Ivo Petrić (Ljubljana, Slovenija, 1931) studied composition, conducting and oboe at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana. With his colleagues he founded a composer’s group, Pro Musica Viva, which was very active in organising concerts of their own music as well as that of other avant-garde composers. In 1961 he became the artistic leader of the important Slavko Osterc Chamber Ensemble with which, in the years 1962-82 he toured throughout Europe, premiering 130 new works written for the ensemble (including a number of Petrić’s compositions). For leading the Slavko Osterc Ensemble, in 1971 Petrić won the Prešeren Foundation Award. He has won many other awards in ex-Yugoslavia and abroad (Poland, USA, Spain, etc.)

The list of his compositions includes chamber works, solo pieces for piano, violin, guitar, harp, and various woodwind instruments, as well as symphonic works and concertos. At first, his music was influenced by neoclassicism. By the use of aleatoric techniques he began to write in a more avant- garde style, which reached its climax with Quatuor 1969 for string quartet and the Violin Concerto (Trois images) of 1973. After many aleatoric compositions he returned to more traditional writing, and created some “nationally-inspired” works: Gallus Metamorphoses (1992), The Song of Life (1995), Four Seasons after Grohar’s Paintings (1995) and Grohar’s Impressions (1998). During his latest period he has also written many chamber works. In his long active life as a composer, Ivo Petrić has shared his music with many prominent musicians and ensembles (the Osaka Philharmonic, Polish National Philharmonic, Das Dresdner Kammerorchester, Zagreb Soloists, Het Nederlands Kamerorkest, Czech Nonet, Zagreb String Quartet, the Wilanow Quartet, the Talich Quartet, etc). Petrić has been intensely active in the musical life of his country – for many years he was secretary of the Composers’ Society and Editor-in-Chief of their Publishing House. From 1979 to 1995 he was Artistic Director of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra. He has written many articles, commentaries and essays on contemporary music. The Slovenian Philharmonic celebrated its 100th Anniversary and nominated Ivo Petrić as an Honorary Member on January 13, 2008.