instumentalist, pedagogue and producer
After graduating in philosophy at the Faculty of Philosophy in Ljubljana (2008, Prof. Lev Kreft) and having his final concert at the Conservatory in Amsterdam (2009, Prof. Ferdinand Povel and Jasper Blom), with whom he obtained Bachelor of Music, Boštjan Simon dedicated himself to the creation of music, especially in cooperation with numerous Slovenian and internationally active musicians, both in terms of his author projects and ad hoc collaborations in small musical groups and orchestras. Since 2014 he has been working with Big Band RTV Slovenia as a substitute for tenor saxophone in numerous projects, including performing at the Jazz Cerkno festival in 2017. He is a founding member of Kaučič’s international band Orchestra Without Borders, whit which he performed at the Jazz Cerkno festival in 2016. As a conductor he also collaborates with Nova Big Nova Nova. As a soloist at the alt and soprano saxophone, he participates in the Trieste Early Jazz Orchestra with which he released a record in 2018. He was also a member of the Saxophone Orchestra SOS, the European Saxophone Orchestra and Koromač. He performed at Slovenian and international stages with various musicians such as Zlatko Kaučič, Trevor Watts, Giovanni Maier, Jasper Stadhouders, Jasper Blom, Saša Nestorović, Peter Epstein, Tomaž Grom, Massimo de Mattia, Simone Zanchini, Arthur Majewski, Dave Binney, Guillaume Orti, Matjaž Drevenšek, Jos Zwaanenburg, Sanne van Hek, Cene Resnik, Domen Gnezda and Slovenian jazz musicians: Igor Lumpert, Milan Stanisavljević, Nikola Matošič, Drago Gajo, Blaž Jurjevčič, Jaka Kopač, Rok Zalokar, Robert Jukič, Ratko Divjak , Jadranka Juras.
Boštjan Simon is also successful as a pedagogue, as his students achieved several awards at international competitions: 2 gold prizes (95 points and more), 3 silver prizes (90–95 points), 1 bronze award. In the competitions at the national and regional level, his students achieved the following awords: 3 gold, 2 silver prizes. In 2018, after six years of teaching, he was promoted and gained the pedagogical title of consultant.
Since 2017 he is the artistic co–leader of the International Saxophone Meeting Sax Go in Nova Gorica.
Diskografija
· Etceteral – Ama-gi (KAPA, 2020)
· Evan Parker, Zlatko Kaučič / Evan Parker, Zlatko Kaučič, Massimo de Mattia, Boštjan Simon – Arkosberg (Klopotec, 2020)
· Boštjan Simon / Mimo Cogliandro / Giovanni Maier / Gal Furlan – Quadro Dialogorum (Klopotec, 2019)
· Boštjan Simon There Be Monsters – The Ark (Klopotec, 2019)
· Trieste Early Jazz Orchestra – Una Notte al Cotton Club (TEJO, 2018)
· Container Doxa – Less Than Nothing (Radio Študent, 2018)
· Boštjan Simon – There Be Monsters (Klopotec, 2017)
· Velkro – Too Lazy to Panic (Clean Feed, 2017)
· Litošt – Time Fabric Silkworms (Cantabel, 2016)
· Orkester brez meja/Orchestra Senza confini (Dobialabel, Zvočni izviri, 2015)
· Kombo B – Hramo (Zvočni izviri, 2014)
· Velkro – Don’t Wait for the Revolution (Clean Feed, 2014)
· Trus – Banana Split w. Kleeemar (God Bless This Mess, Moonlee, 2013)
· Eksperiment – Anthology Of Slovenian Experimental Music (SIGIC, 2013)
· Duo Vitja Balžalorsky / Boštjan Simon – Kompiltion Neposlušno (Sploh, 2012)
· Litošt – Litošt (self-published, 2013)
· Trus! – First Step (Radio Študent, Moonlee, 2013)
· Trus! – Kompilation Radio Student (Klubski maraton, 2012)
· IORI trio – Iori (Konnex Records, 2012)
· Vanilla Riot – Stretch (Playdate Records, 2012)
· Nanča Muck in Blaž Remic – Dvospev (Sanje, 2011)
· Velkro – The future of the past (PLING music, 2011)
· Vanilla Riot – Stitch (AIMSoundCity/Musikkoperatorene, 2009)
· Sax Of A Kind – Birdribird (ŠKUC, 2008)
· Vanilla Riot – Vanilla Riot (self-published 2007)
In preparation:
· Robert Jukič kvartet (RTV, 2019)
· Milan Stanisavlevič kvintet (2019)
· Quadro Dialogorum (Klopotec, 2019)
· There Be Monsters – The Ark (Klopotec, Not Two, 2019)
· Etceteral (samozaložba, 2019)
Current Projects
· Velkro: Boštjan Simon – sax; Stephan Meidell – guitar; Hugo Antunes – contrabass; Luis Candeias – drums
· There Be Monsters: Luigi Vitale – vibraphon; Bojan Krhlanko – drums; Goran Krmac – tuba; Mirko Cisilino – trumpet; Boštjan Simon – sax
· Etceteral: Boštjan Simon – sax; Marek Fakuč – drums
· Quadro Dialogorum: Boštjan Simon – sax; Giovanni Maier – contrabass; Mimo Cogliandro – baritone sax; Gal Furlan – drums
Past Projects
· Litošt: Vitja Balžalorsky, Boštjan Simon, Bojan Krhlanko (2012–2018)
· Trans trio/ kvartet: Boštjan Simon, Aleš Valentinčič, Marko Lasič, Matjaž Bajc (2006–2017)
· Trus: Jelena Rusjan, Boštjan Simon, Marko Lasič (2012–2014)
· Vanilla Riot: Onno Govaert, Stephan Meidell, Boštjan Simon, Roel van Doorn (2007–2013)
· Iori Trio: Boštjan Simon, Tasos Savvopulous, Dimitris Christides (2011–2012)
Pedagogue
· Music school Nova Gorica (2013–2018)
· Music school Ilirska Bistrica (2012–2013)
Producr
· Festival Boben in Lajna, Ljubljana (2011–2012)
· Festival SaxGo (2017–)