The festival will highlight the works of Ilja Zeljenka . (source: SME)
ON SUNDAY, November 11 the Nová slovenská hudba / New Slovak Music festival, celebrating new classical music by Slovak composers, started in Bratislava. The 26th year of this biennial event continues until November 16, offering more than 50 works by contemporary classical composers.
“This marathon of contemporary music is not just a show of the works of modern composers of all generations, but also a show of current Slovak symphonic and chambers ensembles, choirs, groupings and individual musicians,” Martina Tolstová of the Slovak Philharmonic said, as quoted by the SITA newswire.
The week-long event opens with a Sunday concert in the Jesuit Church and a concert for children on Sunday morning, and presents more than 50 compositions – including 19 world premieres and 6 Slovak premieres – across 12 concerts. Composers whose music will be presented include Ivan Hrušovský, Ilja Zeljenka, Jozef Sixta, Juraj Beneš, Zdenko Mikula, Milan Novák, Pavol Šimai, Roman Berger, Miro Bázlik, Pavol Bagin, Juraj Tandler, Ladislav Kupkovič, Milan Dubovský, Juraj Hatrík, Jozef Podprocký, Igor Dibák, Pavol Krška, Jevgenij Iršai, Viera Janárčeková, Iris Szeghy, Vladimír Godár, Norbert Bodnár, Peter Breiner, Pavol Malovec, Egon Krák, Peter Machajdík, Mirko Krajči, Juraj Jartim, Juraj Vajó, Anton Steinecker, Boško Milakovič, Ľubica Malachovská Čekovská, Petra Oliveira-Bachratá, Marián Lejava, Alexander Döme, Viliam Gräffinger, Lenka Novosedlíková, and others. The festival will specifically commemorate the life and work of Ilja Zeljenka, who died in 2007. This year marks the 80th anniversary of his birth.
There is also a wide range of performers, from the Slovak Philharmonic and Symphonic Orchestra of Slovak Radio, through the Technik and Lúčnica choirs, to smaller ensembles like the Slovak Chamber Orchestra of Bohdan Warchal, the Mucha Quartet, the Moyzes Quartet, Cellomania (comprising four cellists), the Quasars Ensemble, and soloists.
Tickets for the concerts, most of which take place in the Slovak Radio building, can be bought at the door one hour before each performance begins; tickets for concerts taking place in the Reduta (on November 13 and 16) can be purchased from the Slovak Philharmonic’s ticket office. Most of the concerts will be recorded and broadcast by Slovak Radio, the Slovak Philharmonic announced in a media release. The full programme (in Slovak) can be found at www.composer.sk.
