Harmony of the Spheres XXI

Dear Friends of the National Gallery of Slovenia and the Slovenian Philharmonic String Chamber Orchestra,

It is with great pleasure – and more than a little gratitude – that we present to you our twenty-first season, one in which we look ahead by looking backwards: this season we begin the first of a two-part series of concerts titled “Dialogues with the Past.” Scrutiny of the past can teach us how to understand the present and give us the wisdom to shape our future. The pieces we will present offer multiple perspectives on how composers have viewed their own pasts, as well as on how we reinterpret them through the coloured lens of our own times. 

To inaugurate the new season and to begin our Dialogues with the Past, we travel back to the 17th century in a 20th century time machine with Respighi’s delightful Ancient Airs and Dances Suite No. 3, a charming reinterpretation of 17th century pieces for lute. Works by familiar names such as Haydn, Grieg, Tchaikovsky, Schubert, Bartók, Janáček and Vivaldi will join those by less well-known composers such as Vieuxtemps, Diamond, Avison and Locatelli. We will not be spending all of our time in the past, however: we are excited to present two new commissions from Slovenian composers Andrej Makor and Urška Pompe, along with music by prominent Slovenian composers Srebotnjak and Mihelčič, and two new works by talented students from the Ljubljana Academy of Music. 

Our fine soloists include the exceptional young cellist Izak Hudnik, prize-winning flutist Eva-Nina Kozmus and the outstanding violinist Nadežda Tokarova. We neatly connect our past with our future with the beloved Bach Double Violin Concerto featuring our former leader Janez Podlesek together with our current one, Ana Dolžan. We are thrilled violinist Kana Matsui, concertmaster of the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra, will lead one programme, while our final programme of the season shines the spotlight on the talented members of our orchestra. 

The lecturers will present visual parallels to the keynote pieces in the programmes or to the subject matter of particular concerts. Andrej Smrekar will talk about Picasso’s paraphrase of Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez; Nataša Ciber will present the ideas of the Enlightenment as reflected in Franc Kavčič / Caucig's work; Alenka Simončič has chosen the theme of transience in Greek mythology; Mateja Breščak will explore the images of the circle of life; Kristina Preininger will present the village life in Pieter Brueghel the Elder's work, and Sara Müller will draw a parallel with Arcangelo Corelli looking at the oeuvre of Giambattista Tiepolo. We hope that our conversations with the past and present will provide hope and inspiration for your future.

Barbara Jaki, Director, National Gallery of Slovenia
Steven Loy, Artistic Director, Slovenian Philharmonic String Chamber Orchestra

The number of seats is limited to 40 for the duration of the pandemic regulations.

Subscription price for the 2021−2022 season:: 75 EUR
Single ticket:

Friends of the National Gallery of Slovenia: 50 EUR
Single ticket: 15 EUR

Subscription or single tickets available at the front desk of the National Gallery of Slovenia, Prešernova 24, Ljubljana, 10 am–6 pm, Thursdays through 8 pm, or one hour before the event; closed Mondays.

Concert and lectures dates

Each time the event begins with a lecture at 7.30pm and continues with a concert.

Programska knjižica

5. October 2021 – 7. June 2022
Narodna galerija
Prešernova 24
1000 Ljubljana