Biography

Uroš Lajovic was born 1944 in Ljubljana. He studied composition and conducting at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, graduating in 1967 and in 1969, respectively. For his outstanding achievements in both fields, he was awarded the 1968 and 1969 Student Prešeren Prize. He continued his studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna with Prof Hans Swarowsky, where he graduated with honors in 1971 and was awarded the Graduating Prize ("Abgangspreis"). In 1968 and 1969, he took part in the Salzburg Summer Academy, studying conducting with Prof Bruno Maderna.

From 1972 to 1991, he was employed in the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, first as Assistant Conductor and since 1978 as Permanent Conductor. In parallel, he led the RTV Slovenia Chamber Orchestra from 1974 to 1976, was Chief Conductor of the Croatian RTV Symphony Orchestra from 1979 to 1981 and in 1988 founded the Slovenicum Chamber Orchestra, with which he organized an independent concert series in Ljubljana for the next twelve years and gave concerts around Slovenia. From 2001 to 2005, he was Chief Conductor of the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2009, he became the Artistic Advisor and Permanent Guest Conductor of the Zagreb Philharmonic. Since autumn 2015 till spring 2017 he was chief conductor of Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra and since 2015 permanent guest conductor of Sofia Philharmonic and Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra (China).

Uroš Lajovic was appointed Professor of Conducting at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna, in 1989, and, in 1991, he was promoted to Full Professor of Conducting. In his conducting class, there have been around 300 students from 58 countries. Since 2011, to 2014, he has been Full Professor of Conducting at the Zagreb Music Academy. He retired from the Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts in 2012. As a visiting professor, he has held conducting master classes in Stockholm (2001), Vilnius (2001), Constanta (2006), Shanghai (2012) Hong Kong (concerts and master classes in the years from 2009–2012) and Dubrovnik (2016). 

In addition to his work, he has conducted orchestras across Europe, the US, Colombia (Bogota), South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China and Japan. During his 40-year career he has given over 1.400 concerts, conducted more than 90 different symphony orchestras and ensembles and accompanied over 900 soloists. 

His repertoire consists of symphonic and opera works. He helped stage 14 operas. In addition to the standard repertoire, he has conducted over 1.500 symphonic works and premiered 80 pieces of music of Slovenian and international composers. 

His work in the field of musicology includes the transcription and publication of Missa Viennensis by Slovenian baroque composer Janez Krstnik Dolar, the editorship of Figaro by Janez Krstnik Novak (stage music for Maticek’s Wedding by Anton Tomaž Linhart), and the revision and publication of Marij Kogoj’s opera Black Masks. 

In November 2013 Uroš Lajovic was awarded The Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture.