August the 30th, 2024 – Jazz concerts by award-winning musicians will take place from Thursday to Saturday, with free admission and boat transfers for all visitors as part of the 2nd Ponta Lopud Jazz Festival.
On the 29th of August, the 2nd Ponta Lopud Jazz Festival officially started with a press conference at Rector’s Palace. In the coming days, the island of Lopud will turn into a haven for jazz enthusiasts, providing young, talented musicians with the opportunity to advance their professional development through masterclasses and interactions with leading musicians from around the globe.
The press conference included remarks from Tilda Grossel Bogdanović, founder of the Ponta Lopud Creative Platform, Thana Alexa, co-founder and artistic director of the festival, and Nicole Zuraitis, the Grammy-winning jazz vocalist, songwriter, pianist, and arranger.
The event was further enriched by insights from the master-in-residence, Kenny Werner, who captivated participants on the first day with his masterclass on the current state of the music industry. His next lecture is scheduled for the second day of the Ponta Lopud Jazz Festival.
“We are thankful to everyone who supported the initiative to bring this musical event to the island. Despite it being the end of the season and jazz being a niche genre that requires careful nurturing, we are confident that Lopud truly embodies the spirit of jazz,” said Tilda Grossel Bogdanović.
Following the press conference, the audience was thrilled by the festival’s opening concert performed by the Nicole Zuraitis Quartet. In the unique setting of Lopud’s palm trees, visitors and participants enjoyed some of her most renowned jazz pieces, with a focus on her album How Love Begins, which won the Grammy this year for Best Jazz Vocal Album. After the concert, guests were treated to a captivating musical improvisation session led by Thana Alexa, with festival participants joining her on stage on the very first day, following earlier discussions with globally acclaimed musicians.
“I am truly honored and happy to be here and to have brought my band from New York. Last night, we celebrated my Grammy-winning album How Love Begins in a wonderful atmosphere and enjoyed the natural beauty that graces Croatia,” said Nicole Zuraitis.
“It’s a true honour to be here for the second year in a row, and we’re thrilled to see how our small idea has blossomed into this remarkable festival. We are overjoyed to once again welcome incredibly talented young musicians to Lopud. It has been a long-held dream of mine to bring music of this calibre to this part of Croatia, and this year’s festival features an outstanding line-up of artists who will share their unique and electrifying music with the audience over the course of three unforgettable evenings,” emphasized Thana Alexa.
Jazz concerts by award-winning musicians will take place from Thursday to Saturday, starting at 9:00 PM in the fascinating garden of the Grand Hotel, which, along with the Rector’s Palace, serves as the central venue for the 2nd Ponta Lopud Jazz Festival.
Admission to the jazz concerts is free for all visitors. During the festival, from August 29 to 31, free boat transfers will be organized for the audience from Dubrovnik. The Argosy boat will depart daily from Lapadska Obala 7 (bus stop in front of the Faculty of Economics) at 7:00 PM, and from Lopud in front of Hotel Lafodia at 12:30 AM, except on August 31 when it departs at 1:00 AM.
Ponta Lopud Creative Platform hosts and presents three summer cultural programs in 2024, welcoming all art lovers, especially those passionate about film, music, and literature. Ponta Lopud Summer Screenings, celebrating the art of film, was the first of three events held from June 27 to 29. The second event, which will attract music lovers to the island from August 29 to 31, is the popular Ponta Lopud Jazz Festival. The third, new addition to the creative platform is the Ponta Lopud Book Bridge, a festival running from September 27 to 29, rounding off the summer festivities and closing Lopud’s cultural-artistic season.
For more information about the program, schedule, and screenings, visit jazz.pontalopud.hr and follow the Ponta Lopud Jazz Festival on social media.
