Period

:

Baroque

 

 

Classical

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

Irena Grafenauer is a Slovenian classical flutist who has gained international recognition for her virtuosic performances and recordings. Born on December 13, 1957, in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Grafenauer began playing the flute at the age of eight. She studied at the Ljubljana Academy of Music with Jože Privšek and later at the Mozarteum University of Salzburg with Aurele Nicolet. Grafenauer's talent was quickly recognized, and she won several awards in her early years, including first prize at the Yugoslav National Flute Competition in 1974 and the International Flute Competition in Prague in 1978. She also won the prestigious ARD International Music Competition in Munich in 1980, which launched her career as a soloist. Grafenauer has performed with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, and the Vienna Philharmonic. She has collaborated with renowned conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Herbert von Karajan, and Sir Neville Marriner. One of Grafenauer's most notable performances was at the 1984 Salzburg Festival, where she played Mozart's Flute Concerto No. 1 in G major with the Vienna Philharmonic under the baton of Herbert von Karajan. The performance was widely praised for its elegance and technical precision, and it helped establish Grafenauer as one of the leading flutists of her generation. Grafenauer has also made numerous recordings, both as a soloist and as a chamber musician. Her discography includes works by Mozart, Bach, Vivaldi, and other composers, as well as contemporary pieces by Krzysztof Penderecki and Sofia Gubaidulina. Her recordings have received critical acclaim and have won several awards, including the Diapason d'Or and the Gramophone Award. In addition to her performing career, Grafenauer is also a respected teacher. She has taught at the Mozarteum University of Salzburg and the University of Ljubljana, and she has given masterclasses around the world. Many of her students have gone on to successful careers as flutists. Grafenauer has received numerous honors for her contributions to classical music. In 1995, she was awarded the Prešeren Award, the highest cultural award in Slovenia. She was also made an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music in London in 2001. Throughout her career, Grafenauer has been praised for her technical mastery, musical sensitivity, and elegant phrasing. She has been described as a "flutist's flutist," admired by her peers for her artistry and musicianship. Her performances and recordings continue to inspire and delight audiences around the world.

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