Bor Zuljan plays many kinds of early, modern, and traditional plucked-strings instruments in a variety of musical genres. Called a “revolutionary of the lute” (Le Soir), he specializes particularly in the music of the Renaissance, rediscovering forgotten improvisation and playing techniques, instruments, and sounds. He performs regularly as a soloist; with ensembles such as Doulce Mémoire, Tasto Solo, Graindelavoix, L’Achéron, Vox Luminis, and Il Giardino Armonico; in duo with Dusan Bogdanovic and with Romain Bockler (as Dulces Exuviae); and with his own ensemble La Lyra. Since 2011 he has been artistic director of the early music festival Flores Musicae in Slovenia. His critical edition of Giacomo Gorzanis’s Second lute book was published by the Slovenian Musicological Society and resulted in an award-winning CD of music by Gorzanis, La barca del mio amore, featuring La Lyra and the italian singer Pino De Vittorio (Arcana-Outhere Music). His CD Josquin: Adieu mes amours with the duo Dulces Exuviae was released by the legendary early music label Ricercar (Outhere Music) to great critical acclaim; his first solo album Dowland: A Fancy on the same label was awarded the prestigious Diapason d’Or de l’année 2020, CHOC de Classica, and Gramophone’s Editor’s Choice. His new solo recording Gesualdo: Il liuto del Principe has recently been released by Ricercar, also winning the Diapason d’Or, CHOC de Classica, and other accolades.

After graduating in jazz and classical programmes at the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music, Bor continued his studies with Aniello Desiderio in Koblenz, Germany. In 2007 he entered the Haute École de Musique de Genève where he obtained Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Guitar and Lute performance (Dusan Bogdanovic, Jonathan Rubin), continued with a specialization in Medieval music, and finished an MA in lute pedagogy. Since 2011 he has worked at the Haute École as research assistant on a project studying the improvisation of lute fantasias in the 16th century, a topic he is developing for his doctoral thesis at the University in Tours. He is regularly invited to give conferences and master classes at institutions such as the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice, HEM de Genève, and CNSMD Lyon.

Photo: Nika Zuljan