Maestro Frano Kakarigi was born in the city of Dubrovnik, and completed his study of double bass at the Academy of Music of the University of Zagreb, Croatia. He played as a principal bassist with the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, and since 1991 with the City Orchestra of Granada, Spain. Besides being a passionate educator, he is known for his rich international collaboration with numerous music institutions and festivals, including in his native Croatia. He has a fruitful collaboration with Croatian pianist Ivana Marija Vidović, who is the founder and director of the Festival Epidaurus in Cavtat.
Maestro Frano Kakarigi
Cavtat: Mrs Franica Vidović-Krampus, Dubrovnik, with her former student Frano Kakarigi (double bass)
born in Dubrovnik, now living in Granda, Spain.
Diario de confinamiento Vol. IX Anton Rubinstein: Melodia en Fa para cello-solo y cuerda (original para cello y piano). Uno de los primeros videos
donde el confinamiento deja de ser estricto y se convierte en mas liviano (Marc, Peter y Nacho ya tocan juntos!),
grabado el 21 de mayo de 2020. No ha sido creado para ninos.
Frano Kakarigi, double bassist and composer
Born on June 11th, 1959 in Dubrovnik, Croatia
Bachelor's degree in Dubrovnik (1979)
Graduated in University of Zagreb School of Music, Zagreb (Croatia) in 1983, professor Josip Novosel
Diplome Superieur de Concertiste in Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris (France) in 1985 - scholarship of French Government, professor J.F. Jenny-Clarke
Master's degree in University of Michigan School of Music, Ann Arbor, MI (USA) in 1988, professor Stuart Sankey (only performing part of the degree completed)
Professional experience as the orchestral musician:
Principal bass, City Orchestra of Granada, Granada (Spain), 1991-present
Double bass, Orquestra de Cadaques, Barcelona (Spain), 1996-2019
Principal bass, Opera de Liceu, Barcelona (Spain), 2014-2016
Principal bass, Tenerife Symphony Orchestra, 2016-2017
Important activities as a solo performer
Works premiered:
Stuart Sankey-Concerto for double bass and chamber orchestra (Ann Arbor, MI, 1988), world premiere with the composer as a conductor of accompanying orchestra
Nino Rota-Divertimento Concertante for double bass and orchestra (Tenerife, 1990), Spanish premiere
Antonio Flores-Variaciones para contrabajo y piano (Granada, 1995), world premiere
Hans Werner Henze-Concerto for double bass and orchestra (Granada, 1997), Spanish premiere
Milena Perisic-Dialogos Sonambulos for violin and double bass (Granada, 2011), world premiere
Xavier Pages i Corella-Ecce homo for solo double bass, world premiere, Granada 2013
Stuart Sankey-Carmen Fantasy for double bass and orchestra, Spanish premiere, Granada, 2014
Participations in festivals as a solo/chamber performer:
Dubrovnik Summer Festival, Croatia
Evenings on Grič Summer Festival, Zagreb, Croatia
International Summer Festival of Music and Dance, Granada, Spain
International Contemporary Music Festival, Alicante, Spain
Bass Fest, Reading England,
Ludwig Streicher Festival, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Barcelona Bass Meeting
The Double Bass Festival of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
K.D. v. Ditterscdorf and M. Kelemen concertos for double bass and orchestra with Gaudeamis Chamber Orchestra, conductor Zlatan Srzić, LP, Croatia Records (formerly Yugoton Records), Zagreb, Croatia.
Recital with Valter Dešpalj, cello and Mario Nardelli, guitar, live broadcasted for Croatian National Radio (formerly Zagreb Radio Corporation), from Dubrovnik Summer Festival, 1986.
Music for double bass and guitar, with Hiroto Yamaya on guitar, CD, STone Records, Prague, Czech Republic.
H. W. Henze Concerto for double bass and orchestra with Orquesta Ciudad de Granada, conductor Arturo Tamayo, live recording for Spanish National Radio Corporation.
Recital Astor Piazzolla with Claude Delangle, saxophone and Camerata Virtuosi, CD, live recording, JPalomares Productions.
Opening concert on Alicante International Contemporary Music Festival with Ensemble Residencias, live broadcasted for Spanish National Radio Corporation.
"Citas y Collages", collaboration with pianist Graciela Jimenez, CD , Hilando Cielos Productions
"Bojaira", collaboration with pianist Jesus Hernandez, CD, Jazz Latitude Productions
"Tres Estancias de un Apartamento Burgues", a project by Jaime Garcia and Kakarigi's original soundtrack for alto and double bass, words by A. Villaerts, Marquese de Sade and San Juan de la Cruz, DVD, Jaimeg-Creacion Productions.
"Oceano" for soprano and double bass (double bass part written by F. Kakarigi), with Lara Bello, soprano. DVD, Le Coquelicot Productions.
Educational activities:
Professor of double bass and chamber music in Conservatory of Murcia (Spain), 2003-08;
Professor of double bass and chamber music in Conservatory of Granada (Spain), 2005-2009:
Ivana Marija Vidović (pianist and spiritus movens of Epidaurus Festival), Maria Mele (Italy) and Luce Đuraš (Dubrovnik, painter).
Collaboration with Ivana Marija Vidović
When I completed my bachelor's degree at "Luka Sorkočević" school of music back in 1979 (today its name is School of Arts and Music, the name of the composer honoring the school remains unchanged), our Principal was Mrs. Franica Vidović, who also was our professor of solfege. The last time I saw her was on that same year, during the season's closing ceremony, when the degree certificate was given to each bachelor. Long time has passed since that moment, until I received a message from her saying that her daughter, Ivana Marija, is running a late-summer music festival in the lovely little town of Cavtat, some twenty kilometers southeast of Dubrovnik and both she and her daughter would be delighted if I could participate as a soloist and chamber music performer.
Her offer came to me during 2018, and needless to say how happy and enthusiastic I felt; because of the multiple causes, it turned that I was away form my homeland and my birthplace for some 14 years, and I was well aware of how shocking my come-back may result to me, but how many deep feelings and sensations it may wake up as well.
Bassist Frano Kakarigi and pianist Ivana Marija Vidović at the 2019 Epidaurus Festival in Cavtat, Croatia
I also found out that Ivana became a renowned international concert pianist with succesfull appereances in concert halls worldwide and established contacts with an important names from the world of music; despite this, she has chosen an option to keep Dubrovnik as her residency and contribute enriching its musical life.
The concert where I was scheduled to perform was the ending concert of Epidaurus Festival 2019, with other featured artists from Croatia and Italy, as well as Ivana herself performing the Preludium and Fugue of "Tres Piezas para Piano y Cuerda" by Astor Piazzola, among other works.
The whole event was splendidly organized and her care and attention regarding every possible need during our stay was superb, making me feel overwhelmingly received and accepted again after such a long period of absence.
Diario del confinamiento Vol. V G. Ph.Telemann Sonata en forma de canon Nr. 3, 1er tiempo (Spiritoso), arreglo y edicion: Stuart Sankey.
Maestro Frano Kakarigi with his student in Granada, Spain
Frano Kakarigi with a group of his students
Diario de confinamiento Vol. VIII G. Ch. Wagenseil-Menuetto de la Sonata Nr 4 para tres chelos y contrabajo.
Con Kathleen Balfe, Arnaud Dupont y Nacho Perbech, violonchelos
Frano Kakarigi as a rock-bassist, with guitarist Quini Almendros
Frano Kakarigi as a student in Croatia
G. Rossini-Duo for cello and double bass; Live performance of first movement of Rossini's Duo for cello and dbass.
In Palacio Conde de Gabia, Granada (Spain), May 7th, 2013. Ignacio Perbech, violoncello; Frano Kakarigi, double bass
A photo of the city of Dubrovnik, Croatia, the birthplace of Frano Kakarigi: Krv nije voda (Blood is not water)
Frano Kakarigi in Barcelona
Frano Kakarigi with his fellow-bassists
Frano Kakarigi as composer
As a composer, Frano Kakarigi is self-taught. Following is the list of his most notable works:
Tiempo para vivir, vivir en el tiempo for solo-double bass
Tres Estancias para un Apartamento Burgues for contralto and
double bass, words by Adrian Villaert, Marquese De Sade and San Juan de la Cruz.
Geometria del Desconcierto, chamber opera in eight scenes, libretto by Juan Carlos Friebe Olmedo
Four Sonorities for mezzo-soprano and chamber ensemble, poetry by Juan Carlos Friebe Olmedo
Nocturno for alto-flute, doble bass and percussion
Sound Notebook for flute, harp, percussion and double bass
46664 for eight double basses
Misteriosa Lealtad del Escorpion, ballet in six scenes for chamber orchestra
Wizard's Poke for solo-double bass
Liverpool Toccata for solo-double bass
Three Fantasies for solo-double bass
When Abona Talks to Me for trombone and double bass
Cantos de Taganana for mixed choir and ensemble of drums, without lyrics.
Paseante del Desierto for double bass quartett (or double bass orchestra)
Fanfarria del Microcontinente for solo-trumpet
Primera Llamada for french horn quintet
Fandanguillo de Orilla Lejana for solo-double bass
Un Angel Era for solo-oboe
Contradanzas de Lausa for two double basses
Domingo Eviterno for alto-flute and chamber ensemble
Quasi Una Bulera for double bass and cajon
Visto de Som for soprano and double bass quartett, poetry by Lenise Pires
Balada para Onofre for double bass and guitar
Preludietto for solo-double bass
Lunes Extremo for flute and double bass
Uspavanka za Doru Hex for violin and piano
Anti-hero for solo-double bass
Madiba's Awakening for three female voices, flute, percussion and double bass, without lyrics.
Frano Kakarigi (on the far right) with the Orchestra of the City of Granada, Spain
A. Marcello-Concierto en Re para oboe, cuerda y bajo continuo Este concierto lo grabamos a
mediados de junio de 2020 en la version de acompaniamiento de quinteto de cuerda y clave.
Maestro Frano Kakarigi in Tenerife
Educative concert of the Orchestra of the City of Granada; Frano Kakarigi on the left on the podium
Frano Kakarigi with his bass and with his colleagues
Bassomania directed by maestro Frano Kakarigi.
Compare with the Cellomania in the city of Zagreb.
Frano Kakarigi on the left
Frano Kakarigi on the bottom left
Dubrovnik in Croatia, the native city of Frano Kakarigi, during the stormy weather;