Prime Violin
JURY
6th year (2026)
Ewald Danel
He studied the violin and conducting at the Janáček Conservatory in Ostrava and the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava.
After his studies he was Concertmaster of the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Slovak National Theatre Orchestra for two years.
Since 1985 he has been the Concertmaster of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2001 he took over the position of Artistic Leader of the Slovak Chamber Orchestra after its founder Bohdan Warchal.
As a soloist and conductor Mr Danel has performed on the stages of almost all European countries, and Japan, Korea, Brazil, Russia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Panama, USA. In 2008–2014 he was the Principal Guest Conductor of the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra.
Apart from his conducting and solo activities with orchestras and solo recitals he has a wealth of experience in chamber music, mainly as leader of the Slovak Quartet since 1986 and as co-founder of the Slovak Piano Trio since 1987. In 1992–1996 he was Artistic Leader of the Bratislava Chamber Orchestra Cappella Istropolitana. He also cooperates in various chamber ensemble projects at home and abroad.
An important part of his artistic activities is long-term cooperation with amateur and church choirs and music ensembles as conductor, organiser and sacred music composer.
He taught at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava from 1987 – 1998, from 1999 – 2003 and 2007 – 2009 he held the position of Visiting Professor at the Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music in Nagoya in Japan. In 2001 he led masterclasses for professional orchestral musicians at the Affinis Music Festival in Japan. From 2014 he teaches at the Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica.
Myroslava Kotorovych
Myroslava Kotorovych was born in Kyiv into a family of musicians: the legendary Ukrainian violinist Bohodar Kotorovych and harpist Natalia Kmet. She received her higher musical education in her native city.
Myroslava considers her ten years of concert activity with Kremerata Baltica, the chamber orchestra founded by Gidon Kremer, to be her “practical European conservatory.”
At the same time, for twelve years, she was a soloist and Deputy Artistic Director of the National Chamber Ensemble “Kyiv Soloists.”
In 2013, striving to share her own performing experience, the violinist brought together young talented musicians in a creative workshop — the chamber ensemble ARTEHATTA.
Myroslava Kotorovych is an Honored Artist of Ukraine and Associate Professor at the Violin Department of the Ukrainian National Academy of Music. She serves as a jury member at national and international competitions in Ukraine, Switzerland, Serbia, and Croatia. She has also been invited as a guest professor to give masterclasses in Ukraine, Switzerland, Lithuania, and Germany.
Without leaving her professional work in Ukraine, Myroslava Kotorovych is currently temporarily residing with her family in Lithuania, where she continues her active artistic, concert, and teaching activities.
Peter Strenáčik
Peter Strenáčik was born in Lučenec. He studied violin at the Conservatory in Košice in the class of Koloman Takács. After graduation, he continued his studies at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava. His pedagogues were excellent teachers – Ján Skladaný, Jela Špitková and Albín Vrteľ.
After graduation, he joined the State Opera in Banská Bystrica, where he worked for 15 years, mostly as the principal second violin.
At the same time, he taught violin at the Primary Art School of Ján Cikker in Banská Bystrica. In 1992, when the the Conservatory of Ján Levoslav Bella was founded, he accepted a teaching position and he worked there for 25 years as a violin teacher and for a long time as the head of the string department.
He was also at the birth of the Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica, where he lead the Department of Orchestral Instruments for a quarter of a century. Today, many of his students are now active at home and abroad as soloists, chamber players, or orchestral players and they teach at art schools.
Peter Strenáčik is a regular member of expert committees of regional and national violin competitions.
He is the co-founder of the International Violin Competition Prime Violin.