“Maja was our spiritual connection to central (eastern) Europe and her flair, vim and mysteriousness is now a part of the ACO’s DNA. She will be missed.” - Artistic Director Richard Tognetti
ACO Violin Maja Savnik has been a member of the Australian Chamber Orchestra since 2015.
She met Artistic Director Richard Tognetti at the Maribor Festival in her homeland, Slovenia, and soon, as Richard himself puts it, "gave a stunning audition and got the job" as a violinist in the ACO.
Performing, touring and sharing life with members of the ACO, Maja has picked up wonderful memories over the past nine years. In addition to performing in the ACO's mainstage concerts across the country and abroad, Maja has also brought her extraordinary musicianship to the ACO Families shows, our collaboration with Group Homes Australia and Dementia Australia To Whom I May Concern and even to a very special episode of Play School!
Now, as she returns to Europe with her young family, we say a very fond farewell.
“The red headed wonder approached me after a rehearsal with the Slovene Philharmonic in our beloved Maribor Festival. Her curiosity and earnest desire to travel all the way to Sydney to join the ACO was beguiling.
And then she turned up. Gave a stunning audition and got the job.
Maja was our spiritual connection to central (eastern) Europe and her flair, vim and mysteriousness is now a part of the ACO’s DNA.
She will be missed.”
- Richard Tognetti, Artistic Director
“I will miss your beautiful playing, your integrity, your passionate musicianship, infectious humour, wide smile and deep friendship so much. Wishing you love and luck for your next adventures in life and music.” - ACO Cello Melissa Barnard
“One of my happiest memories with Maja is probably queuing up under pouring rain to the Westminster Abbey on our free day in London during one of the Barbican residencies.” - ACO Violin Ilya Isakovich
Maja Savnik with ACO Violin Ilya Isakovich.
Maja and her ACO colleagues on the set of ABC’s Play School.
“I will miss your beautiful playing, your integrity, your passionate musicianship, infectious humour, wide smile and deep friendship so much. Wishing you love and luck for your next adventures in life and music.
So many good memories of Peruvian margaritas (and cosy tea breaks) with you in London, exploring Tokyo, hanging out in Santa Monica and San Fran, our long walks traversing Manhattan…. but most of all just seeing you in rehearsals and onstage - as my musical family.
Safe journeys, I’ll miss you.”
- ACO Cello Melissa Barnard
“I've got many great memories from the last nine years with Maja. But one of the happiest is probably queuing up under pouring rain to the Westminster Abbey on our free day in London during one of the Barbican residencies.
As both of us were born in Eastern Europe, the joy of coming back to the old continent and spending a free day together sightseeing and shopping in one of the best cities in the world wasn’t marred by any bad weather!”
- ACO Violin Ilya Isakovich
None of us will forget Maja's unforgettable Barbie TM Homecast:
Photos: Supplied / Charlie Kinross
