Volodja Balžalorsky, Violin
Damir Hamidullin, Cello
Zoltan Peter, Piano

…an extremely high level of
musical communication. These three excellent musicians, all of them masters of their instrument, amalgamate their respective expertise in a high-quality musical experience…

Radio

Slovenia – Ljubljana August 2018

…A top-notch ensemble, the Amael Piano Trio! …
New York Concert Review
(Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

… a superb Beethoven’s ‘Archduke’, full-blooded in tone yet also respectful of structural clarity. Magical colouring of modulations, highlighting of luminescent thrilling, and fresh shades…
The Classical Source

… The concert of Amael Trio shall remain reasonably be remembered as a great artistic event of valuable guest artists from Slovenia…
Radio Belgrade

Amael Trio is a very fine group. The stringplayers’ intonation is impeccable, their tone is rich, beautiful and homogeneous and can vary from floating delicacy to vibrant full bodied sonorousness…A large multi-national audience rewarded the performers with warm approval and prolonged ovations…
New York Concert Review – Amael Trio at Carnegie Hall, July 2006

Acknowledged as one of the finest piano trios, The Amael Trio has received outstanding international acclaim through performances in cities such as New York, London, Rome, Munich, Bergen, Tallinn, Luxembourg, Sofia, Kaunas, Belgrade, Ljubljana, Tehran, and more.

All three members, including the pianist Zoltan Peter, the violinist Volodja Balžalorsky, and the cellist Damir Hamidullin, are accomplished artists with backgrounds as prominent soloists and chamber musicians.

With 23 years of successful performances, the trio has graced a variety of venues, concert series, and festivals, including “A Universal Affair” and Spectrum Festival at Carnegie Hall in New York, The Forge Concert Series in London, Grieg Festival in Bergen, Maskfest in San Marino, Nuovi Spazi Musicali and Festival of the Nations in Rome, Festival Spectrum at Gasteig in Munich, Forfest in Kroměříž, Tallin Chamber Music Festival, ISARTI festival in Kaunas, Urbino Chamber Music Series, European Foyer Chamber Music Series, Kolarac Chamber Music Podium in Belgrade, Festival NIMUS in Niš, MAG festival Split, Bystřice Chateau Festival in Czech Republic, Ljubljana Festival, Fajr Festival Tehran, Bled Festival, Pučišća Summer Festival, Bol Summer Festival, and performances at Cankarjev Dom (the most important cultural center in Slovenia), the International Festival of Contemporary Music in Radenci, Summer Music Festival of Hvar in Croatia, International concert series of Zemono, The Spectrum Festival, and more.

The Amael Trio has attained the status of being among the most sought-after chamber groups in Slovenia. In addition to performing known traditional trio literature from various style epochs, the trio is dedicated to presenting contemporary works and promoting Slovenian composers of piano trio literature on the international stage.

Volodja Balžalorsky – Violin

www.balzalorsky.net

Volodja Balžalorsky is an internationally acclaimed violinist, a two-time winner of the Independent Music Awards in 2014. He received top honors in the Live Performance EP category for Karol Szymanowski: Violin Sonata in D Minor with pianist Hinko Haas, and a Vox Pop Independent Music Award in 2014 for Debussy Violin Sonata, performing with pianist Christoph Theiler. Additionally, he was a four-time nominee for IMAs in 2014.

Balžalorsky has been honored with several international music awards, including The Hollywood Music in Media Award, The Inland Empire Music Award, The Ontario Independent Music Award, The Canary Island Music Award, and the Julij Betetto Music Award.

Balžalorsky has been a guest artist at international festivals and concert series in Italy, France, Austria, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, Portugal, Norway, Denmark, China, Iran, and the USA.

Particularly active in the field of chamber music, he collaborates with various international groups and ensembles. For several years, he successfully performed in a DUO with pianists Christoph Theiler and Hinko Haas, with critics noting the exceptional harmony of ease and authenticity in his performances.

Damir Hamidullinn – Cello

Cellist Damir Hamidullin is a virtuoso soloist and an excellent representative of the famous Russian cello school. He currently serves as the first solo cellist of the National Opera House in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and is a member of the Amael piano trio. Hamidullin showcases his talents across Europe as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician.

His extensive experience as a soloist includes numerous performances with the Kazan Philharmonic, along with appearances with other symphonic and chamber orchestras in Russia and Slovenia. Hamidullin is adept at playing renowned concertos on his instrument, including works by Haydn, Dvořák, Saint-Saëns, Schumann, and Tchaikovsky.

In addition to his solo endeavors, Hamidullin has been a guest artist at various international festivals, such as the Festival Groblje and Festival of Contemporary Music Radenci in Slovenia, Festival of Contemporary Music Kishinjev in Moldova, and the Festival of Kazan in Russia.

Zoltan Peter – Piano

Pianist Zoltan PETER was born in Vojvodina. He attended the Secondary School of Music in Subotica (directed by Marija Sekelj) and then went on to study under Professor Arbo Valdma at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad. His completed his piano studies at the Academy of Music of the University of Ljubljana

As a soloist, chamber musician, and piano accompanist for many musicians of the highest level from both the younger and older generations, he has been a guest performer in Italy, Hungary, the former Soviet Union, Germany, and Switzerland, as well as at festivals of contemporary music. As a soloist with orchestra, he has performed under the baton of conductors such as Igor Gjadrov, Simon Robinson, Berislav Skenderović, Hermann Ostendarp, Guido Mancuzzi, George Pehlivanian, Paul Hoskins, En Shao, and others.

In addition to classical chamber and solo literature, Zoltan Peter often p erforms the works of Slovene composers, sometimes giving premiere performances. He has recorded many works for RTV Slovenia, RTV Belgrade, RTV Novi Sad and RTV Croatia, as well as twelve CDs of solo and chamber music for RTV Slovenia Publishing and other publishers. As a top-flight chamber musician and piano accompanist with an enormous repertoire, he often participates in domestic and international master classes and competitions.

Zoltan PETER is also the author of the book “Korepetiranje – kazen ali ustvarjalnost?” (Piano accompaniment – a penalty or creativity?), published in 2015 by Didakta.

In addition to his concert and pedagogical activities, he leads seminars for piano students and teachers, and for piano accompanists in Slovenia and abroad. He teaches Piano as a main subject on all levels from elementary to university.