Dissonance String Quartet

The Dissonance Quartet was formed by a happy coincidence. The musicians, all members of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, came together to mount the first Slovenian performance of a string quartet by the celebrated Slovenian composer Lojze Lebič. After the successful performance, the musicians decided to expand the project into a permanent ensemble, due to their desire to continue their common music making. The ensemble’s name is taken from Mozart’s eponymic composition and symbolises the mission of the ensemble, which focuses on both classical repertoire and the works of contemporary composers, particularly Slovenian composers.

Violinist Janez Podlesek is the concertmaster of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra and the Slovenian Philharmonic String Chamber Orchestra. He teaches at the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet, and since 2009 has also been regularly employed at the Ljubljana Academy of Music as an assistant to Prof. Primož Novšak and as the artistic director of the Ljubljana Academy of Music String Orchestra. He has received a number of awards for his achievements. In 2012, he was awarded the title of assistant professor in the area of violin studies. In 2006, he received the Betteto Prize as a member of the Slovenian Philharmonic String Chamber Orchestra, and in 2012 the Plaque of the City of Ljubljana. In 2013, he recorded his first compact disc as a soloist with the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra.

Violinist Matjaž Porovne is a member of the successful chamber ensembles Trio Marakle, Quatroportango, the Calisto String Quartet and the Slovenian Philharmonic String Quartet. He has received numerous awards and recognitions. In 2011–2012, he was employed in the orchestra of the Slovene National Theatre Opera and Ballet Ljubljana, and since 2012 he has been a member of the the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra.

Oliver Dizdarević Škrabar commenced his music education in his native Belgrade before continuing in Ljubljana. During his studies, he received several national and international awards. Since 1999, he has been a member of the Slovenian Philharmonic and the Slovenian Philharmonic String Chamber Orchestra. He has played the viola in parallel with the violin since high school, and has performed as a violist in the Slovenian Philharmonic String Quartet. As a member of the Slovenian Philharmonic String Chamber Orchestra, he received the Betteto Prize in 2006 and the Plaque of the City of Ljubljana in 2012. 

Cellist Klemen Hvala was educated in Ljubljana, but furthered his chamber music studies in masterclasses with J. Gutman, M. Mlejnik H. Fister, I. Ozim and other renowned professors. After completing his undergraduate studies, he became a member of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra and a year later was a founding member of the Slovenian Philharmonic String Chamber Orchestra, in which he initially worked as a cellist and assistant to the then artistic director, but in 2001 took over the programme management of the ensemble. For his work to date, Klemen Hvala has, as a member of the Slovenian Philharmonic String Chamber Orchestra, received several awards: the Prešeren Fund Prize (1999), the Župančič Award (2004), the Betteto Prize (2006) and the Plaque of the City of Ljubljana (2012).

Ensemble Members
Janez Podlesek, violin
Matjaž Porovne, violin
Oliver Dizdarević Škrabar, viola
Klemen Hvala, cello