Sašo Avsenik, a talented Slovenian folk musician, carries on his family's musical legacy with pride and passion.

His grandfather, Slavko Avsenik, is considered one of the founders of the legendary Oberkrainer sound, and with his Original Oberkrainer Quintet, he sold over 36 million records. Numerous melodies from Slavko Avsenik's repertoire have become timeless evergreens of folk music – most notably "Das Trompetenecho" (The Trumpet Echo), which for decades was among the most frequently played instrumental pieces in German-speaking countries and became famous as the theme song of the legendary "Musikantenstadl" (a popular Austrian folk music show). But other classics such as "Auf der Autobahn" (On the Autobahn), "Es ist so schön, ein Musikant zu sein" (It's So Beautiful to Be a Musician), "Slowenischer Bauerntanz" (Slovenian Peasant Dance), and "Hinterm Hühnerstall" (Behind the Chicken Coop) continue to evoke memories of bygone days.

The musical success of the "Original Oberkrainer" lasted almost half a century before the group retired from active stage performances in the 1990s. But the story of the Oberkrainer sound is far from over: Sašo Avsenik followed in his grandfather's footsteps and continued the tradition in his own modern way. Likeable, authentic, and full of respect for tradition, he and his band bring the Oberkrainer sound into the present.

Sašo and his Oberkrainer band celebrated an impressive debut at the KKL Luzern in 2024, and now they're returning to make the hearts of Oberkrainer fans beat faster once again. "Our musical journey began a little over 15 years ago – with the recording of our first CD, 'Musik im Blut' (Music in the Blood)," recalls Sašo Avsenik. "This CD led to our TV debut on 'Musikantenstadl' with Andy Borg, and that's when our career as professional musicians really took off."

Sašo Avsenik looks back with pride on the past 15 years, and fans are delighted that he and his musicians will continue to carry on the Oberkrainer sound – always with their own unique style. Their latest hit, "Hallo kleine Maus" (Hello Little Mouse), clearly demonstrates how Sašo embraces and develops the tradition in a fresh and creative way. And just as the classic song "Es ist so schön, ein Musikant sein" (It's so wonderful to be a musician) has always expressed, Sašo and his seven musicians from Slovenia are still as convinced of their calling as they were on day one. All the more reason to celebrate!

Programme:

The Trumpet Echo | On the Highway | It's So Wonderful to Be a Musician | Slovenia, My Homeland | Wine-Loving Musicians | Hello Little Mouse | Grand Prix Polka | Nataša | Slovenian Peasant Dance | I Stayed Alone | Aunt Mizzi | Girls Are for Kissing | Guitar Dance | The Wind Brings You My Song | Hey! Slavko! Play Us One!