The highly distinctive Ljubljana Mandolin Orchestra is among a handful of Slovenian ensembles that have devoted their music career to the mandolin. It wasn’t until recently that mandolin has found its rightful place in Slovenia as a significant component of different music genres, from classical to pop music. The Mandolin Orchestra considers it a duty and a pleasure to foster appreciation for this gentle stringed instrument and original mandolin music among the Slovenian audiences. Their repertoire includes numerous works by classical composers, arrangements of folk tunes, folk music, film and pop-rock music, as well as evergreen tunes. In a career spanning thirty-nine years, the Mandolin Orchestra has held a number of successful concerts at home and abroad. Great critical acclaim and most especially the enthusiastic and ever bigger following show that they are taking steps in the right direction.

Manouche is a five-member band formed in late 2011 by Robert Pikl and Marco Grabber. The collective performs electro swing, a blend of electronic dance music and so-called gypsy swing (“manouche jazz” is the French term for gypsy jazz), a style of jazz started in the 1920s and ‘30s. Manouche announced their arrival on the Slovenian music scene by performing at the Viktor Awards Ceremony in March 2012. Their first self-penned songs, most notably Kje si lubi? (Where Are You, Baby?) and Bi šla naprej? (Shall We Keep Going?), rapidly raised the band’s visibility on the Slovenian music scene. Manouche thus gave their second live appearance as the supporting act for the French chansonniere Zaz in Ljubljana’s Križanke Theatre at the invitation of the concert promoter. They went on a short tour of France in October 2014, with an appearance at the Le Grand Soufflet Accordion Festival in Rennes. German record company Lola’s World selected them for its 2016 Electro Swing Revolution compilation, and the following year the band featured on the Electro Swing compilation released on the ZYX Music label, sharing the spotlight with some of the greatest names in the genre. In 2017, the renowned English agency Scarlett Entertainment published an article on Manouche, hailing them as a sensational vintage jazz band whose playful mixture of genres and charismatic stage shows put a smile on any face.

Marcos Fink performs as soloist in opera and concert houses around the world. He is regularly invited by concert and opera organizers, concert houses, conductors, composers and stage managers. He is not restricted to a certain music period. Marcos Fink sets high standards for himself concerning vocal and stage performance and is convinced that an artist has to be in the service of music and theater.

Known for his innovative experimental soundscapes and intricate sample-based production skills, Mark Divjak has been making waves in the industry for over a decade. The Slovenian bass music producer and DJ first gained prominence as one half of the now disbanded dubstep duo DubDiggerz. His output as a DJ and producer breaks musical boundaries, forming a genre-bending compound of grime, footwork, dubstep, jungle, hip-hop and electro. Mark is founder of the renowned dubstep imprint DeepEnd! and new label NO KLAN Recordings, and he also hosts two radio shows on Noods Radio (UK) and Radio Študent (SI), showcasing his talent as a curator and selector.

Intermedia artist Marko Batista is known for his experimental audio-visual performances and installations. He bases his creations on the active use of different technologies and the make-it-yourself principle, with which he creates unique audio systems.

Marko Črnčec alias Marko Churnchetz (1986) graduated in classical piano from the Maribor Music and Ballet Conservatory, Churnchetz majored in classical and jazz piano in 2009 from the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, Austria. It was only a year later that his first two albums in his own right were released on the B.A.S.E. label. He is a prolific composer and recording artists.

In fifteen years of performing solo recitals and sharing the stage in concert with many acknowledged musicians, ensembles, orchestras and conductors, Marko Hatlak successfully built his unique and distinct approach. By using the spoken word on the stage, he is able to more genuinely connect with his audience, thus bringing the musical genres he performs – tango, ethno, baroque and contemporary – closer to the listener.

Slovenian conductor Marko Hribernik was born into a musical family. He embarked on his music career as a pianist and graduated from the Ljubljana Academy of Music under Prof. Aci Bertoncelj. He received the Student Prešeren Prize in recognition of his achievements in the area of piano performance. In parallel with his piano studies, Hribernik also decided to pursue orchestral conducting, studying first at the Ljubljana Academy of Music under Prof. Anton Nanut, and later at the Vienna University of Music in the class of Prof. Uroš Lajovic, where he graduated with distinction in 2004. He collaborates with all Slovenian orchestras and both national opera theatres. As a conductor, Hribernik takes part in different music festivals at home and abroad. He is assistant professor at the Ljubljana Academy of Music and has conducted numerous productions at the Slovenian National Theatre Opera and Ballet Ljubljana (J. Golob, Love Capital; M. Lazar, The Tenth Daughter; Mozart, The Marriage of Figaro; Evergreen; A Man with a Knife/Composition…).

In the 2018/19 season Slovenian conductor Marko Letonja was appointed the principal conductor and music director of the Bremen Philharmonic Orchestra. A conductor renowned for his high-profile international tours, Marko Letonja has been music director of the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra since 2012. He is also artistic director and principal conductor of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra based in Hobart, Australia, and the Basel Symphony Orchestra.

Flutist Marko Zupan enjoys a diverse international career as a soloist, chamber artist, orchestral player, improviser, teacher and arranger.