Domen Trofenik Tops 124 Accordionists With a Near-Perfect Score

Domen Trofenik from Mislinja emerged as the standout performer at this year’s competition for the Lojze Slak Award, earning 99.67 points out of a possible 100. The result secured him the top spot in his category and the overall winner’s title, according to the report. A record 124 accordionists from Slovenia, Austria and Croatia gathered in Mirna Peč on Saturday for the fifth edition of the event. Performers were divided into eight age groups and played two pieces from Slak’s repertoire, without accompaniment from other instruments. The judges considered more than accurate notes. Their assessment covered rhythm, technical execution and dynamics, as well as the distinctive playing style associated with Slak’s music. Trofenik’s score was the highest awarded at the entire competition, leaving him just 0.33 points short of a perfect mark. In the fourth category, Trofenik took first place ahead of Breda Detmar and Milena Praznik Moličnik. Across all categories, organisers presented 56 gold, 49 silver and 14 bronze awards. Six musicians and accordion specialists served on the judging panels, the report said. The overall title has now gone to a performer from the Koroška region for the second consecutive time. At the previous competition, two years ago, Alina Mrak won the award. This year, the honour went to Trofenik and Mislinja. First held in 2018, the competition has been organised since 2022 by the Slovenian Diatonic Accordion Association in cooperation with the Slak family. Its stated aim is to preserve the playing style associated with Lojze Slak and pass it on to younger generations. Trofenik’s near-perfect performance gave that tradition a prominent moment on this year’s stage.