Sixth Edition

6^th Edition (2021)

Guest Artists

Dominik Fuss - Trumpet (Austria)

Born into a musical family, he discovered his passion for the trumpet at the age of seven after being inspired by Louis Armstrong’s music. He studied at prestigious universities in Vienna, Cologne, and Graz, graduating with honors in both jazz and classical trumpet. Following his studies, he won first prize at the International Jazz Soloist Award “MasterJam Fest” in Ukraine, launching an international performing career. He has released critically acclaimed albums, led innovative ensembles such as the Spittelberg Jazz Orchestra, and co-founded the family band Affair Dreyfuss as well as the Duo Fuss/Leichtfried. His performances have taken him to audiences around the world, collaborating with internationally renowned artists across jazz, classical, and popular music. Alongside his concert career, he is also dedicated to music education, working as a private trumpet teacher and instructor at a music school.

Jorg Leichtfried - Piano (Austria)

Jörg Leichtfried is an Austrian pianist, composer, and educator based in Vienna. He is a lecturer in piano at JAM MUSIC LAB Private University and holds a Master of Arts in Jazz Piano from the Music and Arts Private University of Vienna. Throughout his career, he has received numerous prestigious awards and grants, including the Lower Austrian Cultural Music Award in 2021 and several composition grants from the City of Vienna and Lower Austria. As both a performer and recording artist, he has released acclaimed projects and collaborated with distinguished musicians from across the international jazz scene. His concert career has taken him to renowned festivals and venues throughout Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, establishing him as a versatile and highly respected figure in contemporary jazz.

Busina Brass Quintet - Croatia

Founded in 2007 as part of the Croatian Association of Trombone and Tuba Players – Busina, the Busina Brass Quintet is one of Croatia’s leading brass ensembles. Bringing together award-winning musicians from Croatia, Romania, and Hungary, the ensemble combines outstanding artistry with extensive experience as principal orchestral performers and music educators. Their diverse repertoire spans original brass quintet compositions, classical masterpieces, Renaissance and Baroque arrangements, as well as jazz, blues, film music, and popular works. The quintet has performed extensively across Croatia and internationally in Greece, Turkey, Slovenia, Israel, Georgia, the United Kingdom, Japan, Serbia, and Romania, presenting several world and European premieres. In addition to their concert career, the ensemble regularly collaborates with orchestras, serves as ensemble-in-residence at the Summer Music Academy Vodice, and presents masterclasses worldwide.

Brass Quintet of Kosovo Philharmonic

The Brass Quintet is composed of professional musicians who represent the first generation of brass performers in Kosovo. The ensemble performs a diverse repertoire that combines works from different musical periods with contemporary compositions, creating a dynamic and engaging concert experience. While embracing classical, jazz, and popular music, the quintet places special emphasis on promoting Albanian musical heritage through high-quality performances. In addition to their concert activities, the members are recognized as active promoters of music in public spaces and perform as the Brass Quintet of the Kosovo Security Force. The ensemble has appeared at many of the region’s leading music festivals, including Kosova KamerFest, the International Albanian Brass Festival, Netët e Prishtinës, HAPU Festival, and Kosova Brass Festival, contributing to the development and promotion of classical music in Kosovo and Albania.

Brent Shires

Dr. Brent Shires is an American horn player, educator, and chamber musician who has served as third horn with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra since 2000. He is Professor of Horn at the University of Central Arkansas, where he teaches performance, brass pedagogy, and chamber music while coordinating the university’s brass chamber program. A highly active performer, he is the founding hornist of Pinnacle Brass and regularly appears with orchestras across Arkansas. Dr. Shires holds degrees from the State University of New York at Potsdam, Northern Illinois University, and the University of Illinois, where he earned a Doctor of Musical Arts. He has performed internationally throughout the United States, Europe, Australia, and China, and is widely recognized for his contributions as both a performer and educator.

Terrie Shires

Terrie Shires is an accomplished pianist, collaborative artist, and educator at the University of Central Arkansas, where she teaches class piano and serves as accompanist for the UCA Horn Studio. She has collaborated with numerous internationally recognized horn performers and has been an official accompanist for major events, including the International Horn Competition of America and the International Horn Symposium. In addition to her academic work, she has performed with the Arkansas Repertory Theatre and the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. Terrie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Hanover College and a Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from Northern Illinois University. Her international concert career has taken her to Europe, Asia, and across the United States, alongside appointments at several respected universities and music institutions.

Dr. Gail Robertson

Dr. Gail Robertson is an internationally recognized euphonium artist, educator, composer, and clinician with a distinguished career in performance and music education. She is Associate Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at the University of Central Arkansas, where she also performs with the faculty ensemble Pinnacle Brass. Robertson earned degrees from the University of Central Florida, Indiana University, and Michigan State University, where she was a University Distinguished Fellow. She previously performed for ten years with the renowned Tubafours at Walt Disney World and has taught at several leading universities across the United States. A respected leader in the brass community, she serves as President of the International Tuba and Euphonium Association and has received multiple prestigious awards recognizing her outstanding contributions to performance, research, and music education.

Otto Sauter - Germany

Otto Sauter is an internationally acclaimed German trumpet virtuoso, celebrated for his exceptional performances and contributions to both Baroque and contemporary trumpet repertoire. A former principal trumpet of the Bremen State Philharmonic Orchestra, he founded the Bremen International Trumpet Festival and the Bremen Trumpet Academy, helping to inspire generations of young musicians. Throughout his distinguished career, Sauter has performed at prestigious venues and events worldwide, including concerts for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican, HRH Prince Charles in London, and the China National Symphony Orchestra in Beijing. He has premiered numerous contemporary works, recorded critically acclaimed albums, and collaborated with leading orchestras, conductors, and renowned artists. In addition to his international concert career, he is a respected festival founder, artistic director, and advocate for music education.

Albanian Brass Quintet & Percussion

Albanian Brass Quintet & Percussion This ensemble has been created since 2007 by 6 friends. The constituent artists of this ensemble are well-known names in the field of music and very important for the institutions where they work, such as: the National Opera and Ballet Theater and the Symphony Orchestra of the Albanian Radio Television. This ensemble has been part of numerous ceremonies and concerts at home and abroad. Artists being very compact with each other, have become the inspiration for different composers who have written or brought back numerous works in a very special approach. Their success also consists thanks to a very diverse and attractive repertoire, which aims to bring the public closer to art but also to promote Albanian music.

Albanian Brass

It is created by famous artists in Albanian. They are very important at the respective Institution where they develop their artistic activity like in: National Opera House Orchestra, Radio Television Orchestra, Pedagogues at University of Arts, Army Orchestra. They reason why they create these ensemble is to unify the Brass Clasess in Albania, to increase the artistic level in general and also to give to the public a profesional inerpretation sharing Albanian and foreing music acros the world.

Gianmario Strappati - italy

Born in Ancona, he gives concerts as a soloist, in chamber ensembles and orchestras. He has recorded for Rai, Radio Vatican, Sky Classic, recorded for the record company Concert-Music Media and published by the publishing house Academy. As a soloist he has performed under the baton of Maestro Leonardo Quadrini accompanied by the Symphony Orchestra of Bacau, the Bulgarian National Symphony Orchestra, Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra (Russia, Udmurtia), from the Campania Chamber Orchestra and lately by State Philharmonic Orchestra of Vidin in Bulgaria. He has given recitals in Spain, Germany, Bulgaria and Slovakia. He was the first tuba player to win the prestigious Price “Nino Rota”, 2015 previously attributed to artists like K. Ricciarelli and J.Horowitz.

Hrvoje Pintaric - CROATIA

Hrvoje Pintarić is a distinguished Croatian horn player with an extensive career as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral performer. A graduate of the Zagreb Music Academy, he continued his studies in Prague under the renowned horn player Zdeněk Tylšar. After serving as Principal Horn of the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra, where he frequently appeared as a soloist, he joined the Croatian National Opera Orchestra in 2004 as Associate Principal Horn. A founding member of the acclaimed Simply Brass Quintet, Hrvoje has performed throughout Europe, North America, and the Balkans, appearing in prestigious venues including New York’s Lincoln Center. Alongside his international performing career, he is recognized for his dedication to chamber music and is an official Dieter Otto Horns performing artist.