Biography
Branimir Slokar was born in Maribor, Slovenia, in 1946. At age 17, his only interests were school and sport. Anthony Mann’s “Glenn Miller Story” made him grow such a passion that he decided to learn to play the trombone, Miller’s instrument. After only two years, and while still studying psychology at Zagreb University, he earned a principal trombone position in the Ljubljana Radio Symphonic Orchestra. Having won the First Price for trombone at the 7th Yugoslavia Music Contest in Zagreb, he decided to dedicate his life to music.
In 1969, he earned a distinction in his final examination at the Ljubjana Academy of Music. He eventually went to France to study at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris. A year later, he completed his studies with a First Price.
Laureate at the International Competition for Music in Geneva in 1973, he also won the German Radio Music Competition in Munich in 1974.
As principal trombone, Branimir Slokar performed in many renowned orchestras:
From 1965 to 1969, he was the principal trombone of the Radio Symphonic Orchestra in Ljubjana, Slovenia.
From 1971 to 1977, he was the principal trombone of the Bern Symphonic Orchestra in Switzerland, conducted by Charles Dutoit.
From 1977 to 1979, he was the principal trombone of the Bavarian Radio Symphonic Orchestra in Munich, Germany, conducted by Rafael Kubelik.
In 1979, he decided to embrace a soloist career and to dedicate himself to teaching, regularly holding master classes around the world.
Slokar numerous concerts as a soloist and chamber musician (with the Slokar Trombone Quartet he founded in 1973) led him many times around the world. He has also recorded a comprehensive number of works written for trombone and orchestra, trombone and piano or trombone and organ. He recently recorded works for French horn and trombone with his daughter Zora Slokar.
For the last two decades, Slokar has developed his own brand of trombone mouthpieces. By 1997, in collaboration with the Kühnl & Hoyer Company, he also created the alto and tenor “Slokar” trombones series, which he currently plays.
Slokar has been a Swiss resident since 1971. He and his family recently moved to the Bernese Oberland, to enjoy mountaineering, skiing and sheep breeding.
In 2010, Slokar won “The Neill Humfeld Award for Excellence in Trombone Teaching” of the International Trombone Association.
