In the standard festival slot of 9 PM, “Ohrid Summer” will host a concert at the Church of “Saint Sophia” featuring Austrian double bassist Dominik Wagner and Serbian-Austrian pianist Sofija Palurović.
Born in 1997 in Vienna, Dominik Wagner is dedicated to bringing the double bass out of the shadow of the cello and showcasing the individual possibilities of this deepest instrument in the string family. He succeeds in his endeavor not only with his stage presence but also with impressive virtuosity, lyrical melodiousness, and continuous efforts to expand the double bass repertoire through commissioning new works, transcriptions of existing compositions, and research for rare pieces. Along with his father, composer Wolfram Wagner, he has transcribed a portion of Dvořák’s cello concerto into a concert piece for double bass, which premiered last year in Lucerne.
He has performed with renowned orchestras and ensembles such as “Camerata Salzburg,” the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the WDR Symphony Orchestra, the German Chamber Philharmonic of Bremen, and in concert halls in New York (Carnegie Hall), Berlin (Konzerthaus), Vienna (Musikverein and Konzerthaus), Munich (Hercules Hall), and Hamburg (Elbphilharmonie). He collaborates with the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra as a young artist and regularly performs in the USA, giving recitals, chamber concerts, and seminars. In 2021, Dominik Wagner released his first CD titled “Giovanni Bottesini – Revolution of the Bass,” and in 2023, he released his second audio CD with Lauma Skride titled “Chapters – A Story for Double Bass.” This album, along with concerts associated with its promotion, includes works from Bach and Schubert to Piazzolla and Mancini, thus presenting Wagner’s entire artistic range. He is also an active chamber musician, constantly seeking new sound expressions, resulting in his duo partnership with jazz bassist Georg Breinschmid and his clarinet trio with Sebastian Manz and Danae Dörken.
Sofija Palurović began studying piano at the age of eight with Tatjana Vukmanović in Novi Sad, Serbia. After completing her education at the specialized music school “Isidor Bajić” in Novi Sad, she moved to Vienna, where she studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts under Stefan Vladar, and completed her master’s degree under Prof. Jasmina Stančul. During her studies, she achieved successes at national and international competitions: first prize at the International Piano Competition in Belgrade, first prize at the “Piano Talents” competition in Milan (Italy), and first prize at the “Davorin Jenko” competition in Belgrade. Additionally, she won awards as a chamber musician with the “Spirito Dinamico” trio (flute, violin, and piano). In recent years, she has performed in prestigious concert halls in Europe, such as “Bruckner House” in Linz, “Beethoven House” in Bonn, and the City Hall in Novi Sad. She is involved in various multidisciplinary projects, including the premiere of the version of “The Man from Midian” for two pianos and contemporary dance. Sofija continues to develop by participating in seminars with renowned pianists and educators such as Angela Hewitt, Jacques Rouvier, Ian Jones, and others.
