AMAEL TRIO (Slovenia)

Volodja Balžalorsky, violin
Damir Hamidullin, cello
Zoltan Peter, piano

Lucijan Marija Škerjanc (1900–1973), Maestoso Lugubre
Bedřich Smetana (1824–1884), Trio in G minor, op. 15
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827), Trio No. 7 in B Major, Op. 97 “Archduke”

The concert pays tribute to the 200th anniversary of Bedřich Smetana’s birth and honors the memory of brothers Primož and Tomaž Lorenz. Both have significantly influenced our institution and the violinists of the Amael Trio and programme director of the Spectrum festival, Volodja Balžalorsky. Volodja honed his chamber music skills under Tomaž’s guidance and later became a professional colleague of Primož at the Ljubljana Academy of Music.

The Lorenz family is known for their profound contributions to the Slovenian music scene. In the 1960s, Trio Lorenz revolutionized chamber music performance in Slovenia and gained a cult following at home. As cultural ambassadors of Slovenian music, they enthralled audiences around the world. However, their artistic journey was tragically cut short by death.

Primož Lorenz (1942-2007), hailed as the “father” of the revival of Ljubljana’s Old Town, was a visionary artist who sowed the seeds of cultural events that now flourish in our historic city centre. His passion for his hometown led to the creation of Imago Sloveniae, an institution which has since blossomed into a network of cultural heritage sites spanning twenty-five municipalities. He was a pianist, educator, and exceptional chamber musician, who co-created numerous concert events and founded the festivals Summer in Old Ljubljana and Nights in Old Ljubljana.

Virtuoso violinist Professor Tomaž Lorenz (1944-2016) started his series of musical competitive victories at the prestigious Young Yugoslav Artists competition in Zagreb in 1967, and followed it up with several awards, including three Prešeren Fund Awards, the Society of Slovene Composers Awards, and the Škerjanec Diploma. He performed with several prominent domestic and foreign chamber ensembles and founded the Leon Pfeiffer Competition for young violinists. He was a distinguished professor at the Ljubljana Academy of Music and the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet, who mentored many outstanding young chamber ensembles, including the Trio Rêverie, whose performance will honour the brothers’ memory and celebrate the lives of these exceptional men through the beauty of music.

AMAEL TRIO

“The Amael Trio’s performance represents the pinnacle of musical communication. These three outstanding musicians, masters of their instruments, blend their artistry into a supreme musical experience.”
—Vjesnik, Zagreb

The Amael Piano Trio has been performing together since September 2000. Over twenty-three years of touring Europe and the USA, the trio has joined the ranks of the world’s most esteemed chamber ensembles. Their international acclaim is evidenced by their highly successful performances at major international festivals such as Forfest Kromeriž, Spectrum Festival Munich, Mask Fest in San Marino, Grieg in Bergen Festival, Nuovi Spazi Musicali Festival in Rome, Musicale delle Nazioni Festival in Rome, Tallinn Festival, Foyer European in Luxembourg, Tehran Festival, Ost-west Music Festival in Austria, and the 52nd ESTA Conference-Festival in Porto 2024, to name but a few. They performed on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, including Carnegie Hall in New York and The Forge cultural center in London. The ensemble’s pinclusion of contemporary Slovenian music significantly contributes to its international recognition.

Refined violinist Volodja Balžalorsky is widely reputed for his refined technique, rich tone, and exquisite musicality. He has proven his excellence time and again through numerous concerts and recordings for various radio and TV stations in Europe and the USA. The numerous international awards he has won include the Independent Music Award, Independent Vox Pop Music Award, Hollywood Music in Media Award 2009, Ontario Independent Music Award for Best International Artist 2007. He is also a recipient of the Betteto Award and Special Prize for Best Interpretation from the organizing music committee of the international competition in Tenerife, Canary Islands. Volodja was also nominated for the Los Angeles Music Award 2007 in the Classical category. As part of the international concert series “A Universal Affair”, he performed at Carnegie Hall in New York twice.

Damir Hamidullin, the principal cellist of the SNG Opera and Ballet in Ljubljana, refined his technique and expression under the guidance of world-renowned cellists such as Mstislav Rostropovich, Daniil Shafran, Alexander Vlasov, and Galina Kozolupova. During his studies in 1981, he won second prize at the All-Russian Cello Competition and a special prize for the best performance of Shostakovich’s sonata. In Moscow, at the Gnesin Academy of Music, he served as an assistant to the renowned cellist Fedor Luzanov during his master’s studies. He continued his teaching career at the Academy of Music in Kazan while serving as the principal cellist of the Kazan Philharmonic. As a soloist, he has performed all the well-known cello concertos (Dvořák, Saint-Saëns, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Haydn). He actively collaborates with contemporary composers from Russia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Italy, and the USA.

Zoltan Peter, pianist, has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and accompanist to leading musicians of various generations in Slovenia, abroad, and all the major music centers of the former Yugoslavia. He has also toured in Italy, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, Macedonia, the former Soviet Union, Germany, and Switzerland. He has performed under the baton of renowned conductors such as Igor Gjadrov, Simon Robinson, Berislav Skenderović, Hermann Ostendarp, Guido Mancuzzi, Paul Hoskins, George Pehlivanian, and En Shao. He regularly records for RTV Slovenia, RTV Belgrade, RTV Novi Sad, and HRT and has released eleven CDs of solo and chamber music. As a top chamber musician and accompanist with an extensive repertoire, he frequently participates in international masterclasses and competitions. Zoltan is also the author of the book “Accompanying – Punishment or Creativity?”, published by Didakta in 2015. He teaches piano as the main subject at the elementary, secondary, and university levels.