Waves Sounds 2026 - Matinee - Bridges Guest - Asja Valcic - Judith Fliedl & Elena Arbonies Jauregui

In the equally cozy and elegant ambiance of the Refugium in Lunz, a part of our matinee will again take place this year, in cooperation with the BRÜCKEN, the renowned music and literature festival in Mürz, under the direction of Maria Gstättner. Under her curation, we will hear Judith Fliedl and Elena Arbonies Jauregui, who not only perform contemporary works but also explain them. This way, they overcome the barrier that often prevents us from engaging with new music: What if I don’t understand it? Exactly, no problem, as there will be a close introduction by the artists themselves. We are sending Asja Valcic with her new album "Inner Voice" – an ode to the cello. Thus, we are building bridges, not only to the friendly festival across the state border but also between musical worlds and the places of Lunz – for the second half of the concert, one only needs to literally fall over, that is, cross the church square and enter through the church door to dive into the refreshing world of new music.

Asja Valcic
The first solo album is always a milestone. Sometimes it marks the beginning of a creative journey. Sometimes it is an opportunity to take a new direction, a chance to explore a different voice. Or, as in the case of Asja Valcic, to deepen her individual artistic vision. Valcic's solo cello album is the logical next step on a path of excellent musicality and mastery. After leaving behind an admirable career in classical music to develop as an improvising musician, Asja Valcic has become known both as a performer and composer in her adopted home of Austria and beyond. Her aptly titled new album "Inner Voice" is an ode to the cello. There are moments of driving passion, as in the flamenco-inspired "Love Story," but also beautiful moments of fragility, as in the harmonics theme of "Free Spirits."

Judith Fliedl
Judith Fliedl is a Vienna-based violinist and artistic-scientific researcher focusing on contemporary music and new concert formats. As a multiple award winner of national and international competitions, she is active both as a soloist and in chamber music. Concert tours have taken her to the USA, Canada, Korea, Japan, and numerous European countries. She has performed at festivals such as the Salzburg Festival, the Vienna Festival Weeks, and the Oxford Chamber Music Festival. From 2023 to 2025, she was a resident member of the Klangforum Wien. In parallel to her artistic activities, she has been employed as a Junior Researcher at the Center for Artistic Research at the University of Arts Graz since 2023. From 2024 to 2026, she will represent Austria as a soloist in the international NASOM program.

Elena Arbonies Jauregui
Elena Arbonies Jauregui is active as a clarinetist and bass clarinetist in the field of contemporary music. Her academic training includes a Master's in Performance Practice in Contemporary Music at the University of Arts Graz in collaboration with the Klangforum Wien, as well as a Master's in Music Communication as part of the Contemporary Arts Practice (CAP) at the MDW – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Previously, she studied classical clarinet at the Codarts University of the Arts in Rotterdam and at Musikene in San Sebastián. She regularly performs with ensembles such as Klangforum Wien or PHACE and can be heard at festivals like Wien Modern, Impuls, Warsaw Autumn, and TIMF. Additionally, she is the founder and artistic director of the Ensemble Coincidence. As a soloist, she develops interdisciplinary contemporary clarinet projects with a special focus on rethinking and further developing the traditional concert format.