masharik is a four-member band from Bled, which has been active since 2018. Their music intertwines blues rock with elements of psychedelia, and a touch of soul is added by the specific, sensitive vocals of Maša Bogataj, who with her feminine rock'n'roll energy also perfectly controls the electric guitar. She is supported vocally by Luka Zemljič on keyboards, organ and backing vocals, Bojan Marinko on drums and Jaka Pogačar on bass guitar.

Soon after moving to the Slovenian capital in 2016, Maša fell head over heels into the vortex of the local alternative music scene. Surrounded by like-minded individuals, she soon started discovering new music and playing records with friends. After tipping her toes into djing at Ljubljana’s Pritličje bar and Monokel club, she gained local recognition, attaining her residency at the K4 club in Ljubljana and playing international club and festival shows in Germany, Austria, France, Croatia and Portugal. She is a core member of the crew behind the Run to the Forest event series.

MATCH! is a hard ‘n’ heavy band from the Pomurje region. The group’s origins date back to early 2019, while the current lineup was solidified in 2021. In November 2022, they released their debut album! MATCH! is a blend of heavy rock and alternative, or as they like to say: Big choruses with heavy-hitting riffs!

Highly esteemed clarinet player Mate Bekavac has carved out an illustrious international career.

Matej Bonin, born in 1986 in Koper, graduated under the mentorship of prof. Uroš Rojko at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana. He continued his studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz under the mentorship of prof. Beat Furrer. He regularly collaborates with internationally renowned soloists and ensembles. Collaborations with dance choreographers also play an important role in his work.

One of the youngest Slovenian composers Matej Kastelic (b. 1994) is currently finishing his Master’s degree at Academy for Music in Ljubljana. He composes mainly choral music, though he was writing music for the theatre in the last year. His musical language is very penetrating, exposing the highlights of the lyrics, which he chooses very attentively. However young, Kastelic’s music has already been performed worldwide – at festivals and competitions of choral music.

Born in 1975 in Maribor, Slovenia (EU), Matej Krajnc holds a master’s degree in comparative literature. He published his first book in 1988 and started combining poetry and music into a singer-songwriter routine in 1992. He writes his English-language material under the pseudonym of Matt Kaye and records in English as Matej Krajnc, Matt Kaye and Blind Boy Spectacles (gospel and blues standards).

Matic Kuder felt drawn to the clarinet even as a small child. Mainly because he had two great role models in his family: his cousin and his uncle. It was his uncle who gave the Slovenian-born musician his first clarinet lessons. He later studied in Ljubljana at the Conservatory of Music and Ballet with Dusan Sodja, and at the Academy of Music, as well as at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, with Gerald Pachinger. He also studied at the Nuremberg University of Music with Thomas Holzmann. He participated in numerous masterclasses, including with Mate Bekavac, Wenzel Fuchs, Francois Benda, Paolo Beltramini and Hari Mäkki. He gained his first orchestral experience as a member of the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra. The positive experiences he had there played a major role in Matic Kuder's decision to become an orchestral musician. The prize-winner of several international competitions began his career as a solo clarinetist in the Nürnberg Symphony Orchestra in 2017 and four years later transferred to the Berlin Philharmonic.

Violinist, composer, and arranger Matija Krečič completed his violin and composition studies in Klagenfurt in 2015. He collaborates with Magnifico, Tomaž Hostnik, and Momento Cigana and has worked with Terrafolk, Tango Story, and others. He writes music for film and theater and arranged Magnifico’s music for Montevideo, See You!. He won two Popevka awards (2018, 2023) and Best Original Score (2021) for Inventura at the Slovenian Film Festival.

Soloist and chamber musician Matjaž Bogataj has built a distinguished international career. He currently holds the post of the leader of the second violins in the Bavarian State Orchestra.