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SUMMER TIME MUSIC

In 2025 we are planning introductory workshops at Conservatory of Žilina and Christian conservatory of Bratislava to get in closer touch with music students in Slovakia.


Summer Time Music will take place from 3rd to 8th August 2025 in Hotel Orava, Srňacie, Dolný Kubín, Slovakia. During this week, there will be a Lecturers' concert on August 5th at the Orava Gallery and a Students' concert on August 7th at the main square (P. O. Hviezdoslava) of Dolný Kubín, Slovakia.

Project

Introduction

Summer Time Music (STM) is an intensive interpretation course, where both individual lessons and group practice support each other in student‘s individual growth. The value of this school is its individual approach to the student – everyone attends 5 private classes with their teacher during the week. As a result, the number of students is limited to 4-5 per teacher (/within discipline) and hence the participants create a small, interactive group.

The focus is kept on musicianship at its core, where lecturers lead their students to an in-depth perception of music as a living organism consisting of numerous coexisting elements. The first STM took part in 2020 in Dolný Kubín (Slovakia) and immediately established itself as a place outside of ordinary life (and mobile signal) in the middle of nature, with nothing but music to make up a fantastic week of practice, precious encounters, and humanity.

STM Structure

Individual lessons created according to the student's needs and abilities.

Band rehearsals supervised by a dedicated educator. Lecturers prepare their students for the concert, where they apply newly gained skills and perceptions. The students are led to work as a group, listen to others and find their own place in a complex musical ecosystem.

Workshops about various topics important for musicians nowadays (e.g. PR, production, konnakol, work with looper...).

Jam sessions for fun practice in a loose setting.

Schedule of the week

Sunday – arrival, introductions
Monday – regular intensive day
Tuesday – concert of lecturers
Wednesday – regular intensive day, barbecue
Thursday – concert of students
Friday – wrap up, farewell

Pdf brochure 2025 for download

Lecturers 2025

Ring Ring
Lenka Dusilová

Lenka Dusilová (CZ)

vocals, songwriting

9 times „Anděl“ (Awards of Czech Music Academy) winner in different categories (Female singer of the year, Song of the year, Album of the year). Since the beginning of her career, she has developed her artistic expression in many musical styles and ways of expressing her voice. From folk, through rock and pop to musical freedom while receiving impulses from very diverse styles and non-musical experiences.

During her career she has cooperated with David Koller (band Pusa) and music band Lucie, music band Čechomor, Beáta Hlavenková and Clarinet Factory, Václav Neckář etc.

Robert Balzar

Robert Balzar (CZ)

double bass, bass guitar

Robert Balzar is one of the most pronounced instrumental players in Central Europe. In the 80s, he played in the Orchestra of Czechoslovak Television. In the 90s, he became a member of the band accompanying Hana Hegerová. He started his own Robert Balzar Trio in 1996 and two years later joined the emerging funk band J.A.R. His ever bursting creativity can be observed in his brand new project Around the Bass.

Lately, he mostly performs alongside Dan Bárta – both as a band member of Illustratosphere and as a leader in Dan Bárta and Robert Balzar Trio. Over his career, he also collaborated with musicians such as: Kurt Elling, Joe Newman, Wynton Marsalis, John Abercrombie, Hal Galper, Benny Bailey, etc.

On top of his concert activities, he also composes and teaches at the International Conservatory of Prague.

Ján Kopčák

Ján Kopčák (SK)

ensembles

Already during his artistic studies (Žilina Conservatory and Kunstuniversität Graz) he was one of the most successful students and received several awards and scholarships (2008 - 1st place at the Slovak Conservatory Competition, in the second category Classical saxophone, 2009 City of Graz scholarship, 2010 Landwirtschaftskammer Graz scholarship, 2011 Scholarship Kunstuniversität Graz). After a year in US and several Asian countries, he settled in Košice, where he works as a teacher at the Košice Timonov Conservatory.

Ján is a versatile musician with a focus on experimental, jazz and commercial music. He plays on several wind instruments - soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet and duduk.

Thanks to this, he is able to apply himself versatilely, either in his own projects (Zen Saxophone, KeJazz4), or in projects for which he is invited as a guest (Marián Čekovský, Peter Lipa, I.M.T. Smile, Peter Nagy, Jozef Hollý, Papyllon, Eniesa, ZVA 12 -28 Band...).

Over the years he has been involved in various groups, developing a sense for playing in various musical situations and genres. He has been leading Pop and Jazz bands and subjects at the conservatory for many years.

Bernard Maseli

Bernard Maseli (PL)

vibraphone

Undoubtedly the most famous vibraphonist in Poland. He is also a composer, arranger, music producer and recognized teacher. He graduated from the Faculty of Jazz and Popular Music at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, where he has been teaching since 1990. In 2017, he received the highest professorship from the hands of the president.

He started his career as a member of the opening band on the last European tour of Miles Davis. He founded his first original project – The Globetrotters – together with saxophonist Jerzy Glówczewski and singer Kuba Badach.

Bernard traveled the world in guitarist Dean Brown's band, but played with many other world-famous musicians. We can currently experience him on stage, for example, in his original project MaBaSo (Maseli-Baranski-Šoltis), as well as in the popular Polish group Lady Pank.

Daniel Šoltis

Daniel Šoltis (SK)

drums

Thanks to his energetic, flexible and yet sensitive drumming style, he is one of the most sought-after drummers on the European music scene. He has been living in Prague since 1999, where he studied at the J. Ježka Conservatory and the Voš College with a jazz focus. In 2012, he completed his master's degree at the prestigious Jazz Academy in Katowice (PL).

He is a founding member of the award-winning Czech-Slovak jazz group Vertigo, the international music group ''MaBaSo'' (Maseli-Baranski-Šoltis), whose leader is the respected Polish vibraphonist Bernard Maseli. He is also a member of the legendary Czech band -123minut.

He collaborated with many other personalities of the domestic and foreign music scene: Arturo Sandoval, Linley Marthe, Erik Truffaz, Ivan Tásler, Jana Kirschner, Vince Mendosa, Ingrid Jensen, Ed Partyka, Ben Wendel, Yvonne Sanchez, Marta Kubišová, Peter Lipa and many others. In addition to his concert activities, he works as a teacher at the J. Ježek Conservatory and the Music Academy in Prague.

Daniel Špiner

Daniel Špiner (SK)

piano

He was born in Levoča (SK), studied at Conservatory of Košice and later musical college with a specialisation in classical music. Then he widened his portfolio with a four-year degree of jazz music, improvisation and jazz interpretation. Presently he tours with various ensembles and composes his own music.

His primary music partner is a Slovak singer Katka Koščová. He has accompanied her since 2006, and he has co-authored most of her albums, including „Krehkosť“ (Fragility), which received a special jury award at Radio_head Awards in folk category in 2023. Other partnerships include tours with Katka Knechtová and Sima Magušinová (both since 2016). Since 2022 he has worked with an amazing Ukrainian singer Mila Medvedovska. He also collaborated with names like Andrej Šeban, Martin Geišberg, Nerez, No name, Henry Toth, SĽUK...

Daniel also collaborates with various theatres across Europe, mainly Slovakia, Czech Republic and Germany. His portfolio includes puppet shows, drama and musicals, with 38 different performances to date. He acts not only as an author, composer and pianist, but also as an accordion player.

Workshops

Ring Ring
Ľubomír Mazák

Ľubomír Mazák

Recording a mastering

Sunday 2:00 PM, Holiday Park Orava, Srňacie 

My journey in the music industry began in 2011 after spending a lot of time touring with various bands. During this period, I developed a passion for songwriting, production, and sound itself, which ultimately led me to a career as a music producer.

I collaborate with leading artists in Slovakia under Randal Group Production and RITA Studio, where I've been able to showcase my skills as a producer and mixing engineer. I'm proud to say that I work on approximately 100 tracks annually with 30 different international artists. Currently, I have over 37 million streams online and regular airplay on Slovak and Czech radio.

Today, I primarily focus on working as a mixing engineer in stereo format, as well as in the increasingly popular Dolby Atmos.

Kristína Buľáková

Kristína Buľáková, Ph.D.

Ergonomics in Harmony with Music

Monday 2:00 PM, Holiday Park Orava, Srňacie 

I am a physiotherapist, fascinated by the beauty of movement and the wisdom of the human body. I love art not only as a spectator but also in my daily work – because I believe the body is also an artistic instrument available to us all.

My passion is finding the balance between the function and aesthetics of movement, and helping people create with their bodies—without pain.

Kornel Fekete-Kovács

Kornel Fekete–Kovács

Composer, Arranger, and Trumpet Player

Tuesday, 2:00 PM, Holiday Park Orava, Srňacie

Kornel Fekete-Kovács is a Budapest based composer, arranger and trumpet player. He graduated at the Jazz Department of the Ferenc Liszt Music Academy. He is in great demand as a musician, and has worked on albums as a soloist or a session musician. As a composer and arranger he is very present in the contemporary classical and jazz music scene in Hungary and abroad. He is the founder of the Budapest Jazz Orchestra, where from 1998 to 2005 he was artistic director and soloist. Since 2005 he has been the leader of the Modern Art Orchestra and in 2006 he established the Fekete-Kovács Quintet.

Silvia Kaščáková

Silvia Kaščáková

Poet, translator, lyricist

Wednesday, 2:00 PM, Holiday Park Orava, Srňacie

Currently, over 100 of her song lyrics (Slovak/Czech) have been set to music. She writes pop, chanson, gospel, classical music, and even children's opera. She collaborates with several musicians, including K. Koščová, K. Knechtová, K. Šoralová, M. Medvedovska, Komajota, Kandráčovci, Š. Štec, R. Balzar, Nerez, and others. 

Since 2023, she has been writing song lyrics for the TV show "Čekyho hudobný labák" (Čeky's Music Lab), aimed at young viewers, featuring artists like Desmod, Kristína, Celeste Buckingham, Hex, Tina, and others.

She re-penned the song lyrics for the acclaimed film "When Life Tastes Good" (Czech Republic - Slovakia - France, 2024), which was nominated for an EFA 2024. She has published poetry collections "Kŕmiť leva" (Feeding the Lion, 2015) and "Rakúsky domov dôchodcov" (Austrian Retirement Home, 2023). Her translations include W. Szymborska's books "Veľké číslo" (A Great Number, 2016) and "Soľ" (Salt, 2019).

In 2023, her translation of a selection from the poetic works of Polish poet M. B. Kielar, "Pokrvný strom" (Blood Tree), was published. Her first children's book, "Ako Paľko Dobšinský zbiera rozprávky" (How Paľko Dobšinský Collects Fairy Tales, 2022), is a story in verse.

She has translated over fifty books for children from Polish. In collaboration with Jana Juhásová, she published the poetry guide "Slovníček z básničiek" (Little Dictionary of Poems, 2023), which received several awards and was among the top twenty nominees in the "Most Beautiful Books of Slovakia 2023" competition. 

Her latest collection for children is titled "Osem miliárd básní" (Eight Billion Poems, 2024). She occasionally prepares scripts for Slovak Radio programs focusing on poetry, essays, and other literary forms.

Organisers

CircleTaika Lorencová

Taika Lorencová

In projects she created, she merges her two life delights and passions - psychology and the world of art. She loves supporting people in their growth and expanding their own potential. These were some of the reasons why, already while on university, she organised the European summer school for psychology students on the topic “Psychology of art”. Since then she has been specialising in mindfulness and neuropsychology. She replenishes her energy and life joy through spending time with artists and submerged in art.

CircleSaša Pastorková

Saša Pastorková

Her passion in music and she decided to bring as much of it as she can to the general public. She represents a variety of musicians, while also organising numerous concerts and festivals across Slovakia. She gains experience by attending international events for music professionals. WOMEX, European Jazz Conference, Jazzahead, Mercat de Música Viva de Vic - these are just examples of events, where she hunts for new talents and brings them to Slovakia, all the while she fosters international collaborations and presents Slovak artists abroad.

CircleJanko Šimko

Janko Šimko

He appeared at this summer school as a random and innocent attendee, but its personality and execution engaged him so much, that he became one of the organisers. His life can be divided into three segments: musician, circus performer and artistic manager.

Application

First wave of participants is selected directly from partner institutions:

From 1st of March, we will start processing the second wave of applications from general public.

 

Registration form for the year 2025
Register now

Concerts

05.08.2025
in 4 days
Lecturers

5th of August 2025

19:00 / Orava Gallery, County House (Dolný Kubín)

buy a ticket
07.08.2025
in 6 days
Students' Concert

7th of August 2025

19:00 / P. O. Hviezdoslav square (Dolný Kubín, Slovakia)

Entrance fee voluntary

Sponsors

BIG THANKS TO OUR
PARTNERS, ORGANIZERS AND SPONSORS

MAJOR PARTNER

The project is co-financed by the Governments of the Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.

ORGANISERS

SPONSORS