Tomaz Zevnik

Slovenian clarinetist Tomaz Zevnik is known for his versatility across many genres, and performs in a colourful selection of projects, such as ethno ensemble Gugutke, contemporary music theater ensemble Synesthetic project (Vienna), and swing band Pickpocket Swingers.

He is a regular guest with jazz-fusion project Mimika Orchestra in Croatia and also performs with clarinet quartet Klarinetkanje, Slovenian performer and composer Janez Dovc and with Slovenian songwriter Robert Petan.

He also joined Big Band Grosuplje at International Nisville Jazz Festival where he performed Duke Ellington’s Far East Suite.

In addition to collaborating with various ensembles, Tomaz often works with composers such as Ana Zlobko (SLO), Jaka Pucihar (SLO), Mak Murtic (CRO), Janez Dovc (SLO) and Aldo Kumar (SLO).

In 2022, he appeared as a guest soloist on Mak Murtic’s jazz-fusion album from Mimika Orchestra Altur Mur, which has received international acclaim and praise.

He premiered Ana Zlobko’s Jazz Concert for Clarinet and Orchestra (2018) with Wind Orchestra Academy of Music Ljubljana in Slovenian Philharmonic Hall, the first Slovenian concerto of this genre written for solo clarinet accompanied by a wind orchestra.

In 2020, Tomaz joined ethno ensemble Gugutke, a musically vibrant quintet which draws its repertoire from folkloric tunes from the balkan regions fused with each member's improvisation skills. They regularly perform on the National television and radio (RTV) and on festival stages throughout the country and abroad.

Tomaz is also a member of Synesthetic project, an interdisciplinary artist collective led by the Vienna-based flutist Nika Bauman composed of artists from South and Central America, Europe and Asia. Through a series of collaborations with dancers, visual and multimedia artists, the project explores the concepts of diversity, understanding, tolerance and communication.

He is one of the founding members of the Pickpocket Swingers, a swing band that has been active since 2016 and accompanies swing dancers across European festivals.

As a soloist, Tomaz is a First prize winner in national (TEMSIG) and international competitions in Italy and Serbia. As a chamber musician, he won First prize at Svirel International Competition.

In August 2023 he was a mentor at a clarinet master class Klarinetkanje alongside a world-renowned clarinet soloist Mate Bekavac and Matic Kuder (E-flat clarinetist with the Berlin Philharmonic). At the end of the master class Tomaz performed two solo pieces as both soloist and conductor with a clarinet choir composed by academy professors and students.

In the same month he led an improvisation workshop in a youth symphony orchestra in Ljubljana under the direction of Ziva Ploj Persuh.

Tomaz holds a Master's Degree in clarinet performance from Academy of Music in Ljubljana, where he studied with Slavko Goricar. His mentors also include Igor Pozar, Alojz Zupan, Andrej Zupan, Ales Kacjan, Tomaz Lorenz and Primoz Fleischman.

Tomaz currently serves as clarinet professor in Moste (Ljubljana).

Photo credit: Rok Suster