Slowind History

FIRST A TRIO

In 1987, Aleš and Jurij established a trio with the bassoonist Zoran Mitev. "We originally called ourselves
the Vincent Genaud Wind Trio." First concert? They say that they came together because of the National Musicians Competition of Yugoslavia (1987), where they won first prize. In fact, one year earlier they had each received prizes at the same competition as soloists, and as a competition was announced for the following year for chamber ensembles they did not want to miss the opportunity.

"That is how we began our common life together, which, due to various circumstances, meant more or less intensive cooperation. At that time, I myself went to study in France for one year, Aleš went toEngland and Zoran was in Graz for some time... We set to work again more seriously two years ago[1992], primarily when the project of appearing at Musicora came about. (Jenko)"
(Tanja Lesničar-Pučko: Slowind as a Wind Movement, DNEVNIK, 16.04.1994)

The Paris fair Musicora is an annual meeting of those who live for and from music - a genuine small city of musicians, instrument makers, music publishers and institutions. Radio Slovenia also participated in this mass of music information, both with a presentation of Slovene music in connection with the European Broadcasting Union and with its own programme. The trio also recorded a CD for this occasion, which included the premiere performance of the Wind Trio by Božidar Kantušer.

"The most effective presence of Slovene performers was at a concert by the wind trio Slowind on 25 March in the European Hall of the exhibition space... [which] revealed rich expressivity and musicality... while at the same time being a promotion of their first CD."
(Brina Švigelj Mérat: Concert of the Slowind Wind Trio at Musicora, DELO, 29.03.1994)

In August of the same year, the trio travelled to the International Summer Festival in Dubrovnik, where "Slovenes Enthused". [newspaper headline of a review by Ileana Grazio, VJESNIK, 05.08.1994]

"The midnight concert of the trio Slowind confirmed that simplicity is the true path to perfection... In perfect sonic assimilation, with identical conception and a noble tone the artists presented works by J.S. Bach, J. Haydn, L.M. Škerjanc, H.E. Apostel, S. Osterc and R. Maros. The captivated listeners who had gathered in the atrium of the Sponza Palace warmly applauded the Slovene musicians."
(Ileana Grazio: Slovenes Enthused, VJESNIK, 05.08.1994)

Somewhere very nearby the idea of a quintet was maturing: "... according to our plans the trio should expand into a kind of wind movement. By autumn [1994] we will transform into a quintet, and we also plan the performance of certain things on a larger scale, things that have actually been done in Slovenia but that we would like to undertake more systematically." (Jenko) "If we manage to include a string section, perhaps a string quartet, and some other instruments, we will have a new ensemble that will be able to perform a lot of works of the 20th century. (Kacjan)" (Tanja Lesničar-Pučko: Slowind as a Wind Movement, DNEVNIK, 16.04.1994)

AND FINALLY A QUINTET

It was high time for Matej to return home. "... I could have done similar things abroad, but you feel better doing something like this in your own environment." And a horn player? "Yeah, that young guy who has come to the Philharmonic. The one with curly hair and glasses." (The Hot Lips of Classical Music, MLADINA, 09.10.2000)
A year later Paolo also joined them.

The idea of a wind quintet surprised a lot of people, as the repertoire for that ensemble is not exactly superabundant, but of course this did not stop them. "If the repertoire does not exist it will be written." At the time when the quintet was taking its first steps the Slovenian Philharmonic was led by Mr Boris Šinigoj, who had been organising concerts of chamber music throughout Slovenia, two of which took place on the stage of the Great Hall of the Slovenian Philharmonic.

"A Sunday afternoon concert in the hall of the Slovenian Philharmonic was not exactly an everyday event. Those listeners who failed to hear about it can certainly regret the fact that they missed it. It would be too much to expect that the bristling and artistically devilishly measured temperature of the event, experienced by a hall that was not even full, will occur many times again in the future, if at all. It is true that the event had not been very boldly publicised, although it is not often that at one concert on a Ljubljana stage three new ensembles are presented - and what ensembles! It was not their first public performance, but after a year of preparation and a number of concerts the project was finally ready for the Philharmonic Hall, a space that still demands the veneration of Slovene musicians."
(Peter Kušar: Three Excellent New Ensembles, DNEVNIK, 25.05.1995)

The concerts of the Chamber Cycle and appearances throughout Slovenia were followed by a CD of chamber ensembles, on which the quintet is represented by a performance of Samuel Barber's Summer Music for Wind Quintet, Op. 31, as well as an appearance at the Opatija Music Tribune (Croatia).

THAT IS HOW IT ALL STARTED...
IN AUTUMN 1995.