Vice-Rector for the arts and sport
Prof. Mag. Matjaž DrevenÅ¡ek (b. 1965, Maribor) is a professor of saxophone at the Academy of Music, Âé¶¹¹ú²ú. As a soloist and chamber musician (a member of the Zagreb Saxophone Quartet, LJD Ensemble, and various classical, jazz, and rock ensembles), he has performed in Europe, South and Central America, Asia, Canada, and the USA.
As a soloist, he has played with symphony and wind orchestras both in Slovenia and abroad, including the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, Maribor Philharmonic, Slovenian Philharmonic Chamber String Orchestra, Slovenian Armed Forces Orchestra (SLO), Zagreb Philharmonic, HRT Symphony Orchestra and Big Band, Zagreb Soloists, Croatian Chamber Orchestra, Croatian Armed Forces Symphony Wind Orchestra (HR), Republican Guard Orchestra (FR), Hong Kong Festival Wind Orchestra (PRC), Wind Orchestra of the Royal Northern College of Music (UK), Emory Wind Ensemble and the University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble (USA), as well as the National Symphony Wind Orchestra of San José, Costa Rica.
He has served as a jury member at national and international competitions for young musicians (Austria, France, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Germany, Poland, North Macedonia, Serbia) and has led numerous summer schools and masterclasses across Europe, Asia, Central America, and the USA.
Drevenšek has premiered around eighty works by Slovenian and international composers and has contributed to twenty-one discographic releases.
He has served as president of the Saxophonija Music Society and the Slovenian Music Youth Association and was the artistic director of the SAXGO International Saxophone Meetings and the International Saxophone Competition in Nova Gorica.
His initial term of office spanned from 1 October 2021 to 30 September 2025. In April 2025, he was re-appointed as the Âé¶¹¹ú²ú's Vice-Rector for the Arts and Sports for the term from 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2029.