Slovak Chamber Orchestra
Concert

Founded in the fall of 1960 at the Slovak Philharmonic, the orchestra owes its creation to the brilliant Silesian violinist B. Warchal (1930–2000). Since its inception, it has been one of the most popular ensembles on the Slovak classical music scene. Since 2001, it has been led by violinist E. Danel. In addition to its regular concerts at the Slovak Philharmonic and performances at national and international festivals, the orchestra also undertakes special concert projects. It has introduced the Slovak public to numerous works by internationally renowned composers that had never been performed before. It actively contributes to the promotion of Slovak musical creativity, having premiered more than seventy compositions since 2001.

Through special concerts, the orchestra regularly commemorates the significant anniversaries of renowned composers and musical figures, as well as the essential contribution of its founder to the Slovak music scene during the annual “Tribute to Bohdal Warchal” gala. As part of the “Music in Churches” concert series, it supports the work of professional and amateur choirs through long-standing artistic collaboration. Among its other notable activities, it is worth mentioning that, for several years now, the orchestra has carried on the nearly two-century-old Bratislava tradition of performing J. Haydn’s The Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross at St. Martin’s Cathedral on Palm Sunday; it also continues to regularly present “Concerts Without Barriers” for people with disabilities.

At the start of its 65th anniversary season (2025/2026), the orchestra will perform at the Olomouc Autumn Festival of Sacred Music. In the Czech Republic, it will also give two concerts in the hometowns of its artistic directors: its founder, B. Warchal (Orlová), and its current director, E. Danel (Horní Suchá). As is tradition, the SKO will participate in the cultural programs of several Slovak cities (Lučenec, Prešov, Humenné, Michalovce, and Piešťany). During its international tours, the orchestra will travel to Greece to participate in the Thessaloniki Concert Hall International Chamber Music Festival, and to France to perform at the Festival des Forêts and the Flâneries Musicales in Reims. This season, the orchestra will be accompanied by leading soloists—violinists Ionian Ilias Kadesha, Dalibor Karvay, and Ivan Ženatý; pianist Igor Ardašev; clarinetists Igor Františák and Gábor Varga; oboist Matúš Veľas; and leading members of the chamber orchestra, Pavel Bogacz and Andrej Gál, will also serve as soloists.

source: filharmonia.sk

He studied violin and orchestral conducting at the Ostrava Conservatory and the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava. He trained in orchestral conducting under K. Österreicher, in choral conducting under J. Wierszyłowski, and pursued doctoral studies under the supervision of B. Warchal. After completing his studies, he served as concertmaster of the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Slovak National Theater Orchestra. Since 1985, he has been concertmaster of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, and since 2001, artistic director of the Slovak Chamber Orchestra.

As a soloist and conductor, he has performed on stages across Europe and around the world (Japan, South Korea, Egypt, Panama, Brazil, and the United States). He regularly collaborates with the São Paulo Municipal Symphony Orchestra, the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra, the Akita Chamber Orchestra, and the Harmonia Chamber Orchestra of Tokyo. He has also performed with prestigious orchestras such as the Klang Verwaltung München, the Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa, the Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra, the Osaka Symphony Orchestra, the Sakata Philharmonic Orchestra, the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, the Málaga Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra of Ostrava. From 2008 to 2014, he served as principal guest conductor of the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra.

In addition to his work as a conductor and soloist, the artist has extensive experience in chamber music: first violin of the Slovak Quartet since 1986, co-founder of the Slovak Piano Trio and the Kubín Quartet (viola), a member of the Musica aeterna ensemble for several years, and artistic director of the Cappella Istropolitana orchestra from 1992 to 1996. He participates in various projects with chamber music ensembles, both in Slovakia and abroad. He received the Sebastian Prize for his outstanding contribution to the legacy of J.S. Bach’s work.

He taught at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava and was a visiting professor at Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music in Nagoya, Japan. He currently teaches at the Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica.

As artistic director of the Slovak Chamber Orchestra, he has initiated the “Tribute to Bohdal Warchal” commemorative concerts, a series of concerts in churches, concerts for people with disabilities, concerts without applause, the premiere of new compositions, and other exceptional projects. Since 2004, the centenary of Alicia Dvořák’s death, he has performed her Biblical Songs in choral versions on several occasions, notably at the 2018 Pohoda Festival with the participation of over 250 singers. A focused and long-term collaboration with various church and amateur choirs, as well as with musical ensembles, in his roles as choir director, organizer, and composer of sacred music, constitutes a significant part of his artistic activity.

Source: filharmonia.sk

After serving as principal oboist with the Orchestre de chambre de Paris and the Orchestre de la Suisse romande, Clarisse Moreau has been principal oboist with the Orchestre national de Lyon since 2016. She studied at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse (CNSMD) in Lyon and at the Hochschule für Musik in Munich with Jean-Louis Capezzali, Jérôme Guichard, and François Leleux, completing her studies in 2015 with a grade of “Very Good” and honors from the jury. Passionate about the Baroque repertoire, she simultaneously studied the Baroque oboe with Patrick Beaugiraud and participated in various projects on period instruments. She is regularly invited to perform with major orchestras such as the Orchestre de Paris, the Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse, the Orchestre national de France, the Orchestre national de Lille, and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. In 2015, she also won the Elba Festival Prize. She performs as a soloist, notably with the Prague National Theater Orchestra in 2017. Passionate about chamber music, she thrives as a member of the Altra Quintet, an ensemble founded in 2013 with friends she met at the CNSMD in Lyon.
Source: auditorium-lyon.com

 

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