PIANO TRIO ŠKO ŽILINA was established at the end of 2013, since when it has held a series of concerts at various events in Žilina and other Slovak cities. The ensemble also performed at the Slovak Institute in Vienna and performs regularly during the summer season in Switzerland.

Michal DÍRER (1984)
He received his basic music education at the Art School in Nitrianske Pravna. In the years 2000 – 2004 he studied at the conservatory in Žilina in the piano class of Darina Andrejková and from 2004 to 2006 in the piano class of Darina Švárná. In 2011 he graduated from the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava in the class of Ivan Gajan.

Already during his studies, he participated in several regional and national competitions (Ivan Ball Festival, Dezider Kardoš All-Slovak Competition). In 2003 he became a laureate in the 1st category of the Competition of Students of Slovak Conservatories. In the same year he completed the piano courses “Musica arvenzis” in Dolný Kubín under the direction of Petr Čerman. In 2004 he took part in the Franz Schubert International Competition in Jeseník and in the International Piano Courses in Brno under the direction of Jiří Skovajs. In the same year, his first collaboration with Slovak Radio took place within the Youth Study.

In 2010 he collaborated with the Artur Malawski Philharmonic in Rzeszów, Poland. In 2007 and 2008 he completed piano courses under the guidance of Drahomíra Biligová from the Conservatorio dell´Aquila. In 2010, he completed master classes in Rzeszów under the leadership of such personalities as Stefan Kutrzeba, Oxana Rapita, Katarzyna Stankowska, Hubert Rutkowski, Michal Szczepanski and Jerzy Sterczyński. In September 2010, he participated in the international project “Chopin-MOST”, which involved three European cities: Zator in Poland, Berekfürdõ in Hungary and Bojnice in Slovakia. He often collaborates with Slovak Radio.

His cooperation with cultural centers in the Trenčín region is very valuable (regular participation as an accompanist at the “Crystal Vase” 2010 – 2013, member of the jury of the Piano in Modern Rhythm piano competition and the “Studnička” singing competition) brought him the award “Creative Act of the Year and the prize for Culture 2010 “. In 2011, as a composer, he won the Prievidza Sound of the City Competition.

He has been cooperating with ŠKO Žilina since 2006, when he performed the Haydnov Piano Concerto in D major with him under the direction of Karol Kevický. In 2012, together with František Figur under the direction of Juraj Čižmarovič, Little Daneliade presented Giu Kančeli and in 2014 with Michael Berki under the direction of Valentin Doni, Carnival of Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns.

Violinist and violist Miroslav BALOGA (1977)
He received his basic music education from his father and at the Art School in Krompachy with M. Rothmajerová. In the years 1992-1998 he studied at the Žilina Conservatory in the class of Mgr. art. Anton Pohančeník. After graduating from the conservatory, he graduated from the Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica with the renowned teacher prof. Jiří Kratochvíl, a long-time member and founder of the famous Janáček Quartet. In the years 2002-2006 he worked as the first violinist at the State Opera in Banská Bystrica. He has been a member of ŠKO Žilina since 2007, and in 2010-2016 he was the leader of the viola group. As an instrumentalist, in addition to classical music, other musical genres are close to him – folklore, country, jazz, world music.

HHe has hosted and been a member of several ensembles, such as Musica Iuventa Slovaca, Musica Florea, Etnobeat band Družina, band Jánošík zo Svitu, with which he performed at the Slovak National House at the five Olympic Games.
in addition to solo performances, he also teaches at the Conservatory in Žilina.

Michal KVITKOVSKÝ (1970)
P. comes from Košice, where he also studied double bass with Vojtech Velíšek and Tibor Trn at the local conservatory. In 2009 he graduated from the Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica, where he was a student in the class of Ján Krigovský. He has performed in several orchestras and chamber ensembles, from 1990 to 1994 he was a member of the State Philharmonic in Košice, and for several years he collaborated with the Young Bratislava Soloists Orchestra. Since 1994 he has been the first double bass player of ŠKO Žilina. Since 1997, he has also been working in the chamber ensemble Archi di Slovakia, with which he has given a number of concerts at home and abroad (Spain, Germany, Hungary, Canada).