The Slovak National Jazz Orchestra (SNJO) is a modern professional jazz ensemble founded with the ambition to systematically develop orchestral jazz in Slovakia and to represent the country’s jazz scene in an international context. It emerged as the natural outcome of many years of artistic development, collaboration among leading musicians, and a shared belief that jazz, as a living and contemporary art form, deserves its own national orchestra in Slovakia.
SNJO builds upon the artistic legacy of the Lukáš Oravec Orchestra, a big band founded in 2018 by Slovak trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Lukáš Oravec. Over the course of several years, the ensemble established a strong reputation on the Slovak, Czech, and wider European jazz scenes, earning critical acclaim and major awards, while demonstrating that a long-term, artistically ambitious jazz orchestra can successfully operate in Slovakia at the highest professional level.
The debut album Light of Blue received the Radio_Head Award for Best Jazz Album of the Year. This was followed by performances at major festivals and venues such as JazzFestBrno, City Sounds Festival Bratislava, and the Czechoslovak Jazz Festival in Přerov, as well as collaborations with internationally renowned artists including Bob Mintzer, Wayne Escoffery, Aaron Goldberg, and Danny Grissett. The second album, The Sun (2023), featuring legendary American percussionist Sammy Figueroa, marked a further artistic step forward and confirmed the orchestra’s distinctive sound. Both recordings were also released on the prestigious Japanese market.
Over time, the vision expanded beyond individual projects toward the creation of a stable, long-term platform with broader artistic and societal significance. After several years of preparation, internal discussion, and strategic planning, the Slovak National Jazz Orchestra was formally established as an independent ensemble, operating on a non-profit basis through a civic association.
SNJO embraces the concept of the 21st-century big band: an ensemble open to diverse aesthetic approaches, original compositions by its members, collaborations with Slovak and international composers, and the continuous search for a contemporary, individual orchestral sound. Its repertoire includes newly commissioned works, original compositions, and carefully curated projects reflecting current developments in modern jazz.
The development of SNJO was also inspired by successful international models, particularly the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, which likewise emerged from a civic initiative and gradually established itself as a respected national ensemble. Similarly, SNJO has grown from the grassroots—driven by musicians, audiences, and the cultural environment—with the ambition of becoming a permanent part of Slovakia’s musical and cultural infrastructure.
The Slovak National Jazz Orchestra is a project that extends beyond a single leader or generation. It represents a long-term commitment to jazz as a vital, evolving art form and to its future in Slovakia.
Slovak National Jazz Orchestra
Orchestra Members
Juraj Bartoš – 1st trumpet, flugelhorn
Ádám Gráf – 2nd trumpet, flugelhorn
Ondrej Juráši – 3rd trumpet, flugelhorn
Lukáš Oravec – 4th trumpet, flugelhorn
Marek Kotača – 1st alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet
Dawid Główczewski – 2nd alto saxophone, flute
Andy Middleton – 1st tenor saxophone, flute
Martin Uherek – 2nd tenor saxophone, clarinet
Pavel Zlámal – baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
Petr Hnětkovský – 1st trombone
Branislav Belorid – 2nd trombone
Jozef Vörös – 3rd trombone
Michal Motýľ – bass trombone
Ľudovít Kotlár – piano
Matej Štubniak – double bass, electric bass
Pavol Bereza – guitar
Marián Ševčík – drums
Pavel Klimashevsky – conductor
Management and Artistic Leadership
MgA. et BcA. Lukáš Oravec
Director and Legal Representative
Slovak National Jazz Orchestra
Assoc. Prof. Juraj Bartoš, PhD
Artistic Advisor
Pavel Klimashevsky, B.Mus., M.A.
Resident Conductor
Ing. et Mgr. art. Martin Uherek
Media Relations, Crowdfunding Campaigns
Mgr. art. Ľudovít Kotlár
Social Media