Janez Malačič Pfleiderer, known as maestro Giovanni, graduated in musicology and art history and studied the Italian and German languages, as well as, comparative literature. His first summer course in the Italian language, taken in Perugia at the age of 21, was a life-changing experience for him, as he completely fell in love with Italy, its art and its music. He advanced his professional development by attending summer courses in Florence, Siena, Perugia, Heidelberg, Vienna, Berlin, and London.
He has been teaching the Italian language at Pionirski dom for 40 years sharing his passion for the Italian culture and music with eager-to-learn children and other students of various ages, as well as, adults. His great loves are the piano and the guitar, with which he accompanies singers and choirs at events organized by the Department of Foreign Languages and Cultures at Pionirski dom.

Photography by Črt Piksi