Jan Gorjanc

Jan Gorjanc is a harpist, composer and up-and-coming conductor, who received his Bachelor’s degree from Royal College of Music, London in 2016. He studied harp with Rachel Masters and composition with Haris Kittos, while he also attended conducting classes with P. Stark and N. Luis-Bassa. Additionally he actively participated at harp and conducting classes led by renowned artist such as Sylvain Blassel, Emmanuel Ceysson, Sivan Magen, Isabelle Perrin, Fabrice Piere, Martin Akerwall, Frans Rasmussen, Jana Bouskova …

 

As a harpist his interests lay in discovering new repertoire for the harp, especially from baroque and present times, which is how he built an extensive repertoire of less known harp pieces and transcriptions. His recent performances include a premiere of J. S. Bach’s Concerto for Harpsichord BWV 1056 - which was the first performance of this piece on the harp - as well as a premiere of ‘Chrysalis’, piece for harp, tape and live electronics by L. Harris. Jan regularly performs in London and Slovenia and some of his most important performances were in The Buckingham Palace, Cadogan Hall, St. James' Church, Cankar Hall (Ljubljana). He won two concerto competitions in 2010 and 2015, resulting in concerto performances with RTV Slovenia Orchestra under the baton of G. Pehlivanian, when he performed Wagenseil’s and Saint-Saens’ concertos for harp and orchestra. In 2014 he won the 1st prize at the Salvi competition, where he also received prizes in previous years. He was regularly part of RCM Symphony and Chamber orchestra as well as other orchestras in London.

 

Jan’s compositional opus consists of solo, chamber and orchestral pieces among which are also three operas - the third one ‘Julka in Janez’ commissioned by the Slovenian National Opera house where it was premiered in January 2017 and is returning to the stage in the season 2017/18. Most of his pieces and all operas were premiered, some in prominent venues such as Slovenian National Opera and St. James's Church, Cadogan Hall - which is where he had his London debut in 2014 with his opera APAXNH. He has directed first two premieres of his operas and conducted a premiere of ‘Waves’ - piece for soprano and ensemble, commissioned for a charity concert. Jan’s profound interest in connecting different forms of art was also expressed in a piece written as a perfume portrait, to represent the scent of ‘Amber Aoud’, an olfactory masterpiece by Roja Dove. He also entered semifinals of Ravel competition and came as firs among Slovenian entrants, where he was marked as 'Greatly appreciated composer' by Riccardo Turcotti, conductor of Association Ravel.

 

Website: http://gorjanc-jan.com