SLOVENIAN PERCUSSION DUO: 42nd Street Rondo (Eng.)

(6:45) Do you like music with a sense of earthness? What you are about to hear is a piece written for two percussionists by the composer Wayne Siegel, titled the 42nd Street Rondo. For those of you who are familiar with the musical scene in New York City, the title probably tells a lot, or maybe, just maybe, you will be surprised how that famous Street sounds, when the piece is performed by the Slovenian Percussion Duo, Jože Bogolin and Simon Klavžar.

A few words about them:

Slovenian Percussion Duo was founded in spring 2006 by Simon Klavžar and Jože Bogolin in Ljubljana, Slovenia. They are involved in many chamber and orchestral projects in Slovenia as well as performing new pieces for percussion solo and duo by Slovenian composers.

– The duo is the winner of University of Ljubljana Preseren prize in 2009, as well as the Academy of Music Preseren prize in 2008.

– They were first and second prize winners in the Slovenian percussion competition (TEMSIG) in 2002, 2005 and 2008 and have played with a number of orchestras as soloists (Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, Ljubljana Opera, Academy Symphonic Orchestra of Ljubljana).

– They were awarded 2nd second prize and the audience prize in the 2009 International percussion duo competition in Luxembourg, and were overall winners of the competition.

– They won 1st prize in the International percussion competition Pendim (ensembles category) in Bulgaria in 2009.

Slovenian Percussion Duo is the first percussion duo in Slovenia. They give many concerts all year round in order to raise the profile of percussion as a concert instrument and they have given recitals in Germany, Serbia, Italy and Luxembourg.

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And about the composer and percussionist Wayne Siegel:

Wayne Siegel has written music in many genres ranging from electronic music to orchestral works, from chamber music to a full-length science fiction opera. Leading international artists, including the Kronos Quartet, Singcircle, Safri Duo and Harry Sparnaay, have commissioned works from him.

His music has been performed widely throughout Europe, America and Japan. Many of his works fall between genres, combining diverse cultural elements and compositional techniques, encompassing influences from folk music, rock and minimalism.

He often uses computers with live musicians, and he has explored the possibilities of interactive sound installations.
In 1986 he became director of Denmark`s national electronic music center, DIEM, and in 2003 Siegel was appointed professor of electronic music at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus.

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We had a chance to film their concert here in Ljubljana, Slovenia and here it is … one of the stunning compositions: The 42nd Street Rondo.

Enjoy the unforgetable performance of the Slovenian Percussion Duo.