Slovenian accordion player Izidor Kokovnik started his first accordion lessons when he was 14 years old. After studying music under Prof. Zmago Štih in the Slovenian town of Velenje, Kokovnik went abroad to study under Prof. Ivan Koval at the Liszt School of Music Weimar, Germany. He graduated in 2008 with a diploma in education and continued his studies in art education under Prof. Ivan Koval. In October 2010, Kokovnik resumed his studies at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana (Slovenia) with Prof. Primož Parovel and two years under Prof. Luka Juhart until receiving his master’s degree.

Some of Kokovnik’s most important performances

• the concerts under the patronage of Jeunesses Musicales International of Slovenia,
• re-creation of Rej (the composition by L. Lebič) at the Župančič Award Ceremony where composer Prof. Lojze Lebič received the Župančič Lifetime Achievement Award,
• solo recital at the Nei Suoni dei Luoghi international music festival (Italy)
• solo recital in Velenje “MADE IN VELENJE” (in the context of the European Capital of Culture Maribor 2012)
• the concert with the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra (conductor Loris Voltolini)
• he played at the Composer’s Evening event of Uroš Rojko and Slavko L. Šuklar
• Kokovnik performed at the World Première of compositions by Marianne Richter (with the Ensemble for Contemporary Music Weimar, Germany), Prof. Wolf-Günter Leidel and Slovenian composer Blaženka Arnič-Lemež
• he played first Slovenian premiere of piece Spin for accordion (2001/2014) by Uroš Rojko

Izidor Kokovnik has attended several seminars by accordionists such as Matti Rantanen, Iñaki Alberdi, Teodoro Anzellotti, Stefan Hussong, Hugo Noth, Margit Kern, Roman Pechmann, Corrado Rojac, harpsichordist Egon Mihajlović, composer Alan Bern and others.

He presents the accordion as a concert instrument; he performs solo, in various chamber ensembles and with an orchestra. He has performed throughout Slovenia, Austria, Germany and Italy. His repertoire includes compositions from the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical periods, as well as late Romanticism and contemporary – original – music for the accordion. He loves exploring music, which is why he is no stranger to other musical genres.

Since 2013, Izidor has been a protégé of the Gallus Foundation, which aims to help young musicians on their professional path. Under the auspices of this foundation, he regularly performs at state-level ceremonies, as a soloist or with the singer Tina Debevec. They have been performing as the duo SoprAccord (accordion & soprano) since May 2015.

Izidor Kokovnik has been teaching on the conservatory Fran Korun Kozeljski Velenje since 2010.

Competitions, prizes and awards:

• I.  prize 2011 Slovenia / 7^th International Competition in Beltinci
• II. prize 2011 Italy / 9^th  International Competition »FISA…ARMONIE«
• Final round 2011 Lithuania / Vilnius International Accordion Competition
• II. prize 2008 and the Special Jury Prize for the best interpretation of a Slovenian piece for the accordion (Lojze Lebič: Rej for accordion, 1995) / Slovene Young Musicians Competition

Izidor Kokovnik CV in PDF
 

“The accordion offers a number of special possibilities of expression that modern composers use advantageously, and Kokovnik has mastered them. The mature interpretations reveal the musician’s exceptional musicality, temperament and musical intellect.”

“In the baroque/renaissance works, Kokovnik has demonstrated outstanding analytical control over the subject matter and an informed polyphonic voice leading, resulting in a lucid and firm interpretation of the formal structure of the compositions.”

Koncertni cikel GM oder, Borut Smrekar (2010)

“The effect of fluidity and the inspired sound of the composition Spin for accordion (2001/2014, Uros Rojko ) were presented with ease and expressiveness by the virtuoso accordionist Izidor Kokovnik.

Sigic – Odzven, Tomaž Gržeta (2014)

Check my full repertoire list here.