Acoustic Project Strings to Open Concerts in Euphrasiana

Experience the enchanting world of classical music amidst the majestic Euphrasian Basilica at the Concerts in Euphrasiana (Koncerti u Eufrazijani), organized by the Public Open University of Poreč. Croatia’s one of the oldest classical music festivals returns for its 62nd edition from July to September, offering eight outstanding concerts every Friday at 9 PM.

The opening concert on Friday, July 14th, features the eleven-member ensemble, Acoustic Project Strings. Formed in 2016, the ensemble emerged from the esteemed Acoustic Project, active since 2008. Their unique concept involves experimenting with various styles and musical epochs, bringing forth entirely new compositions. In 2021, the ensemble released their second album, which earned them the prestigious Porin award the following year. In Poreč, they will perform works by B. Papandopulo, P. Hindemith, E. Elgar, and B. Britten.

The next Friday, July 21st, the Zagreb Chamber Orchestra takes the stage with the exceptional guest, harmonica soloist Kiara Janko. Continuing the tradition initiated by Rudolf Matz in 1937, the Zagreb Chamber Orchestra was reassembled in 2004, featuring fifteen young and highly skilled string musicians from the Music Academy in Zagreb. Together with the orchestra’s solo performances, including violinists Petromila Marica Jakas, Lara Rimac, and Noami Konforta, and the acclaimed young Istrian harmonica virtuoso with numerous awards, Kiara Janko, they will shine in renditions of works by W. A. Mozart, A. Piazzolla, A. Vivaldi, L. van Beethoven, J. Brahms, and E. Grieg.

On Friday, July 28th, the 62nd Concerts in Euphrasiana bring the Dubrovnik-based viola-piano duo, Marko Genero, and Marija Grazio. These musicians, with their rich careers and numerous accolades, will delight the audience with performances of M. Grazio’s sonata, as well as works by F. Schubert, B. Papandopulo, and A. Part.

August will witness the return of a musician who captivated the audience at last year’s concerts. On Friday, August 4th, Håkon Austbø, the Norwegian pianist with a successful fifty-year career, renowned for a wide spectrum of tonal colors, will take the Euphrasian Basilica’s stage. In a manner reminiscent of last year’s impressionistic performance, Austbø will once again lead the audience into a surreal world with C. Debussy’s preludes, this time from the second book. The program will also include two Patetique Sonatas – one by L. van Beethoven and another by the contemporary Norwegian composer K. Egge.

The Cadenza Zagreb string quartet, consisting of violinists Krešimir Marmilić and Ivan Zovko, violist Marta Bergovec Mirosavljević, and cellist Vinko Grubešić, has been active since 1995. For the Concerts in Euphrasiana program on August 18th, they have prepared compositions by F. Blumenfeld, W. A. Mozart, F. Lhotka, A. Borodin, and H. Villa-Lobos.

The Rhapsody Guitar, a summer guitar school led by guitar professor and lecturer Xhevdet Sahatxhija, adds excitement to the Concerts in Euphrasiana program each year. Sahatxhija has nurtured numerous generations of young guitarists, many of whom have become recognized artists and music educators today. This year’s Rhapsody Guitar event is scheduled for August 25th, promising to once again fill the Basilica with the joy, pride, and support for young guitarists.

September’s program will feature an engaging saxophone quartet, Papandopulo Quartet. Comprising excellent and multi-award-winning musicians, whose debut album in 2013 won the Porin award for best composition and became the best-selling classical music album in Croatia for years. On September 8th, Nikola Fabijanić on soprano saxophone, Gordan Tudor on alto saxophone, Goran Jurković on tenor saxophone, and Tomislav Žužak on baritone saxophone will perform works by J. S. Bach, G. Tudor, D. Detoni, and G. Gershwin.

The final evening of the Concerts in Euphrasiana season, named Gala Evening, will take place on September 15th, featuring violinist Val Bakrač, violist Lucija Benadić, cellist Neva Begović, and pianist Terezija Cukrov, who will also play the fortepiano, a historical instrument and precursor to the modern piano. This concert is the result of a long-standing collaboration among musicians that gained new dimension in the online concert series “Music Can Change the World.” These exceptional musicians will perform piano quartets by W. A. Mozart and J. Brahms.

The audience is invited to enrich their summer with an extraordinary experience, immersing themselves in classical music performed by exceptional musicians within the captivating ambiance of the UNESCO-protected Euphrasian Basilica, a symbol of Poreč.

Tickets

Tickets for the concerts are available through the online reservation system at rezervacije-poup.hr, at the box office of the Public Open University of Poreč on weekdays from 7 AM to 2 PM, with prior call to +385 52 887 218, and at the entrance of the Euphrasian Basilica one hour before each concert.