Lovro Mercep
Lovro Merčep (born in Zagreb in 1990) studied saxophone at the Zagreb Academy of Music with Dragan Sremec, then continued his studies at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Lyon with Jean-Denis Michat, at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Versailles with Vincent David and at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with Arno Bornkamp.
During his studies, he received scholarships from the city of Samobor, the Adris Foundation and the French government, and was awarded prizes by the rector and dean of the University of Zagreb, the plaque of the city of Samobor, and was one of the winners of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra's Young Musician of the Year award for his artistic achievements in 2016.
As a chamber musician, he has performed at festivals and concerts in Croatia and abroad, while giving remarkable concerts as a soloist with the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, the Croatian Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra, the Zagreb Soloists, the Slovenian Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra, the Slovenian Philharmonic String Chamber Orchestra, the Croatian Chamber Orchestra and the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra, conducted respectively by Tomislav Fačini, Uroš Lajovic, Berislav Šipuš, En Shao, Elisabeth Fuchs, Stefano Mazzoleni and Ivan Hut.
Lovro Mercep is a winner of numerous national and international competitions, including the 7th International Saxophone Competition in Nova Gorica (Slovenia), the European Saxophone Competition in Gap (France) and the 1st Josip Nochta International Saxophone Competition in Zagreb (Croatia).
He pays particular attention to promoting the musical works of Croatian composers, which he presents both in Croatia and abroad. At the 66th Dubrovnik Summer Festival, he premiered Ivan Končić's Concerto for Saxophone and String Orchestra, while at the 30th Zagreb Music Biennale, he premiered Davorin Kempf's Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Strings.
During the 68th concert season of the Zagreb Soloists, he premiered the composition Praskozorje by Bosnian composer David Mastikosa, a recording of which was released by the Dutch publishing house Donemus. Gordan Tudor, Sara Glojnarić, Ana Horvat and Sanda Majurec have also dedicated compositions to him.
He is a member of the Ardemus Quartet, with which he has given a series of successful concerts in Europe, performing in venues such as the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Bozar in Brussels, the Tonhalle in Zurich, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and the Konzerthaus in Berlin. The Ardemus Quartet won the audience prize at the Grachtenfestival Competition 2016 and, in September of the same year, the 13th Ferdo Livadić International Competition for Young Musical Artists in Samobor. As one of the four finalists in the prestigious Dutch Classical Talent Tour & Award 2018-2019, they had the opportunity to tour the most important concert halls in the Netherlands.
He is a saxophone teacher at the Elly Bašić Music School in Zagreb and, starting in the 2024-2025 academic year, he has been elected to the position of assistant professor of saxophone at the Academy of Music in Zagreb. He has given saxophone master classes in Croatia, Spain (Conservatorio Superior de Música de Jaén), the United States (Stephen F. Austin State University) and Singapore (Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts). He also teaches at the Young Masters International Summer School for young musicians in Samobor.
In 2024, he released his first solo CD, Dubrovnik Encounters, with the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra, published by Cantus, which includes concertos for saxophone and string orchestra by Croatian composers.
Photo credit: Matej Grgic
