Award-Winning Composer Lenja Plajnšek on the Inspiration Behind Concerto for Chromatic Accordion and Orchestra
- WOMCO
- 5h
- 6 min read
Young composer Lenja Plajnšek from Slovenia won the Gold Prize and the Creative Innovation Special Award for her composition Concerto for Chromatic Accordion and Orchestra at the Francesca Lebrun International Music Competition, 2025 Season 3 (10 June – 10 September 2025), with the results announced in October 2025. Following her remarkable achievements, we spoke with Lenja Plajnšek about the creative process behind Concerto for Chromatic Accordion and Orchestra and her experiences in composition.
What was your creative process like while composing Concerto for Concerto for Chromatic accordion and Orchestra?
Lenja Plajnšek:
"My award-winning composition Concerto for Chromatic Accordion and Orchestra was composed very quickly, as I had strong inspiration and a clear concept of the sound I wanted to achieve. The piece was completed in just over a month. At the very beginning, I conceived a short motif that reappears several times throughout the composition. Then I created a short draft of the piece and began writing for all instruments simultaneously, aiming for the timbres of the different sections to naturally intertwine and support the solo instrument.
In terms of structure, I wanted to maintain a balance between the virtuosity of the soloist and the richness of the orchestra. The dynamics of the piece follow the dramaturgy of an inner dialogue between the accordion and the orchestra – from intimate, almost chamber-like moments to powerful, orchestral outbursts. The orchestra plays a very important role in this concerto, as its sound colors support the accordion, whose tone is by nature somewhat more stable and uniform.
The concerto weaves together a variety of compositional styles, ranging from Impressionism to more contemporary 21st-century techniques. The beginning is very mysterious, while the ending resembles a big bang – a conclusion that is at the same time the beginning of something new.
Since there are very few, if any, concertos written for accordion and such a large ensemble, my main source of inspiration came from my own emotions, feelings, and experiences."
Could you talk to us about yourself, your journey in music, and your future goals?
Lenja Plajnšek:
"My name is Lenja, I am 19 years old and I am a young composer from Slovenia. I am currently studying composition at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana. I have been closely connected to music since I was a child – I started attending music school at the age of seven, where I learned the violin, and began composing around the age of eight, right after I learned to read music.
At first, composing was more of a hobby for me, but during high school my interest grew significantly. I spent a lot of time studying scores and searching for my own compositional style, and gradually I began writing more and more pieces for larger ensembles. During my studies at the conservatory, I wrote a number of works, some of which were performed at various concerts and projects. Most of my pieces were written on commission or at the request of classmates, friends, or teachers, and many of them are written for different chamber ensembles.
In the future, I hope to have more opportunities for performances of my music, and above all, I would love to hear my Concerto for Chromatic Accordion and Orchestra performed live. I have not yet had the chance to collaborate with professional orchestras and conductors, and I would be very excited to gain that experience. Of course, I would also like to successfully complete my composition studies and build a career that also extends beyond my home country."
Could you also share your perspective on what defines a great composer in today’s digital age, and what you consider to be the most significant artistic or professional challenges facing composer today and in the coming years?
Lenja Plajnšek:
"In my opinion, a great composer today is not defined solely by technical knowledge, but above all by honesty and the distinctiveness of their musical language. In a time when access to music and information is almost unlimited, the real challenge is to preserve one’s own identity and inner voice. The digital age offers endless possibilities, yet it can easily lead us to lose our personal style – which is why I believe that imagination and authenticity are more important today than ever before.
One of the greatest challenges for composers, in my view, is finding a balance between artistic freedom and the expectations of the contemporary music market and society. Moreover, there is an increasing need to collaborate across new artistic disciplines and to engage with emerging technologies. This opens up many exciting opportunities, but also requires great adaptability, as we are often faced with the question of how to integrate digital tools and new technologies into the creative process without losing the human warmth and emotional depth of music."
Would you like to share your experience participating in our competition and anyone you'd like to thank?
Lenja Plajnšek:
"Participating in this competition has been a truly valuable and inspiring experience for me. Competitions like this are a great motivation and encouragement for my future creative work, as well as a confirmation of the effort I put into my music. I am very grateful to my family, who support me every step of the way, and to my professors, Peter Novak Smolič and Robert Kamplet, for all their dedicated knowledge and guidance."
Biography
My name is Lenja Plajnšek and I was born in 2006 in Slovenia and I am currently a 1st-year student at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana. I began playing the violin at the age of seven with Professor Simon Peter Feguš at the Karol Pahor Music School in Ptuj, where I completed lower music school. I continued my music education with Professor Peter Kuhar at the Conservatory of Music and Ballet Maribor, attending both elementary and later secondary music school. In my 4th year of secondary school, I continued violin lessons with Professor Andrej Božič. I am currently studying composition in the class of prof. Vito Žuraj.
My journey as a composer began in 2020, when my piece Na slow was performed for the first time at the Godalkanje summer school in Laško. In 2023, my composition Preteklost for a larger chamber ensemble premiered at the Student Composers’ Concert in the SNG Maribor concert hall. A year later, I presented Ledene rože for harp at another composers' concert. In July 2024, I took part in the 30th Summer Camp of the Slovenian Youth Music Association (composition workshop), where my piece Odsevi na morski gladini for piano and viola was performed. As part of the Young Music IV project, my composition Sestavljanka spominov, written especially for the event, was also performed.
At the IMMCC 2024 international competition, I received 1st prize and a gold award in the composition category. At the Kornelije 2024 competition, I won 1st prize and a gold plaque in the solfeggio category, as well as 1st prize and a gold plaque in the music theory category.
In 2025, I again participated in the Student Composers’ Concert, where I presented a new arrangement of Odsevi na morski gladini for piano and flute. As part of the EPTA project, my piece Zvezdni utrinki for piano four-hands was performed, written on commission from one of the mentors. I also participated in the project Mala mlada glasba 2025, where my piano trio Fragmenti časa was performed as a premiere.
At IMMCC 2025, I received a Gold Award and 3rd place in the Solfeggio category, a Gold Award in Music Theory, and a Gold Award with 3rd place in Composition. At the ULJUS 2025 International Competition, I was awarded 1st Prize for one of my compositions. I also attended the IV Stravinsky International Music Competition 2025 in St. Petersburg, where I received 2nd Laureate in the Composition III category. Additionally, I participated in the Schubert International Music Competition in the UK, where I was announced as the Winner of Season 3, 2025.
In recent years, I have focused on composing for strings, percussion, and various chamber ensembles, as well as for symphonic orchestras. Several of my pieces were commissioned by professors for competitions, special performances, and various projects.