"Cantus is also... a desire to approach the contemporary music with high performing and professional criteria; a desire to discover the New and the Unknown; the one that brought us all together. We want this Journey that is about to begin to be as interesting as possible, that it lasts as long as possible and that it is always filled with Curiosity and Wonder..."
- Berislav Šipuš in 2001, the year when the Cantus Ensemble was founded

For almost fifteen years contemporary music in Croatia, both the one by Croatian composers and the one by the forerunners in the international arena, has largely lived through the activities of the Cantus Ensemble that has been established with the aim to explore, discover and introduce new and unchartered musical spheres.  Soon after the leadership of the Music Biennale Zagreb, led by Berislav Šipuš, formed the ensemble in 2001, it established its own place and became a representative participant on the Croatian contemporary music scene. They are protagonists of all national festivals and manifestations, as well as the host of its own concert cycle since 2006. In 2008, Cantus became the official ensemble of the ISCM World Music Days in Vilnius after which their guest performances intensified. The high position of the Cantus Ensemble within the Croatian, as well as international context is indicated by the number of around 100 first performances, more than 500 performed opuses and more than 40 guest performances abroad (most of the countries in Europe, Mexico, Canada and China), as well as numerous guest soloists and conductors. They nurture an intensive cooperation with a number of prominent contemporary music ensembles and they took part in EU funded international projects Re: New Music and New Music: New Audiences.
One of the most important aspects of the Ensemble's work are also guest performances at the leading festivals of contemporary music around the world. It is therefore no accident that they selected their national and international interpretations for the new triple CD, directing thus attention to the importance of the moment in the process of realization of a contemporary music work.

British-German composer Charlotte Bray is an esteemed and in-demand composer, exhibiting uninhibited ambition and desire to communicate. Her music is exhilarating, inherently vivid, and richly expressive with lyrical intensity. An Ivor Novello Award winner (2019), she uses her voice to spotlight global issues, including the refugee crisis, unification, terrorism, and humanity’s impact on nature. She is currently the Composer-in-Residence with L​’Orchestre de Chambre de Genève, which is a 3‑year position for the 2023/24 – 2025/26 seasons. 

Bray’s music has been performed and commissioned by institutions such as BBC Symphony and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestras, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Aurora Orchestra, and Birmingham Contemporary Music Group. Her work has featured at festivals in Aldeburgh, Cheltenham, Tanglewood, Aix-en-Provence, Verbier and Kuhmo, as well as with renowned conductors including Marin Alsop, Sir Mark Elder, Sakari Oramo, Oliver Knussen, Jessica Cottis, Daniel Harding, Duncan Ward, and Karina Canellakis.

Music is my life, my life is music.
A smile is a curve that sets everything straight :)

http://www.kajanapacko.com/
Croatian cellist Kajana Pačko has already performed at the major venues in Europe, such as Konzerthaus and the Philharmonie in Berlin, while completing advanced studies at the Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" in Berlin and the Universität Mozarteum in Salzburg in the classes of some of the world most esteemed cellists such as Clemens Hagen and Frans Helmerson. She appeared as a soloist with the Croatian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Cappella Academica of Berlin, the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra, the Zagreb Soloists Ensemble and many others.

Kajana is a first prize winner at the International competitions "Alpe-Adria" in Gorizia, 39th "Darko Lukic" competition and at several national competitions. She was croatian laureate at the Eurovision competition for young classical musicians, going on to represent Croatia at the European Contest in Luzern. Kajana received the Zagreb University Rektor’s prize for the performance of Tchaikovsky’s Rococo variations.
In 2015 Kajana has been awarded the "Judita" music prize for her performance in Croatia with the guitar player Petrit Çeku.

As an active and passionate chamber musician Kajana played concerts at festivals such as "Musique en Cote Basque", "Art Masters Saint-Moritz", "Salzburger Kammermusik Festival", "Homburger Kammermusiktage", "Next Generation Bad Ragaz" and "Dubrovnik Summer Festival".
She is a grounding member of the Trio Korngold together with Joachim Carr (piano) and Diana Tishchenko (violin), with whom she won the Boris Pergamenschikow Prize for chamber music in 2013.

Born in Split in 1985 Kajana began her musical education as a pupil and a student of Valter Dešpalj in Zagreb and Troels Svane in Berlin. As a participant at the Kronberg Academy and the Pablo Casals Festival she has worked with musicians such as David Geringas, Gary Hoffman and Anner Bylsma. Kajana also received important musical impulses from the chamber music lessons with Menahem Pressler, Tabea Zimmermann, Ulf Wallin and the members of Hagen and Artemis Quartets.

In November 2014 her debut CD "Journey through Europe" with the pianist Danijel Detoni containing the works by Poulenc, Grieg and Papandopulo has been released by Croatia Records.

She also loves pedagogical work and has already given few masterclasses and workshops at the Zagreb Music Academy and music school "Josip Hatze" in Split as well as winning the audition for an assistant position at the Zagreb Music Academy.
Since October 2015 Kajana is teaching at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" in Leipzig.

Kajana is very grateful for the generous support from fondations such as DAAD, Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now and Hübel, from numerous institutions in Croatia and from Mr. Josko Berket.



Contact: kajana.packo@hotmail.com                                                                                                       

Alexey Retinsky is creator of symphonic, chamber and electronic music, as well as music for theater, film, installation and performances. Open for interesting collaboration worldwide.
more info: http://retinsky.com 
Contact: katerynarostovtseva@gmail.com (Manager)

Deutschsprachige Pop-Rock Musik aus Hamburg

Porticodoro/SmartCgArt is member of the League of Composers/ISCM-NY and other Musical Associations.
Porticodoro/SmartCgArt is specialized in Classical Music musicological productions, in order to re-discover and to make newly available lost masterpieces and forgotten or neglected treasures by the masters of the Classical and Romantic Eras.
Porticodoro works in collaboration with the modern composer Simone Jennarelli (Bruno Bettinelli's pupil and member of the League of Composers/ISCM-NY).
Porticodoro regularly publishes also musicological essays devoted to Classical Era Music and Composers.

Bassiste amateur (metal) et amateur de musique typée heroïc fantasy !

Kajana Packo - Cellist is following