Duo Betka Bizjak Kotnik (saksofon) & Milanka èrešnik

(klavir) deluje od leta 2000. V tem èasu sta izvedli

recitale v razliènih abonmajskih ciklih v Sloveniji, na

Festivalu Lent, v Slovenski Filharmoniji in na Svetovnem

kongresu saksofonistov v Ljubljani 2006 s krstno izvedbo

del J. Matièièa: Repliques in N. Šenk: Impetus. Od leta

2005 sta v sodelovanju s skladatelji Janezom Matièièem,

Nino Šenk in Bla�em Puciharjem obogatili repertoar sloven-

skih skladb za saksofon in klavir.

Snemali sta za arhiv Radia Slovenija (P. Šivica, R.

Boutryja C. Debussyja, T. Yoshimatsa in P. Swertsa),

sodelovali pri zgošèenki Saksofonija Društva slovenskih

skladateljev in Glasbenega društva Saksofonija, nastopili

na Dr�avni slovesnosti ob podelitvi Prešernove nagrade

skladatelju Janezu Matièièu februarja 2007 v Cankarjevem

domu in na Slavnostnem koncertu DSS ob skladateljevem 80.

rojstnem dnevu.

Novembra 2007 sta na Tekmovanju za komorne skupine Primo�

Ramovš v Ljubljani dobili prvo nagrado.

DUO BETKA BIZJAK KOTNIK & MILANKA ČREŠNIK

Duo Betka Bizjak Kotnik (saxophone) and Milanka èrešnik

(piano) have been running together since 2000. In that

time they performed recitals in different concert cycles.

In 2006 at World Saxophone Congress in Ljubljana there

was their premiere of works J. Matièiè: Repliques and N.

Šenk: Impetus. They co-operated with compact disque Saxo-

phonia and were appeared at State Ceremony of Prešeren’s

award wich was given to the composer J. Matièiè in 2007.

Since 2006 they have recorded several pieces for the ar-

chive Radio Slovenia. They got the higest award at Compe-

tition for chamber music Primo� Ramovš in Ljubljana 2007.

DUO BETKA BIZJAK KOTNIK & MILANKA ČREŠNIK

je z odliko diplomirala na Akademiji za glasbo v

Ljubljani. Izpopolnjevala se je na Konservatoriju

CNR v Lyonu, Francija (Medaille d’or in Pre-

miere prix de perf.), ter leta 2005 konèala tudi

specialistièni študij saksofona na Akademiji za

glasbo v Ljubljani. Za svoje uspehe je prejela

Študentsko Prešernovo nagrado Akademije za glasbo

v Ljubljani.

Je dobitnica prvih nagrad na dr�avnih tekmovanjih in final-

istka mednarodnih tekmovanj. Leta 2003 se je predstavila na

Svetovnem kongresu saksofonistov v Minneapolisu, ZDA, (s

kvartetom saksofonov so krstno izvedli dela J. Puciharja in

D. Tementa), leta 2006 pa v Ljubljani (kot solistka s Sim-

foniki RTV Slovenija pod taktirko J. Wytenbacha s koncertom

za dva saksofona Urške Pompe: Near/Blizu). Je èlanica Ko-

mornega orkestra solistov Društva slovenskih skladateljev.

Kot solistka je nastopila s Simfoniki RTV Slovenija, Orke-

strom slovenske vojske in Orkestrom Akademije za glasbo.

Pouèuje saksofon na Srednji glasbeni in baletni šoli v

Ljubljani. V sodelovanju s profesorji srednjih glasbenih

šol iz Slovenije in Glasbenim društvom Saksofonija je

ustanovila Masterclass ter Tekmovanja Saksistra.

BETKA BIZJAK KOTNIK (1976)

Betka Bizjak Kotnik (1976) graduated at Academy of Music

in Ljubljana and at Conservatoir National de Region in Lyon

(Medaille d’or, Premiere prix de perf.), France. In 2005

she finished saxophone post-graduate study in Ljubljana.

She was awarded by Prešeren Student award of Academy of

Music in Ljubljana.

At National competitions She received several first awards

and was several times the finalist of the international

competitions. She perfomed as a soloist with the Symphonic

Orchestra RTV Slovenia, (a premiere of Concerto for two

saxophones Near by U. Pompe, Ljubljana 2006), Symphonic Or-

chestra Luxembourg, Slovenian Army orchestra and Symphonic

Orcestra Academy of Music in Ljubljana. She is a member of

the Chamber orchestra of soloists at the Society of Slovene

composers (KOS).

She is a professor of saxophone at Music Conservatory Lju-

bljana, Slovenia. She founded Saxophone masterclass and

competition Saxistra in cooperation with professors from

Slovene High Musical Schools.

je z odliko diplomirala na Akademiji za glasbo v

Ljubljani v razredu prof. Acija Bertonclja.

Med šolanjem se je izpopolnjevala na ustano-

vah in seminarjih v tujini, in sicer na Visoki

šoli za glasbo v Kölnu v razredu prof. Vassi-

lyja Lobanova ter na mednarodnih poletnih šolah

za klavir v Feldkirchnu (Avstrija), Vicktringu

(Avstrija) in Mariboru ter na mednarodnem teèaju komorne

igre v Böhlnu (Nemèija). Leta 1995 je osvojila drugo na-

grado na Dr�avnem tekmovanju mladih glasbenikov Slovenije.

V koncertnem ciklusu Pianissimo se je predstavila z deli

Matièièa in Debussyja. Nastopila je v razliènih komornih

zasedbah doma in v tujini.

Na Akademiji za glasbo v Ljubljani je konèala specialis-

tièni študij v razredu prof. Tatjane Ognjanoviè. Sodeluje

z uglednim in v svetu uveljavljenim skladateljem Janezom

Matièièem. Z njegovim Koncertom za klavir in orkester je

kot solistka nastopila s Simfoniènim orkestrom RTV Slo-

venija.

Za arhiv Radia Slovenija je posnela njegovih 12 Etud,

Sonato, Preludije, Etude za levo roko, Nokturno in Tri

skladbe.

MILANKA ČREŠNIK (1977)

Milanka èrešnik (1977) graduated at the Academy of music

in Ljubljana. During her study she took part in interna-

tional institutions and cources for piano at Hochschule

fur music in Köln (Germany) by professor Vassily Lobanov

as well as in international cources for piano in Feldkirch

(Austria), Victring (Austria), Maribor (Slovenia) and was

skilling chamber music in Bohlen (Germany).

In 1995 she received the second award at the Slovene na-

tional competition for young musicians. In several reci-

tals she was performed by works of Matièiè and Debussy.

She has appeared in different chamber music performances

at home and abroad. She is coming to the end of post

graduate study in Ljubljana.

She works with world well-known composer Janez Matièiè.

She has recorded his etudes, preludes, sonata and Nocturno

for the archive Radio Slovenia.

Ker je bila skladba pisana po

naroèilu za slovensko

tekmovanje TEMSIG, sem hotel v

njej zdru�iti èim veè razliènih

glasbenih prvin. Med arijo in

improvizacijo sem �elel ustvari-

ti velik kontrast. Ta kontrast

skladbe ne bi razdvojil, ampak bi

jo zdru�il v eno.

Spevnost saksofona v ariji in

virtuoznost v improvizaciji je

harmonsko bogato podlo�ena v kla-

virju, ki skozi vso skladbo osta-

ja saksofonu izrazno in tehnièno

enakovreden sogovornik.

Bla� Pucihar

ARIA IN IMPROVIZACIJA (2007)

The composition was written for

Slovene national competition

therefore I wanted to unit more

different musical elements and

creat a great contrast between

Aria and Improvisation. That

contrast shouldn’t devide the

composition but on the contrary it

should connect it in one unit.

The lyrical canto of saxophone in

Aria and virtuosity in

Improvisation are harmonized by

piano, which is staying

constantly expressive and

technically equivalent.

Bla� Pucihar

ARIA AND IMPROVISATION (2007)

Skladba je bila napisana leta 2006 za Betko Bizjak Kotnik

in Milanko èrešnik. Krstno je bila izvedena na Svetovnem

kongresu saksofonistov 2006 v Ljubljani.

Sestavljena je iz štirih stavkov povezanih v celoto, vendar

se ti zaradi samostojnosti lahko izvajajo tudi posebej.

Poudarek skladbe je na virtuoznosti in menjavanju odsekov

med strogo doloèenimi in svobodnimi ritmiènimi odseki.

S tem namenom je prvi stavek uvodna kadenca saksofona,

ki se ob prehodu v drugi stavek prenese na klavir. Sledi

dvogovor med obema inštrumentoma, ki vodi v ritmièno sku-

pinsko igro in dose�e višek ob koncu drugega stavka.

V tretjem stavku je virtuoznost predstavljena na drugaèen

naèin. Gre za ritmièno svoboden stavek, pri katerem je

najpomembnejša improvizacija. Ta je tonsko doloèena in

neodvisna od drugega inštrumenta. èetrti stavek je sestav-

ljen iz ritmiènega modela (4+3+4+3+2), ki se prestavlja

iz saksofona v klavir. Na zaèetku je skupna igra ritmièno

doloèena, kasneje nadaljujeta inštrumenta neodvisno drug

od drugega v istem ritmiènem modelu, dokler se ne zdru�ita

ob zakljuèku skladbe v kratki kadenci saksofona.

Nina Šenk

IMPETUS (2006)

The composition Impetus was written in 2006 for Betka

Bizjak Kotnik (saxophone) and Milanka èrešnik (piano). It

is composed by four movements being connected on the whole,

but they can be as well as performed separately. The effect

of composition is on virtuosity and changing sections

inside strong definite and free rythmical sections.

The first movement is solo cadenza for saxophone, carrying

down on the the piano just at the step of second movement.

The dialog is followed then between two instruments running

to rythmical group playing and riches the top at the end.

In the third movement virtuosity is presented in different

way. There is free rythmical section with the most

important improvistion which tune is defined and written

out for both instruments but they stay independant.

The fourth movement is consisted by rythmical model

4+3+4+3+2 being exchanghed from the saxophone to piano.

At the beginning the rythmical motive is defined together

following by independant playing but in the same rythmical

model unles it comes together in short saxophone cadenza

at the end of composition.

Nina Šenk

Na �eljo izvrstne saksofonistke Betke Bizjak Kotnik sem

junija 2005 v Parizu napisal skladbo Canto Antico in mesec

dni kasneje v Ljubljani skladbo Frenetico, obe pod skupnim

naslovom Repliques. Ta se nanaša predvsem na prvo skladbo

Canto Antico, prete�no liriènega znaèaja, kjer so navzoèa

pogosta prevzemanja, odgovarjanja med obema inštrumentoma,

kar veèkrat pripelje do krajših kadenènih nastopov enega

in drugega inštrumenta. V postopnem oddaljevanju na koncu

skladba zamre.

V Freneticu zelo razgiban ritmièni potek v srednjem delu

nekoliko obstane v statiènih daljših notnih vrednostih v

saksofonu, prepušèajoè klavirju ritmièno vzburjanje. Coda

pripelje do evfori�nega zakljuèka obeh inštrumentov.

Janez Matièiè

REPLIQUES (2005)

On the request of distinguish saxophonist Betka Bizjak

Kotnik I wrote Canto antico in Paris in June 2005 and one

month later Frenetico in Ljubljana, both under the title

Repliques and the subtitle (2 compostions, 2 instruments,

2 caracters).

The Canto antico is lyrically charged, often having a con-

formable effect in its succession of mutually exchanging

idias. In the finale phase, together with the sympatheti-

cally vibrating pedalled piano, the saxophone calms down

its concluding chant.

The contrasting Frenetico is a rather escatic nature. In

the middle section, the saxophone becomes statically re-

strained, whereas the piano continues its rythmically agi-

tated course. Finally, frenetic frenzy leads both instru-

ments to a reciprocal climax.

Janez Matièiè

Bla� Pucihar: Aria and Improvisation (2007) 1. Arija ..............................................3’302. Improvizacija ......................................2’50

Nina Šenk: Impetus (2006)3. I. .................................................2’204. II. ................................................3’055. III. ...............................................3’30 6. IV. ................................................2’19

Janez Matièiè: Repliques (2005)7. Canto antico .......................................5’398. Frenetico ..........................................3’08

Claude Debussy: Rhapsodie . pour saxophone alto et piano 9......................................................9’00

Roger Boutry: Divertimento10. Allegro ma non troppo ..............................2’5511. Andante ............................................3’1412. Presto .............................................1’35

Takashi Yoshimatsu: Fuzzy bird sonata13. Run, bird ..........................................4’5314. Sing, bird .........................................4’4015. Fly, bird ..........................................3’44

Total time:............................................57’03