On Saturday 4th August 2012 Maribor International Orchestra 2012 (MIO2012) successfully completed the summer international tour (Italy, Great Britain, and Spain) and both, the Branimir Slokar Academy and the Orchestra Academy that were representing the European Capital of Culture Maribor 2012.
350 musicians from 36 countries participated in the project from 12th July to 4th August. Both academies provided an excellent education for orchestra musicians and future soloists with the most sought after pedagogues and world class musicians like Latica Honda-Rosenberg – violin, Martin Ostertag – cello, Božo Paradžik – double bass, Felix Renggli – flute, Emanuel Abbühl – oboe, François Benda – clarinet, Gustavo Nuñez – bassoon, Radovan Vlatković – french horn, Hans Gansch – trumpet, Branimir Slokar – trombone, Raymond Curfs – timpani, Peter Sadlo – percussion, Gregory Ahss – violin / concertmaster, Klaus Arp – conducting. In addition, the most outstanding soloists from Slovenia were collaborating as tutors to the orchestra.
In 2012 Maribor International Orchestra 2012 (75 musicians) and the two conductors, Klaus Arp (DE), Živa Ploj Peršuh (SI), studied two symphonic programmes and presented them at concerts in Slovenia (Maribor, Ljubljana) and on tour abroad (Cividale del Friuli – Italy (Mittelfest, Piazza Duomo), London – Great Britain (at the time of the Olympics Games, St John Smith Square) and Salceda de Caselas – Spain (Music festival, Auditorio municipal). The chosen composers this year were Brahms, Haydn, Tchaikovsky, Rota, Stravinsky, Dvorak and two of the most famous Slovene composers Uroš Krek and Lojze Lebič. Both Slovene compositions were played successfully and gained immense recognition. As the EU (EACEA – The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency) is supporting the Academy, we agreed that the program is to introduce the European idea, the idea of unity and diversity. The star and soloist of this year was the internationally renowned trombonist Branimir Slokar. He has been involved in the project from the beginning and has also participated as an active professor of the master class for trombone.
All participants of the master classes crowned their work with a final concert. The successful participants of the courses of conducting and concertmaster performed at a concert with Maribor International Orchestra 2012. Altogether 22 concerts took place within the European Capital of Culture – Maribor 2012 and the Festival Ljubljana. The participants of the Orchestra Academy 2012 have had an honorable cultural mission – to present the European Capital of Culture – Maribor 2012 also abroad. Therefore, the young musicians from around the world gave concerts in Cividale del Friuli (Mittelfest), London (at the time of the Olympics Games) and Salceda de Caselas in Spain (music festival).
