O dogodku
Amala Band – 30 years
Amala, led by Imer Traja Brizani, has spent 30 years shaping a unique sound that blends Romani tradition with jazz and orchestral elements. The anniversary concert brings together a wide range of guest musicians and features original music within the style of Romani symphonic ethno‑jazz. The evening will be conducted by Patrik Greblo, whose musical versatility adds depth and colour to the performance.
Calendar
Sponsorship
Photo by: Darja Štravs Tisu
Photo highlights
Interesting facts
IMER TRAJA BRIZANI
- He began his musical career in Slovenia as the bassist in pop groups but soon made a name for himself on the jazz scene thanks to his gift for improvisation. He has performed with many big names in jazz, from Jože Privšek (aka Simon Gale, Jeff Conway) to Peter Erskine.
- In 1996 he founded Amala, the group with which he preserves the rich Romani musical heritage and, at the same time, masterfully blends elements of traditional Romani music with jazz, classical and popular music.
- In 2016 he was awarded the Medal of Merit by the Slovenian president Borut Pahor for his creative contribution to the promotion and recognition of Romani culture in Slovenia.
- Alongside his activity as a composer and performer, Brizani is also a writer and music educator. His first book, Le ostanite, Romi gredo, presents the history of the Romani people and the possibility of their integration into the modern world.
Team
Orchestras and Ensembles
Vocal Soloists and Guests
Musical Soloists and Instrumentalists
Choir
Programme
More information
For three decades Amala have been enriching the Slovene and wider European cultural space with a distinctive musical voice based on a romani symphonic ethno-jazz. The group’s artistic leader is the composer, bassist and multi-instrumentalist Imer Traja Brizani. A pioneer of contemporary Romani music with a doctor's degree in Musicology and Romani Studies. Brizani creates works that combine traditional Romani motifs with aleatory, improvised and orchestral elements. This year, he commemorates 46 years of continuous artistic activity. His music, which has won multiple awards at international festivals and is characterised by its sincerity, creates unique sound that preserves the identity of the individual layers and builds bridges between cultures. In 2016, he was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the Kali Sara – Association of Croatian Roma. Brizani is also the author of the first Slovene Romani musical, The Glass Apple, and the recipient of a state medal (2017) for his contribution to the promotion of Romani culture.
For this 30th anniversary celebration, the members of Amala are joined by guest jazz musicians from the Roma community and beyond, including Alenka Godec, Oto Pestner, Lana Trotovšek, Bernardo Brizani, Bajsa Arifovska, Ilija Ampevski, Čerim Haliti, and members of the RTV Slovenia Big Band and RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra. The programme consists of original music and orchestrations in a context of “Romani symphonic ethno jazz”, a genre that is based on folk tradition and enhances it with technical and formal complexity. The concert is led by conductor, arranger and composer Patrik Greblo, a graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, who trained as a conductor with George Monseur and George Pehlivanian and is active in the fields of popular music, stage music and instrumental ensembles.
Accessibility for visitors with reduced mobility
Festival Ljubljana is committed to ensuring a welcoming and accessible experience at cultural events for persons with reduced mobility.
Selected venues offer designated wheelchair-accessible spaces as well as seating for accompanying persons. Wheelchair users can inquire about availability and reserve accessible seating by calling +386 (0)1 241 60 28 or emailing blagajna@ljubljanafestival.si.
Free rides on LPP city buses
Ticket holders for events within the 74th Ljubljana Festival are entitled to free rides on LPP city buses within two hours before the start and two hours after the end of each event.
