66th Musical Evenings: A supreme musical trio led by Kajana Pačko arrives to Zadar
Monday, August 3rd is reserved for the penultimate concert of the 66th Musical Evenings at St Donatus. Starting at 9 PM in the Church of St Chrysogonus, Kajana Pačko, a renowned Croatian musician and cellist living abroad and a frequent guest in Zadar, will present, together with violinist Airi Suzuki and pianist Boris Kusnezow, two composers who, despite the distance in their styles, are connected by a sensibility for the beauty of melody and a profound inspiration from the poetic word.
The audience will have the opportunity to enjoy a carefully curated program that combines timeless classics with Croatian musical heritage. The evening begins with intimate performances of Franz Schubert's Five Pieces for Cello and Piano, followed by the spiritual and moving work Pater Noster for Piano Trio by Croatian composer Igor Kuljerić. The crowning moment of the evening will be the performance of Schubert's monumental Piano Trio in B-flat major, Op. D898, a masterpiece of chamber music that captivates with its melodic beauty, rich harmony, and lavish dialogue between the instruments.
Japanese violinist Airi Suzuki drew international attention following her debut performance at Tokyo's Suntory Hall and by winning a series of awards at prestigious competitions, such as the "Henryk Wieniawski" in Poznań and "Joseph Joachim" in Hanover. As a soloist, she regularly performs in leading global halls, including the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, and collaborates with renowned Japanese and European orchestras (NDR Radiophilharmonie, Munich Chamber Orchestra). She began her violin studies in Tokyo and graduated in Hanover in the class of Krzysztof Węgrzyn. Alongside her soloist career, she is actively involved in chamber music and recording. Following extensive orchestral experience with the NDR Radiophilharmonie, since 2024 she has served as the first deputy concertmaster of the Munich Radio Orchestra.
Cellist Kajana Pačko is one of the most versatile Croatian musicians. She was educated in Split and Zagreb under Valter Dešpalj, and completed advanced studies in Berlin and Salzburg (in the classes of Clemens Hagen and Frans Helmerson). She has performed in prestigious venues such as the Berlin Philharmonie, as well as a guest with the Berlin Philharmonic and the Gewandhaus Orchestra. She is the recipient of numerous first prizes at national and international competitions, including the "Darko Lukić" and "Judita" awards (with guitarist Petrit Çeku), and won the "Boris Pergamenschikow" prize with the Korngold Trio. As a soloist, she has collaborated with leading orchestras (HRT Symphony Orchestra, Zagreb Soloists) and conductors such as Ivan Repušić. She is an active chamber musician at European festivals (Dubrovnik Summer Festival) and collaborates with contemporary composers. She has released three critically acclaimed albums. Since 2015, she has been teaching at the University of Leipzig, and since 2021, she has served as the artistic director of the ZAGREBplus festival. She is also the initiator of several humanitarian music projects and plays on an early 19th-century Parisian cello.
Boris Kusnezow is one of the most sought-after chamber pianists of his generation. He performs with distinguished instrumentalists and singers worldwide in prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebouw, and the Berlin Philharmonie, and his work is documented on 17 CDs with nominations for awards such as the Opus Klassik. He is the official pianist at leading international competitions (Queen Elisabeth, Joseph Joachim, ARD) and has achieved numerous international honors, including first prize at the German Music Competition. Born in Moscow, where he began his education at the Gnesin Academy, he completed his studies in Hanover under Prof. Bernd Goetzke. Alongside an active concert career, he is the artistic director of several academies and festivals (IMAS, Chamber Lab in Italy), and since 2020, he has served as a professor of piano chamber music at the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University of Music and Theatre in Leipzig.