Lojze Lebič

Born in 1934 in Prevalje (Carynthia), he studied archeology at the Ljubljana University and simultaneously conducting (with Danilo ·vara) and composition (with Marjan Kozina) at the Academy of Music (diploma in 1972). He led a student1s choir OTone Tom”ia1 and also (from 1962 to 1972) the Ljubljana Radio and tv Chamber Choir. With both these ensembles he made numerous recordings, received many awards and had many tours, appearing at the international festivals in Bydgoszcz (1966), Flandria Festival (1968), in Ohrid in Macedonia (1968), Jihlava in the Czech Republic (1969), at the Contemporary Music Biennale in Zagreb (1969) and Dubrovnik (1969).
In 1967 Lebia received the Pre”eren Fund Prize, and in 1972 ­ The London bbc Plaque for the best performance of contemporary music at the competition OLet the Peoples Sing1. He taught conducting at the Educational Academy in Ljubljana and since 1986 he has been
a Professor of music theory at the Musicology Department at Ljubljana University.
As a composer he was initially connected with the group Pro Musica Viva. He also participated in the Summer Courses in Darmstadt. He is a member of the Slovenian Composers1 Association. From 1982 until Slovenia gained independence, he held a post of the secretary of the Yugoslav Section of iscm (the Slovenian Section was admitted to the iscm at the organization1s meeting in Warsaw in 1992).
Lojze Lebia sat on the juries of the Concorso Internazionale di Canto Corale Seghizzi (1981) and Kompositions Wettbeverb Spittal an der Drau (1986). As a teacher he participated in the composers1 seminars in GroInjan (1988), as well as at the icca Congress in Vancouver, Canada (1990). His compositions were performed at many new music festivals including the iscm World Music Days of in Brussels (1981) and Bucharest (1999), the Biennale in Berlin and Zagreb, OMusikprotokoll1 in Graz, OPan Music Festival1 in Seoul, the OWarsaw Autumn1, OTrieste Prima1, OMittel Fest aedad1, ODanubiana Timi-soara1 in Romania, OUnisa Transnet1 in Pretoria (South Africa), the OGolden Gate International Choral Festival1 in San Francisco, as well as in Saint Denis (France), and at ebu concerts in Jerusalem and Ljubljana.
Lebia collaborated with the Slovenian Philharmonic and Slovenian Radio and tv Symphony Orchestra, The Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Israel Radio Orchestra, Basel Radio Orchestra, the Timisoara Philharmonic, the George Enescu Philharmonic in Bucharest, and also with such renowned chamber ensembles as Trio Lorenz, Ensemble Slavko Osterc, Ensemble Musique Vivante, Ensemble InterContemporain, and Ensemble Kreativ in Klagenfurt.
His music was broadcast by many radio stations.
Lojze Lebia was four times awarded the OPre”eren1 Composer1s Prize (1967, 1970, 1987 and 1994). His works Korant, Voices and Atelje II received the highest score at the Slovenian Radio competitions (jrt). November Songs was among the ten pieces recommended by the jury at the unesco International Composers1 Rostrum in Paris (1985).
Since 1995 he is a full member of the Slovenian Academy of Science (sazu) .

Selected works: Three Night Songs for high voice and piano (1958), Burnt Grass for medium voice and orchestra (1965, new version 1986), Meditation for Two for viola and cello (1965, new version 1972), Maxims for two pianos and orchestra (1966, new version 1972), Impromptus I­IV for piano (1967­1974), Expressions for violin, cello and piano (1968, new version 1972), Kons (b) for chamber ensemble (1968), Korant for orchestra (1969), Kons (a) for chamber ensemble (1970), Nicina for orchestra (1971), Atelje for violin and piano (1973), Voices for strings, percussion and plucked instruments (1973/74), Atelje II for tape (1975), Atelje III for cello and tape (1976), Sonnet for piano (1976), Chalumeau for clarinet (1977), Tangram for small orchestra (1977), Epicedion for violin and any string instrument (1978), A Taste of Time Fleeting Away for organ (1978), Percussion Quartet (1979), Invisibilia, six miniatures for violin and piano (1981), November Songs for medium voice and orchestra (1981/82), Epicedion for violin and organ (1982), String Quartet (1983), Four Songs for medium voice and piano; set to poems by Edvard Kocbek (1983), Ouverture for three instrumental groups (1985), Fauvel 186, stage piece for solo voices, mixed choir, piano, percussion and other (simple) instruments and tape; libretto: Jelena Ukmar after Roman de Fauvel (1986), Pour recouvrer alegiance for alto solo, mixed choir, electric organ, guitar (lute), triangle and crotales, after Roman de Fauvel (1986), Per oboe (Chalumeau II) for oboe (1986), Eulogy to the World for two mixed choirs, piano (four hands), percussion, other (simple) instruments, 4 guitars and tape; text: Branko Miljkovi (1988), Queensland Music for orchestra (1989), From Nearby and Far Away, seven images for recorders and accompanying flutes non obbligato (1991), Four Mixed Choirs OIn the Silent Rustle of Time1 for solo voices, mixed choir, percussion and synthesizer; text: Gregor Strni”a (1991­1996), Symphony with Organ for organ and orchestra (1993), Ajdna ­ Music about Time for recorders, solo voices, mixed choir, percussion and synthesizer; text: Gregor Strni”a and traditional (1995), Rej for accordion (1995), Illud tempus for trumpet and organ (1996), Cantico I ­ Music for Orchestra (1997), April Vignette (Chalumeau III) for flute (1997), Myth and Apocrypha for bass-baritone and orchestra (1998/99).
Invocation was composed last spring following a commission from the library of Golda Meir University in Wisconsin, usa.
The work consists of three interconnected units (Lento ­ Interludium ­ Allegro), which point to the closing passages of my Farewell Music.
I have also included fragments from Musiques funebres by Slovene composer PrimoI Ramov” ­ in tribute to his memory. This demanding work was first presented by the excellent artists Nina and Dejan Pre”iaek on 10 July in Minneapolis in the United States.
Lojze Lebia