Ljetne čari klasične glazbe dugogodišnji je ljetni festival splitske glazbene mladeži koji je postepeno prerastao u važan kulturni događaj u gradu Splitu. Cilj festivala je upotpuniti koncertnu i kulturnu ponudu grada Splita u ljetnim mjesecima te građanima i njihovim gostima pružiti vrhunske glazbene doživljaje u ambijentalnim prostorima u srcu Splita.

Kao i prethodnih godina, i u ovogodišnjem, trinaestom izdanju, festival se koncepcijski nastavlja na prvu bitnu odrednicu - suradnju s mladim glazbenicima. Osim navedene, festival njeguje i međunarodnu kulturnu suradnju te ove godine ostvaruje suradnju s umjetnicima iz Austrije, Slovenije, Kanade i Norveške.

Festival ne bi postojao bez suradnje Glazbene mladeži Split, glavnog pokrovitelja Turističke zajednice grada Splita, kao i domaćina u predivnim prostorima, Muzeja grada Splita. Program se izvodi od sredine lipnja do kraja rujna, uz održavanje osam koncerata, šest u podrumima Dioklecijanove palače, a dva u novouređenoj Staroj gradskoj vijećnici kojom upravlja Muzej Grada Splita.

Lokacija: Podrumi Dioklecijanove palače

Vrijeme: 4. srpnja 2024, s početkom u 20.00 sati

Hillary Karuza rođena je u Charlotte, Sjeverna Karolina, SAD. Violončelo počinje učiti s četiri godine u klasi prof. Janis Nilsen. Nakon završene srednje likovne škole i studija povijest umjetnosti u Firenzi, upisuje studij violončela na University of North Carolina u klasi prof. Brenta Wissicka, gdje i diplomira 2002. godine. Iste godine upisala je i postdiplomski studij na Pennsylvania State University u klasi prof. Kim Cook gdje je i magistrirala 2004. godine.

Usavršavala se na majstorskim tečajevima kod nekih od najvećih violončelista današnjice (Yo-Yo Ma, Lynn Harrell, Anner Bylsma, Aldo Parisot). Godine 2004. upisuje doktorat na University of North Carolina, Greensboro u klasi prof. Brooksa Whitehousea, ali nakon završene prve godine studija seli se u Hrvatsku gdje je prvo angažirana kao vanjski suradnik u orkestru Opere HNK Split. 

Djelovala je kao stalni član Williamsport Symphony Orchestra i Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra te kao zamjenik solo-violončelistica u Altoona Symphony Orchestra. Od 2002. godine intenzivnije se bavi baroknom glazbom sudjelujući u radu Penn State Baroque Ensemble i godine 2007. suosnivačica je Omiškog baroknog ansambla.

Nastupala je kao solist uz Splitski komorni orkestar i Simfonijski orkestar Mostar te na velikim međunarodnim festivalima u Morgesu (Švicarska), Arezzu (Italija) i Salvador (Brazil).

Radila je kao profesor violončela i kontrabasa u OGŠ Lovro pl. Matačić u Omišu, a od 2012. predaje violončelo u GŠ Josipa Hatzea u Splitu. Od 2020. radi i kao vanjski suradnik na Umjetničkoj akademiji u Splitu. Njezini učenici dobitnici su brojnih nagrada na regionalnim, državnim i međunarodnim natjecanjima.

Summer Magic of Classical Music is a long-standing summer festival of the Split Music Youth that has gradually grown into an important cultural event in the city of Split. The festival aims to enrich the concert and cultural offerings of the city during the summer months, providing citizens and their guests with top-notch musical experiences in ambient spaces in the heart of Split.

As in previous years, this year's thirteenth edition of the festival continues its primary focus - collaboration with young musicians. Additionally, the festival fosters international cultural cooperation and this year collaborates with artists from Austria, Slovenia, Canada, and Norway.

The festival would not exist without the collaboration of the Split Music Youth, the main sponsor, the Tourist Board of the City of Split, and the hosts in the beautiful spaces of the Museum of the City of Split. The program runs from mid-June to the end of September, featuring eight concerts, six in the cellars of Diocletian's Palace, and two in the newly renovated Old City Hall managed by the Museum of the City of Split.

Location: Cellars of Diocletian's Palace Cellars

Date: July 4, 2024, starting at 8:00 PM

Hillary Karuza was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. She began learning the cello at the age of four under the tutelage of Professor Janis Nilsen. After completing high school and studying art history in Florence, she enrolled in the cello program at the University of North Carolina under Professor Brent Wissick, where she graduated in 2002. That same year, she started her postgraduate studies at Pennsylvania State University in the class of Professor Kim Cook, where she earned her master's degree in 2004.

She has honed her skills in masterclasses with some of the greatest cellists of today, including Yo-Yo Ma, Lynn Harrell, Anner Bylsma, and Aldo Parisot. In 2004, she enrolled in a doctoral program at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, in the class of Professor Brooks Whitehouse. However, after completing her first year, she moved to Croatia, where she was initially engaged as an external collaborator with the Opera Orchestra of the Croatian National Theatre in Split.

Hillary has been a permanent member of the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra and the Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra and served as the assistant principal cellist of the Altoona Symphony Orchestra. Since 2002, she has been increasingly involved with baroque music, participating in the Penn State Baroque Ensemble, and in 2007, she co-founded the Omiš Baroque Ensemble.

She has performed as a soloist with the Split Chamber Orchestra and the Mostar Symphony Orchestra, as well as at major international festivals in Morges (Switzerland), Arezzo (Italy), and Salvador (Brazil).

Hillary has worked as a professor of cello and double bass at the Lovro pl. Matačić Music School in Omiš, and since 2012, she has been teaching cello at the Josip Hatze Music School in Split. Since 2020, she has also been an external collaborator at the Academy of Arts in Split. Her students have won numerous awards at regional, national, and international competitions.