Biography
Aljaž Cvirn (1992) is a young Slovenian classical guitarist. He graduated in 2014 at the Akademija za glasbo in Ljubljana (Slovenia), where he studied in the class of prof. Tomaž Rajterič. In the same year, he proceeded with his master studies at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste (Switzerland) in the class of prof. Anders Miolin, where he also finished his second master’s degree in 2018 and soon after enrolled in a further education program of excellence at the Musik Akademie Basel, where he studied in the class of prof. Paul Galbraith. Aljaz teaches at the Musikschule Konservatorium Zurich and Kantonsschule Uster.
He performed throughout Europe; in Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Croatia and Slovenia, where he participated in various festivals such as Zürich Guitar Days, Lucerne Guitar Festival, Postojna Guitar Week ,Stradivari Stiftung and many others. In April 2018 he recorded his debut CD, together with the German violoncellist Isabel Gehweiler. The CD was released under Solo Musica label, featuring sonatas for violoncello and guitar.
Aljaž participated in many national and international music competitions and won more than 10 first, second, third and special prizes. In 2014 he received the Prešeren Award, awarded by the Akademija za glasbo in Ljubljana (Slovenia).
Music critics on several occasions recognized the quality and value of his performances. On one occasion his performance was described as follows: "The young duo, takes the technical hurdles with breathtaking sovereignty and an astonishing flair for pointed characterization of the presented pieces to the day." (Walter Bronner, Weiler Zeitung)
His guitar repertoire is very diverse. He performs classical works of all periods from the Renaissance, the Baroque to the modern period of the 20th century music. A big part of his repertoire consists of a great amount of chamber music in different formations. He regularly plays with musicians such as: Sebastian Bohren, Isabel Gehweiler, Tanja Sonc and Jure Cerkovnik.
Discography
Description
The guitarist Aljaž Cvirn and cellist Isabel Gehweiler have been performing as a duo since 2016, making the cello-guitar repertoire known to a wider audience. Both musicians have won prizes in numerous competitions and triumphed together as a duo in the Paola Ruminelli Competition in 2017. The distinctive combination of the two instruments creates a magical, refined intimacy that is worthy of a chamber ensemble. Although original compositions are rare, a number of arrangements, including that of Franz Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata for cello and guitar, have become staple pieces for the duo.
The two musicians approach the complex sonata genre from a great variety of stylistic angles, with their two instruments imparting a sea of tone colors on a comprehensive journey through different styles and performance practices.
The new CD with sonatas for cello and guitar can be bought on:
Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Sonatas-Violoncello-Guitar-Vivaldi-Gehweiler/dp/B079JPFSGF ).
