Fujara and organ. Two instruments, two worlds, one church. The Piarist Church of St. Francis Xavier in Trenčín will host world premieres of pieces created on the boundary between folk music and experimental improvisation.
Fujarist and composer Michaela Antalová and organist and improviser Štefan Szabó draw on both the possibilities and the constraints of the mechanical organ from 1893 – and deliberately work with sounds we usually try to overlook: the breathing of organ pipes, rhythmic creaking, the silence between notes. Their collaboration began with a residency and concert at the Hviezdne noci 2025 festival, where they performed in a trio with singer Adela Mede. Now they arrive with new pieces written specifically for this space.
Michaela Antalová is a Slovak fujarist, drummer and composer living in Oslo, Norway. She is the founder of the experimental indie band Mikoo and her works have been performed by ensembles such as Ensemble Modern and Orkester Berg. Her work combines folk music, experimental music and jazz.
Štefan Szabó is from Rimavská Sobota and works as a composer, improviser and curator. He has released the organ album Clouds and Pulses, has curated the music programme of the N:EAR festival for five years and collaborates in ensembles dedicated to improvised and folk music.
