DARJA ŠVAJGER

Darja Švajger, born in Maribor, has been a prominent Slovenian singer and composer since 1992. She attended various music schools and universities, including the University of Graz, where she majored in solo singing, pedagogy, classics, and jazz. In 1997, she graduated as a professor of solo singing and completed her master's degree at AGRFT in 2013. In 2015, she was awarded an award for important artistic works by the Academy of Music at the University of Ljubljana.

Švajger has been a lecturer at the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film, and Television and the Academy of Music since 2020. Her career includes performing with the group Slovenska gruda, performing Slovenian folk songs, and releasing a vinyl record. She participated in various projects of the Slovenian National Theaters in Maribor, such as Fiddler on the Roof, Don Quixote, and Babylon.

In 1994, she released her first self-titled compact disc, "In the embrace of the night." In 1995, she won the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Prisluhni mi," taking seventh place in Dublin, Ireland. In 1998, she released a new compact disc titled Moments, which won her seventh place at the Slovenian selection for the Eurovision Song Contest.

In 2001, a CD called Plameni was released, and in 2002, she performed with the RTV Symphony Orchestra and Big Band. In 2003, a record of original songs by Primož Peterca was released. Švajger has also performed with various ensembles, including the Jazz club Mons, The Session Band, and the RTV Symphony Orchestra. In 2015, she became a member of the Slovene Aid group, which supports international cooperation and humanitarian aid in the Republic of Slovenia. They recorded the song "One World" with the author Žiga Pirnat, who is also the project manager.

Since 1992, Švajger has been performing concerts with various musicians and bands, both at concerts and events at home and abroad. Her repertoire consists of songs from stylistically different genres, including pop, jazz, musical, chanson, and tango.

Photo: Maja Slavec

Jaka Pucihar completed his studies in composition and music theory with honors at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana in 1998 (mentor Prof. Alojz Srebotnjak), and in 2002, he completed his master's degree. He is the recipient of the student Prešeren award, and since 1999 he has been teaching jazz harmony, arranging and improvisation as a professor at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana and is the founder of the Jazz Department. In addition to his work as a composer, arranger, and teacher he collaborates with some prominent artists, such as Irena Grafenauer, Mate Bekavac, Darja Švajger, Vito Mavrič, with the Symphony Orchestra and Big Band of RTV Slovenia, and many others. With his wife Ilonka, he is the co-author of the popular textbook series MY FRIEND THE PIANO (slo/hr/eng).