Page 287 - Weiss, Jernej, ur. 2020. Konservatoriji: profesionalizacija in specializacija glasbenega dela ▪︎ The conservatories: professionalisation and specialisation of musical activity. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 4
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jan šlais’s contr ibution to ljubljana’s violin school
Apart from Ozim, Pfeifer trained several other important Sloveni-
an violinists, namely Ivan Pal (Ivan Pall; 1923–2014), Slavko Zimšek (1928–
2014), Rok Klopčič (1933–2010), Sabina Skalar (1934), Vladimir Š kerlak
(1940–2000), Karel Žužek (1943), Olga Skalar Littmann (1942), Tomaž
Lorenz (1944–2016), and Vera Belič (Verica Belič; 1954). Three of these later
became concertmasters of the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra and pro-
fessors at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, including Rok Klopčič, who
was also active as a soloist and an editor of violin pieces in Slovenia and
abroad. Pfeifer’s pupil Vera Belič has been the assistant concertmaster of
the Ljubljana Philharmonic Orchestra since 1982.
Whereas Rupel’s pupil Bravničar studied with David Oistrakh, P feifer’s
pupil, Vladimir Škerlak, perfected his studies in Moscow with another vi-
olin giant of the time, Leonid Kogan (1924–1982). In 1966, Škerlak won the
violin competition in Sienna. Later, he decided to devote his life primarily
to medicine and worked as a medical doctor in Basel, but he still gave reg-
ular concerts. Another pair of Pfeifer’s pupils that achieved internation-
al success were the sisters Sabina Skalar and Olga Skalar Littmann. Tomaž
Lorenz achieved success as a soloist and chamber musician, but even more
so as a member of the renowned Lorenz Trio. In various ensembles, he gave
more than one hundred first performances of Slovenian compositions.
Apart from performing, he was a teacher at the Ljubljana Conservatory,
and later at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, where he shared his en-
thusiasm for chamber music with numerous generations of young musi-
cians.62 Pfeifer’s pupils contributed to many levels of violin education over-
all, not just at the most senior levels. For example, Ivan Pal made important
contributions to mid-level education. After completing his studies in 1954
he taught violin for thirty-four years at the Maribor Conservatory, where
he also taught viola. During his studies, he was a member of the O pera Or-
chestra in Maribor and of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra. He also
played in a piano trio with Roman Klasinc and Oton Bajde.63 D uring his
62 Personal communication with Tomaž Lorenz in Ljubljana in 2005; Jerko Novak,
“In Memoriam: Tomaž Lorenz (1944–2016),” Dnevnik, February 16th, 2016; Volodja
Balžalorsky, “Tomaž Lorenz (1944–2016). Nekrolog,” Delo, February 19th, 2016.
63 Ivan Pal was born on April 21st, 1923 in Oplotnica. He studied violin in Maribor with
Taras Poljanec, then with Leon Pfeifer at the Academy of Music until 1954. He was
a member of several Slovenian Symphony Orchestras. At the Maribor Conservatory
he taught violin and viola, and led the school’s symphony and string orchestras until
his retirement in 1988. He died on July 23rd, 2014 in Maribor. See Personal commu-
nication with Ivan Pal on September 25th, 2010 in Maribor; Majda Jecelj, “Ivan Pal
(21.4.1923–23.7.2014),” Večer, August 5th, 2014.
285
Apart from Ozim, Pfeifer trained several other important Sloveni-
an violinists, namely Ivan Pal (Ivan Pall; 1923–2014), Slavko Zimšek (1928–
2014), Rok Klopčič (1933–2010), Sabina Skalar (1934), Vladimir Š kerlak
(1940–2000), Karel Žužek (1943), Olga Skalar Littmann (1942), Tomaž
Lorenz (1944–2016), and Vera Belič (Verica Belič; 1954). Three of these later
became concertmasters of the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra and pro-
fessors at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, including Rok Klopčič, who
was also active as a soloist and an editor of violin pieces in Slovenia and
abroad. Pfeifer’s pupil Vera Belič has been the assistant concertmaster of
the Ljubljana Philharmonic Orchestra since 1982.
Whereas Rupel’s pupil Bravničar studied with David Oistrakh, P feifer’s
pupil, Vladimir Škerlak, perfected his studies in Moscow with another vi-
olin giant of the time, Leonid Kogan (1924–1982). In 1966, Škerlak won the
violin competition in Sienna. Later, he decided to devote his life primarily
to medicine and worked as a medical doctor in Basel, but he still gave reg-
ular concerts. Another pair of Pfeifer’s pupils that achieved internation-
al success were the sisters Sabina Skalar and Olga Skalar Littmann. Tomaž
Lorenz achieved success as a soloist and chamber musician, but even more
so as a member of the renowned Lorenz Trio. In various ensembles, he gave
more than one hundred first performances of Slovenian compositions.
Apart from performing, he was a teacher at the Ljubljana Conservatory,
and later at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, where he shared his en-
thusiasm for chamber music with numerous generations of young musi-
cians.62 Pfeifer’s pupils contributed to many levels of violin education over-
all, not just at the most senior levels. For example, Ivan Pal made important
contributions to mid-level education. After completing his studies in 1954
he taught violin for thirty-four years at the Maribor Conservatory, where
he also taught viola. During his studies, he was a member of the O pera Or-
chestra in Maribor and of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra. He also
played in a piano trio with Roman Klasinc and Oton Bajde.63 D uring his
62 Personal communication with Tomaž Lorenz in Ljubljana in 2005; Jerko Novak,
“In Memoriam: Tomaž Lorenz (1944–2016),” Dnevnik, February 16th, 2016; Volodja
Balžalorsky, “Tomaž Lorenz (1944–2016). Nekrolog,” Delo, February 19th, 2016.
63 Ivan Pal was born on April 21st, 1923 in Oplotnica. He studied violin in Maribor with
Taras Poljanec, then with Leon Pfeifer at the Academy of Music until 1954. He was
a member of several Slovenian Symphony Orchestras. At the Maribor Conservatory
he taught violin and viola, and led the school’s symphony and string orchestras until
his retirement in 1988. He died on July 23rd, 2014 in Maribor. See Personal commu-
nication with Ivan Pal on September 25th, 2010 in Maribor; Majda Jecelj, “Ivan Pal
(21.4.1923–23.7.2014),” Večer, August 5th, 2014.
285
