, plays in a piano duo and a string orchestra, and performs in musical theatre. She is also passionate about composing: for her original piece Sirius Star, she received a gold award at the Oscar Reading competition.
Nina Leiler is a violinist and a third-year student at the Conservatory of Music and Ballet Ljubljana, in the class of Prof. Uroš Bičanin. She began her musical path at the age of five at the Tartini Music Studio. She has received numerous awards at national and international competitions, including TEMSIG, Tartini, Young Virtuosos and the WSMF in Vienna. As a soloist she has performed with the Chamber String Orchestra of the Slovenian Philharmonic. In 2026 she took part as concertmaster in the international YOAA project. She regularly hones her skills at master classes with renowned teachers at home and abroad.
Konstantin Đoković is a student at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, in the class of Prof. Ruben Dalibaltayan. He has played the piano since 2014 and is a laureate and winner of numerous first prizes at international competitions (Slavenski, Ohrid Pearls, Davorin Jenko). In 2026, at the Tartini competition in Piran, he won first prize together with the title of best and most promising pianist. As a soloist he has performed Beethoven's and Mozart's piano concertos with orchestral accompaniment. He has appeared in prestigious halls in Belgrade and Zagreb, and in 2025 he gave a recital at the world conference of piano teachers in Novi Sad. He was also a scholarship holder of the "New Names" foundation in Russia, under the direction of Denis Matsuev. He has regularly developed his skills at numerous master classes with world-renowned teachers such as Natalija Trulj, Andrei Diev, Barry Douglas and László Borbély.

PGV 2nd Evening – 2 July 2026

"Art Songs and Arias"

Mojca Bitenc Križaj, soprano
Domen Križaj, baritone
Simon Dvoršak, piano

Soprano Mojca Bitenc Križaj began her professional singing career in 2014 at the Slovenian National Theatre Maribor and, since 2024, has been a soloist with SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana. She earned her master's degree summa cum laude at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana under Prof. Barbara Jernejčič Fürst and completed postgraduate studies at the Zagreb Academy of Music under Prof. Vlatka Oršanić. She also graduated from the Faculty of Medicine in Ljubljana. She has received the Student Prešeren Award as well as numerous prizes at international competitions in Osijek, Rijeka, Salzburg and Deutschlandsberg. On Slovenian and foreign opera stages she has performed many leading roles, including Pamina, Donna Anna, Fiordiligi, Violetta Valéry, Mimì, Liù, Tatyana and Micaëla. It was as Micaëla that she appeared on the celebrated lake stage at the Bregenz Festival in 2018. She has also been a guest at Frankfurt Opera, the Zomeropera festival in Belgium, the Croatian National Theatre in Rijeka, and the Tyrol Festival Erl. As a soloist she works regularly with renowned orchestras at home and abroad (Vienna Symphony, Slovenian Philharmonic, RTV Slovenia) and performs an extensive concert and chamber repertoire. In the 2025/26 season she will appear in Ljubljana as Manon, Rosalinde and Violetta, and will also perform at Cankarjev dom and with the Slovenian Philharmonic.
Baritone Domen Križaj is a member of the Frankfurt Opera ensemble, where in the 2025/26 season he will take the title roles in Macbeth and The Tsar Has His Photograph Taken, and appear as Sharpless (Madama Butterfly) and Lescaut (Manon Lescaut). In previous seasons he has performed prominent roles there, including Onegin, Rodrigo, Wolfram, Albert and the Count. He was previously a member of Theater Basel. He appears regularly at festivals and opera houses abroad (Bregenz, Baden-Baden, Erl, the Rijeka theatre) and at home with SNG Ljubljana and SNG Maribor. As a concert singer he has performed at the Berlin Philharmonic, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and in Madrid. Domen Križaj earned his master's degree summa cum laude at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana under Prof. Matjaž Robavs, having previously completed his studies in medicine at the Faculty of Medicine. He received the Student Prešeren Award of the Academy of Music and the University of Ljubljana Prešeren Award, as well as second prize at the prestigious international Neue Stimmen competition in Germany. His upcoming engagements include performances with the Prague Philharmonia, the role of Germont at SNG Ljubljana, Carmina Burana at SNG Maribor, the role of Figaro at the Lech Festival, and Mahler's Songs of a Wayfarer at the Ljubljana Festival.
Simon Dvoršak is an established Slovenian conductor, pianist, répétiteur and teacher. After graduating in music education in Maribor, he graduated summa cum laude in conducting from the Academy of Music in Ljubljana under Maestro Marko Letonja. He pursued further training in Spain and in London, where he completed a specialisation in musical theatre with distinction at the prestigious Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. While still a student he worked as assistant conductor of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, and has since directed numerous orchestras at home and abroad, including the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra and the SNG Maribor orchestra. His extensive repertoire ranges from the Baroque to the contemporary. He devotes particular attention to musical theatre, opera and the musical, and has conducted numerous premieres both in Slovenia and abroad. As a pianist and répétiteur he collaborates with renowned soloists and records regularly for the RTV Slovenia archive. He serves as artistic director of the House of Culture Celje and, as a visiting lecturer, leads master classes in London. As an associate professor he teaches at the Ljubljana Academy of Music, where he is devoted to working with young musicians. In recognition of 25 years of accomplished work in the arts, he was awarded the Bronze Coat of Arms of Celje.

PGV 3rd Evening – 9 July 2026

Nejc Kamplet, piano

Nejc Kamplet began playing the piano at the age of five at the Conservatory of Music and Ballet Maribor, studying with Lidija Maletić and Saša Gerželj. He completed his studies with distinction at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz under Dr. Zuzana Niederdorfer, and then continued his training with Arie Vardi in Hanover. He has further developed his artistry with world-renowned pianists such as Evgeny Kissin, Jacques Rouvier, Boris Berman and Robert Levin. As a soloist he appears regularly with established orchestras at home and abroad, among them the Slovenian, Graz, Harbin and Wuhan Philharmonics, the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra and the National Orchestra of Catalonia. He has performed under conductors including Simon Krečič, Živa Ploj Peršuh, Valentin Egel and Paweł Przytocki, and gives solo recitals at festivals across Europe, Asia and the United States. Kamplet has received numerous top international honours. Among his greatest successes are second prize and the audience prize at the prestigious 70th Maria Canals International Music Competition in Barcelona (2025), and second prize at the Hans von Bülow Competition in Meiningen (2023). He took first prize at the Yamaha Competition in Vienna (2020), the Hildegard Maschmann Competition (2019), the Martha Debelli Competition in Graz (2017) and the 4th Euregio Competition in Geilenkirchen (2016). He also finished on the podium at the Stecher & Horowitz Competition in New York (2018) and the 16th Competition for Young Pianists in Ettlingen (2016).

PGV 4th Evening – 16 July 2026

"Central Europe" – Josef Suk Piano Quartet (Prague)

Radim Kresta, violin
Eva Krestová, viola
Aneta Šudáková, cello
Pavel Zemen, piano

The Josef Suk Piano Quartet takes its name from one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century — the grandson of the composer Josef Suk and the great-grandson of Antonín Dvořák. The honour of adopting the name of this leading Czech artist was proposed to the ensemble in 2013 by the Czech Chamber Music Society, with the support of Marie Suk, the violinist's wife. In doing so, the quartet continues the rich tradition of the celebrated Suk Trio. The ensemble was founded in 2007 by violinist Radim Kresta, initially under the name Taras Piano Trio, with which it won first prizes at the Johannes Brahms (2007), Premio Rovere d'Oro (2008) and Val Tidone (2010) competitions. Since 2012 it has performed as a piano quartet. As early as 2013 it won the distinguished international competitions Concorso Salieri-Zinetti in Verona and the ACM Premio Trio di Trieste, and in 2014 it received the award for Czech Chamber Ensemble of the Year. The quartet performs regularly on prestigious stages, including the Prague Spring Festival and the Rudolfinum in Prague, as well as abroad (Slovakia, Austria, Germany, Spain, Italy and Japan). It has recorded acclaimed albums for the Supraphon, Limen Music and Azzurra Music labels, featuring works by Fauré, Brahms, Mahler, Suk and Dvořák. These recordings have received excellent reviews in The Guardian and Gramophone, and the ensemble takes part regularly in live broadcasts for the RAI, ORF and Czech Radio. Its repertoire spans works from Classicism to the present day, with the Romantic chamber repertoire and the music of the 20th and 21st centuries at its core. The quartet regularly gives premieres of works by contemporary composers (M. Müller, J.-L. Darbellay, J. Gemrot) and performs international repertoire (P. Vasks, T. Adès). Its members also appear as soloists with orchestras, play in other chamber formations (piano or string trio), and collaborate with other distinguished artists and institutions, such as the Czech Philharmonic and the National Theatre in Prague.

PGV 5th Evening – 23 July 2026

"Ljubljana – Trieste" – Sontium Ensemble

·         Stefano Furini, first violin, Fondazione Teatro G. Verdi Trieste
Valentino Dentesani, second violin, Fondazione Teatro G. Verdi Trieste
Gea Pantner, viola, RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra
Adriano Melucci, cello, Fondazione Teatro G. Verdi Trieste
Janez Avšič, double bass, RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra
Anamarija Tomac Krečič, flute, RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra
Cristina Monticoli, oboe, RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra
Marco Masini, clarinet, Fondazione Teatro G. Verdi Trieste
Matteo Rivi, bassoon, Fondazione Teatro G. Verdi Trieste
Franci Šuštar, horn, RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra

The ensemble brings together some of the leading musicians — the principal players — of the orchestra of the Verdi Opera in Trieste (Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi di Trieste) and the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra. The ensemble grew out of an initiative by its members, united by a shared desire to create together and to form a group with the symbolic value of connection. It is made up of musicians working in Italy and in Slovenia, and its aim is to highlight the bonds between these neighbouring border regions through a common language — music. It is a musical embodiment of a world without borders, in which people of different nationalities and languages can sing with the same musical accent. As musicians, we have the extraordinary privilege of connecting through music. What historical and social events can destroy may be rebuilt in art, and an ensemble such as this is tangible proof of that. It is a weaving together of notes, friendship and mutual respect.

PGV 6th Evening – 30 July 2026

"Vienna Philharmonic" – A Quartet of Members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Aleksandra Pleterski, flute
Petra Kovačič, violin
Georg Wimmer, viola
Stefan Gartmayer, cello

Aleksandra Pleterski (flute) She began her musical path at the Conservatory of Music and Ballet Ljubljana with Draga Ažman. She continued her studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (Hansgeorg Schmeiser, Walter Auer), graduating with distinction in 2021. She then pursued further training at the Paris Conservatoire (CNSMDP) with Philippe Bernold. She is a prizewinner of the 7th International Competition in Kraków. She has played as principal flute with the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra and, as a substitute, with the Vienna Volksoper. Between 2022 and 2025 she was second flute and piccolo with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, and in 2025 she joined the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and the Vienna Philharmonic.
Petra Kovačič (violin) She began her musical path in Tolmin, continued her schooling at the Conservatory of Music and Ballet Ljubljana, and graduated in Vienna (University of Music and Performing Arts) under Roswitha Randacher, where she also pursued advanced studies in chamber music. After a successful audition, she became a first-violin member of the Vienna State Opera in 2016, and since 2019 she has been a full member of the Vienna Philharmonic, with which she performs in the world's most prestigious halls. A multiple competition prizewinner (TEMSIG, the international competitions in Zagreb and Gorizia), she gave the premiere of Peter Šavli's Violin Concerto. As a chamber musician she performs regularly with the Ljubljana Soloists, the Wiener Streichersolisten and the Neue Wiener Solisten. Since 2022 she has complemented her concert activities with teaching at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, while also studying psychology at The Open University in the UK.
Georg Wimmer (viola) He was born in Lambach, Upper Austria. At the age of six he began learning the violin with Karl Schmidinger at the local music school. In 1995 he began his studies with Prof. Jürgen Geise at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, transferring after two years to Prof. Alfred Staar at the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz. From 2001 he was a full-time student of University Professor Günter Pichler at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, where he graduated in November 2012. He is a multiple first-prize winner at the national "Prima la Musica" competition. He has attended master classes with Ernst Kovacic, Johannes Meissl and Josef Hell. Since the autumn of 2004 he has performed as a substitute with the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and the Vienna Philharmonic. In various seasons between 2006 and 2026 he held several fixed-term contracts in both the stage and main orchestras of the Vienna State Opera. He is also active in chamber music, performing with the soloists of the Salzburg orchestra, the Kontrapunkte ensemble and members of the Vienna Philharmonic (the Vienna Chamber Ensemble, the Theophil Ensemble).
Stefan Gartmayer (cello) Born in Vienna, the cellist has been a member of the Vienna State Opera Orchestra since 2007 and of the Vienna Philharmonic since 2010. His cello teachers were Hedy Feierl, Tobias Kühne, H. C. Schweiker, Christoph Henkel and Mario Brunello. In Vienna he also studied composition with Dietmar Schermann and Dieter Kaufmann. In 1999–2000 he was principal cello of the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra (RSO), and in 2001 of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra (hr). Between 2002 and 2007 he served as associate principal cello with the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig. Alongside his work in the opera and the philharmonic, he was a member of the Vienna Hofmusikkapelle from 2015 to 2023. As a soloist in cello concertos he has performed under conductors including Martin Sieghart, Marin Lichtfuß, F. Perrenoud, Helmut Zehetner and Christian Birnbaum. He has recorded CDs featuring Ignaz Pleyel's Cello Concerto No. 1 (IPG, 2017) and "Concerto Piccolo" (Berlin Classics, 2005), and has taken part in numerous radio and online broadcasts.

PGV 7th Evening – 6 August 2026

"Slavic Soul" – Mak Grgić & Mateusz Kowalski Guitar Duo

Mak Grgić, guitar
Mateusz Kowalski, guitar

When two guitar virtuosos of Slavic roots join forces — the Slovenian Mak Grgić and the Pole Mateusz Kowalski — the result is a distinctive artistic voice that reaches beyond the bounds of the classical guitar duo. Slavic Soul, a project nominated for a GRAMMY® Award in 2026, is a refined chamber undertaking that explores the richness of the Slavic musical tradition through an intimate, expressive and remarkably versatile instrumental medium. The project grows out of cultural narratives, drawing inspiration from Slavic mythology and its deep connection with nature. The forest — a central element of folklore and the home of beings such as the rusalki and the leshy — serves as both a symbolic and an aesthetic framework. This connection is mirrored in the traditional repertoire and in cultural memory, where music and landscape are inseparably bound together. The programme spans more than three centuries and offers a compelling survey of Slavic musical identity. Among its highlights are Fryderyk Chopin's Nocturne in B-flat minor, Op. 9, No. 1, in Jerzy Koenig's arrangement, reimagined through the delicate texture of two guitars, and Antonín Dvořák's Slavonic Dances in an arrangement by the Mirić Duo, where orchestral richness is transformed into a lively chamber dialogue. These works unite lyricism, rhythm and national character, linking the Romantic tradition with a contemporary sensibility.
Mak Grgić — a four-time GRAMMY®Award nominee, described by The New York Times as a "gifted young guitarist" — has performed at leading venues, including Carnegie Hall, the Vienna Musikverein and the Shanghai Grand Theatre. His work ranges from early music to contemporary repertoire, with a strong focus on commissioning and premiering new works.
Mateusz Kowalski — a GRAMMY®Award nominee, praised by Classical Guitar Magazine as an "outstanding" musician — is one of the most prominent guitarists of his generation. He performs on major international concert stages. He also earned recognition with the first-ever live performance of Chopin's Piano Concerto in F minor in an arrangement for guitar and orchestra, at the "Chopin and his Europe" festival in 2023.
Both artists are building active international careers as performers and teachers, collaborating with leading musicians and institutions around the world. Together, Grgić and Kowalski form a duo distinguished by artistic depth, cultural identity and refined musical mastery. Slavic Soul is not merely a concert programme but a complete artistic statement, uniting tradition, mythology and contemporary interpretation in a uniquely captivating musical experience. 

Translation: Bruno Barraq