Summary: Lev Pupis is a Slovenian saxophonist, teacher at the Conservatory in Ljubljana and is a senior lecturer at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, Austria. After a brilliant graduation in 1998 at the University of Music in Vienna, he studied saxophone in France with Jean-Yves Fourmeau and Vincent David.<br> <br> Lev is a multifaceted and versatile artist. He plays both as a soloist and as co-founder of the 4saxess quartet. He is the artistic director of Emona Music Festival, the international woodwind competition and runs the internationally recognised AS Festival each year in the scenic town of Bled, Slovenia.<br> <br> He has performed as soloist with orchestras in Graz, Ljubljana, Maribor, Belgrade, and Vienna and since 2015 he has been an elected member of the International Saxophone Committee.<br> <br> In this episode, you will hear: why starting saxophone was a coincidence - why nobody liked to hear Lev’s performances with piano - Not a typical education for a classical saxophonist - Practising like hell in early years. - Studying abroad is an essential step.<br> Curiosity led to Gap, the European saxophone summer university. - In Gap, I learned was that I’m a nobody. We have to leave the nest to really grow up. - Respect is my secret weapon. - Is the saxophone a tool or a toy? - Our country is very, very, very small, but the sax community is big. - Thoughts on memorisation. - The romantic style is my most natural language of expression. - Opportunity and intuition, they are my kind of words. - Be brave. - If we share music, not just show music, then we can really go far. - An obligation to leave a trace on the saxophone world. - The Slovenian saxophone school is recognised throughout the world. - The importance of collaboration. - If we don’t understand the mistake, that is the mistake. - Never think that you are the best. - The saxophone is really the instrument of the future, and its time is still to come.
