After a long time, a concert by a jazz orchestra awaits us on the Big Stage of the Madlenianum, this time it is the Big Band of the Music Academy of the University of Ljubljana, led by conductor Matej Hotko
Guests from Slovenia will perform on the occasion of the great Slovenian holiday of Prešerna Day on February 7 at 7:30 p.m. For the concert called From swing to the rhythms of Latin America, this orchestra and their mentor conductor Hotko decided to show all the musicianship of this very popular and award-winning band.
The Big Band of the Music Academy of the University of Ljubljana, known as the Big Band ULAG, is the leading student actor of the Slovenian jazz scene and today is considered one of the best student big bands in the world. It was founded in the academic year 2011/2012 as part of an elective course and under the mentorship of a renowned bass player, producer and founder of the music school B.A.S.E, assistant professor. Mateja Hotka and quickly gained an outstanding reputation.
In addition to performing at prestigious locations such as Prešernov Square, the Slovenian Philharmonic and the Gallus Hall of CD Ljubljana, Big Band ULAG has proven its excellence on tours throughout Europe, including Serbia, Macedonia, Austria, Croatia and Germany. A series of videos was also made for the YouTube channel Zevnikov, which last year became one of the 29 best music channels of orchestral and jazz music in the world. The channel is in the prestigious company of the London Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Orchestra and the Danish Orchestra.
The Academy of Music in Ljubljana offers not just one, but two big bands. In addition to the concert big band, which has already gained an international reputation, the Music Academy offers another big band, which represents a platform for young jazz musicians, where they can grow, develop their skills and learn the rules of playing in such a magnificent ensemble. The Second Big Band is an essential part of the educational process at the Academy of Music, as it offers students valuable experience and prepares the ground for a possible future in a concert big band or other professional jazz ensembles.
Matej Hotko, diplomac prestižne Manhattan School of Music u Njujorku, jedan je od najcenjenijih džez kontrabasista i mentora u Sloveniji. Poznat po svojoj strasti za pedagogijom, razvio je inovativnu pedagošku metodu O.G.I, koja podstiče individualni pristup i kreativnost kod učenika. Kao direktor Muzičke škole B.A.S.E. i šef odseka za džez na Muzičkoj akademiji Univerziteta u Ljubljani, postavio je nove standarde u muzičkom obrazovanju. Njegov rad kao dirigenta akademskog big benda otvorio je studentima vrata vrednim međunarodnim iskustvima. Matej Hotko, dobitnik Nagrade za značajna umetnička dela Univerziteta u Ljubljani, ključni je akter u oblikovanju savremene muzičke scene u Sloveniji i inostranstvu.
The concert of the Big Band of the Music Academy of the University of Ljubljana offers a wonderful series of jazz works that promise an unforgettable musical experience. The pieces they play are carefully selected to showcase different aspects of the jazz tradition ― from classic swing tunes to more modern rhythmic experiments and influences from other musical cultures. The choice of music reflects both technical perfection and deep emotional expressiveness, which is the key to any successful jazz concert. Certainly, this is a concert where experienced big band musicians will prove themselves perfectly, and the audience will be able to enjoy the masterful interweaving of rhythms, melodies and harmonies.