Janja Brlec - Moments (2021)

Janja Brlec is a top zither player and a first prize winner of several national and international competitions. Skilled in a variety of musical styles, she aspires to bring the zither closer to the general public as a concert instrument of great dimensions and infinitude.

Her musical career began with prof. Peter Napret. After graduating from the Art Gymnasium (piano), she graduated with honors from the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich (Assist. Prof. Georg Glasl) and earned a Master’s degree from the Mozarteum University in Salzburg (Prof. Harald Oberlechner). She was supported on her musical path by the Rotary Club Celje and the Gallus Foundation.

She has performed as a soloist and in various chamber ensembles at international festivals and concerts in Austria, Italy, Belgium, Hungary, Germany and Croatia (Münchener Biennalle, Internationales Zitherfestival / München, Pathos Transport Theater / München, Europamusicale / München, Classical music Festival / Pula, Zither im Zoom / Salzburg, Imago Sloveniae, Festival Velenje, a cycle of concerts GM ODER of the Musical Youth of Slovenia, Stage of the Selected – Gallus stage / Slovenian Philharmonic,…). She has performed with distinguished musicians such as the Salzburg Mozart Players Orchestra, the Kairos Quartett from Berlin, the Mezzena Quartet from Italy, Nuška Drašček, Manca Izmajlova, Gal Gjurin, Izidor Erazem Grafenauer, Jure Tori, Aleksandar Kuzmanovski,…

In an effort to make the zither recognizable as a concert instrument, she regularly collaborates with composers. She has performed several first performances of compositions by composers Bernd Redmann, Dorothea Hoffman, Fredrik Schwenk, Luiz Gustav Briholi Peigo, Jelena Dabić, Christian Dieck, Alexander Strauch, Thobias Peschanel and Larisa Vrhunc. At her initiative, Bojan Glavina wrote a collection of compositions entitled Bežne misli (Fleeting Thoughts) and Tri melanholije za citre, čelo in violino (Three Melancholy for zither, cello and violin). For Duo Kontrario (Janja Brlec, Izidor Kokovnik), a composition by the established composer Goran Bojčevski On the Surface was composed.

She has released solo CDs Med strunami (Between Strings) and Trenutki(Moments) as well as Slovenski venček(Slovenian Medley) in a duet with Peter Napret. She is a member of the Slovenian Zither Quartet (Anita Veršec, Peter Napret, Tomaž Plahutnik) and Duo Kontrario (accordionist Izidor Kokovnik). She writes arrangements, conducts seminars, runs masterclasses and is a member of expert commissions at competitions. She published a textbook for the 1st grade zither entitled Citrarska mavrica, which was approved by the Expert Council of the Republic of Slovenia for General Education.