RTV Slovenia Big Band

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Big Band RTV Slovenija

Radio Slovenia, Tavčarjeva 17, SI-1550 Ljubljana

http://www.rtvslo.si/bigband

Big.Band@rtvslo.si

Phone386 (0) 1 475 2111

Managed byRadio Slovenia

Events abroad

Past Events

• 23 Jan 2013

  Croatia Zagreb Studio Zvonimir Bajsić

  
  programme

  
  

  
  

  Tadej Tomšič (RTV Slovenia Big Band) conducting the HRT Jazz Orchestra

  
  

  
  

  
  

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Established in 1945, RTV Slovenia Big Band is one of the oldest orchestras of its kind worldwide. The professionalism of the orchestra is high and the level of orchestral jazz production remarkable. Among the qualities of Big Band are its diversity and ability to fulfil the needs of various radio and television programmes. In addition to its dedication to jazz music, the orchestra has excelled in musical genres as diverse as film, dance, popular and classical music. Today the average age of its members is just over 30, and most of its musicians have studied at various jazz academies abroad.

The establishment of the orchestra and its early successes can be largely be attributed to Bojan Adamič (1912-1995), a conductor and composer who led his own orchestra during World War II. Immediately after the war he reassembled the band and organised its first public appearance at the reopening of Postojna Cave in June 1945. As early as Autumn 1945 the orchestra was officially taken under the auspices of Radio Ljubljana as the Radio Ljubljana Dance Orchestra. During the years of socialism, Adamič subtly enriched his music with jazz elements, remaining the orchestra's conductor until the early 1960s. The most prominent soloists of that period were Ati Soss, Dušan Veble, Mojmir Sepe, Zoran Komac, Albert Podgornik, Franci Puhar and producers Dušan Hren and Jože Kampič.

From 1961 the Band was conducted by piano and vibraphone player Jože Privšek (1937-1998), a composer and arranger of excellence. During this period the Band dominated the music scene within the former Yugoslavia, gaining high recognition abroad (including the prize of the German Deutsche Phono Akademie in 1978 for best record). Leading soloists included Petar Ugrin, Andrej Arnol, Tone Janša, Silvester Stingl, Ratko Divjak, Ladislav Rebrek, Milan Ferlež, Pavel Gračič (as the first trumpet player), Lojze Krajnčan, Emil Spruk and Milko Lazar. In 1992 the orchestra was taken over by Lojze Krajnčan, together with Petar Ugrin, Milko Lazar, Emil Spruk, Tomaž Grintal and some others. Since 2002 Hugo Šekoranja been Artistic Director and Manager. The Band's current soloists include Primož Gračič, Tadej Tomšič, Dominik Krajnčan,David Jarh, Blaž Jurjevčič, Miro Kadoić, Matjaž Mikuletič, Milko Lazar, Aleš Avbelj, Ratko Divjak, Aleš Suša and Blaž Trček.

The Band has frequently hosted leading musicians from abroad, including some of the biggest jazz conductors (Peter Herbolzheimer, Mercer Ellington, Maria Schneider, Jerry van Rooyen, Carla Bley, Herb Pomeroy, Mathias Raegg, Miljenko Prohaska, David Murray, George Lewis, Bill Holman, Michael Abene, Bob Mintzer) and soloists (Clark Terry, Stjepko Gut, Johnny Griffin, Ack van Rooyen, Toots Thielemens, N H Pedersen, Jiggs Whigham, Albert Mangelsdorf, Bobby Shew, Mario Gonzi, Duško Gojkovć, Bosko Petrović, John Riley). Since 1997 first trumpet has been played by one of the best European 'screamers', Andy Pesendorfer.

RTV Slovenia Big Band is based at Radio Slovenia and holds many recordings and concerts in Studio 14 (Radio Slovenija).

External links

• TV Slovenia Big Band website (in English and Slovenian)