From its very inception, the Youngmasters concept has been built around two core models: the Summer School and Masterclasses. The Summer School is primarily tailored for primary and secondary music school students who wish to spend their summer honing their playing skills, exploring new repertoire, and experiencing the dynamics of playing in ensembles or small chamber groups. The Masterclass, on the other hand, is designed for advanced students performing at a competitive level, as well as for university students and professional musicians.
As is tradition, Youngmasters kicks off with the Violin Summer School led by Professor Nenad Merle. Professor Merle has been with us for a full decade, and his teaching framework includes eight individual lessons, piano accompaniment rehearsals, and a final concert performance.
Simultaneously, young cellists will have the opportunity to attend a masterclass with Professor Gal Faganel.
A few days later, the guitar segment begins, opening with the Guitar Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Vladimir Šimunov. This beloved guitar pedagogue returns to us after eight years—this time not only to conduct the orchestra but also to teach at the Guitar Summer School.
We are particularly proud that for several years now, the guitar masterclass has been led by Lovro Peretić. A world-renowned virtuoso, Lovro had already won the world’s most prestigious guitar competitions by the age of 28. Thanks to his artistic personality and clear, approachable teaching style, he is a firm favorite among young guitarists.
In terms of genre and concept, the Musical Theatre workshop and masterclass truly stands out among our educational offerings. It is led by Renata Sabljak, an academic actress, celebrated singer, and the leading lady of Croatian musical theatre. The masterclass and workshop are made possible through the dedicated efforts of her expert associates: Sofija Cingula (professor of opera singing), maestro Stjepan Vuger, and Martina Vizek (pilates instructor).
It is almost impossible to imagine Youngmasters without Marko Zupan’s flute and Marco Graziani’s violin, highly valued both for their exceptional teaching skills and their brilliant concert performances.
Mihael Paar—a clarinet virtuoso, outstanding chamber musician, and pedagogue holding the highest professional rank of expert advisor (izvrsni savjetnik)—has been a staple at Youngmasters since 2014. Joining him during the same period is Ivana Črnjak, also an expert advisor, who will be leading the Accordion Summer School for the third time.
Interest in the saxophone seminar remains as high as ever this year. Our established instructor, Prof. Lovro Merčep, will be joined by an equally elite artist from Slovenia, Jan Gričar, a professor at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana.
We are immensely thrilled to welcome back the celebrated pianist Aljoša Jurinić. His masterclass gathers young pianists from Croatia and abroad who are already achieving top results in piano competitions and building successful professional careers. At the same time, Carmen Stepić—a creative piano pedagogue from the Ferdo Livadić Music School—will share her expertise with piano students who are just starting out on their musical and pianistic journey.
The diversity of Youngmasters lies not only in the choice of instruments but also in the supplementary professional, artistic, and educational content offered to participants and their teachers. Expert lectures have become an integral part of Youngmasters, while forums and debates allow our faculty and students to share experiences and discuss current topics in music and education.
Quisando is a fun music pub quiz that holds an irresistible appeal for our participants, teachers, and the general public alike. Its sophisticated questions and hidden answers are masterfully crafted by their creator, Aljoša Jurinić.
Concert performances by participants, faculty, and guests are a time-honored tradition of the International Summer School for Young Musicians. For music students, Youngmasters offers a unique opportunity to discover new, acoustically inspiring performance spaces and gain invaluable concert experience.
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