Biography
Since her debut with the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra under Valery Gergiev in 2012, Lana Trotovšek appeared with some of the world’s finest orchestras –the Moscow Soloists, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra the RTS Symphony Orchestra. In 2016/17 Lana performed double violin concertos with Sergey Krylov and the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra on a number of occasions. Over the past few years Lana has collaborated with Tan Dun and Orchestra Teatro Verdi, the Shanghai and Slovenian Philharmonic, as well as Uroš Lajovic and the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra, the RTV Slovenia under George Pehlivanian, the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, and the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, where she was described as “an emerging voice to watch” by Philadelphia Inquirer
In summer 2017 she was touring with John Malkovich and I Solisti Aquilani, performing Bach’s A minor violin concerto in festivals Emilia Romagna, Ljubljana, and Mittelfest. In January 2020 her schedule included the BBC 3 live recording of a Violin Concerto “Venus Blazing” composed by Deirdre Gribbin with the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast. In 2020, for the 250th Anniversary of L. van Beethoven, Trotovšek give performance of the complete sonatas for violin and piano with pianist Maria Canyigueral at the Festival Ljubljana.
Her discography includes chamber music and concerto releases by Toccata Classics, SOMM recordings, Meridian records, Hedone records, Signum records, Champs Hill records, Ustanova Klasika and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra. In 2016 she was awarded the Global Music Awards gold medal for her CD Franck, Granados, Škerjanc, Finzi and her latest CD release by Toccata Classics includes first recordings of the Czech – Russian romantic composer Eduard Napravnik.
Between 2006 and 2011, she was a member of the Greenwich Piano Trio with cellist Stjepan Hauser and pianist Yoko Misumi. They won the Solti Foundation Award, The Tunnell Trust Award and other first prizes in chamber music competitions across Europe. They were guided by the Beaux Arts Trio cellist Bernard Greenhouse and pianist Menahem Pressler as well as Stephen Kovachevich.
Violinist Lana Trotovšek has won admiration for her expressive playing and unique musicality. The Washington Post has described her as “Radiant” and praised her “clean, refined tone with musical sense of phrasing and impeccable intonation”. The Strad Magazine has mentioned her “true feel of live intuitive performance”. She has captivated audiences with her ‘warm sound and formidable technique’ (La Vanguardia) and her talent of bringing ‘freshness, depth and insight’ Broad Street Review to her interpretations.
Trotovšek was born in Ljubljana, Slovenia, to a family of musicians. At the age of 4, she began playing the violin under the guidance of Majda Jamšek. When she was 17 years old, her talent was recognised by Ruggiero Ricci at the Dartington International Summer School in United Kingdom who then invited her to his class at the Academy Mozarteum in Salzburg. During this period, she also continued her studies at the Academy of Music, University of Ljubljana with Volodja Balžalorsky and Primož Novžak. In 2005, her performance of the Khachaturian Violin Concerto with the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra under George Pehlivanian was awarded with the Prešeren Award of the Ljubljana University.
Trotovšek continued her studies at Trinity College of Music with Vasko Vassilev, Boris Brovtsyn, and Rivka Golani, and at the Royal College of Music with Itzhak Rashkovsky, winning many prizes. Between 2011 and 2013, she was the first violinist of the Badke String Quartet, winners of the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition.
Lana Trotovšek is the recipient of the 2021 Prešeren Fund Award of the Republic of Slovenia, which she received for her achievements in the past three years. She lives in London and is a Professor at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. She maintains close ties to her home country where she performs regularly and is a visiting Professor at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana. She plays a 1750 Pietro Antonio dalla Costa violin.