CHORAL SINGING IN Major National and International Choral Events Outstanding Choirs Contemporary Slovene Composers Institutions Supporting Choral Activities Publishers of Choral Music MAJOR NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CHORAL EVENTS

Review of selected octets from The choirs regularly present Slovenia, Brežice themselves by concerts. For up to 10 selected octets. Next: October 15, 2005. The most spread out is the network for amateur culture under the organisation of the Review of children’s and youth choirs, Republic of Slovenia Public Zagorje ob Savi Fund for Cultural Activi- Biennial national competition for up to 44 ties. Each of its 58 branches selected children’s and youth choirs. Next: April 4/5, 2006. takes an active part in the organisation of regular choir events where the choirs Competition of Slovene choirs are professionally assisted Naša pesem (Our Song), Maribor and counselled by the best Biennial national competition for up to 28 Slovene choirmasters. selected Slovene adult choirs. Next: April 21/22, 2007. The events proceed on three levels: Festival of vocal pop and jazz music Sredi zvezd Local – annual local presen- (Amidst the Stars), Žalec tation of all choirs by 3 songs Competition for selected each ensembles of 4-10 mem- bers; vocal pop and jazz Regional – biennial competi- a cappella. Next: May tions (6) of the better choirs 19/20, 2006. from the local level; biennial non-competitive concerts with thematic programme

National – festival and 3 competitions: International Choral Competition Maribor

Biennial since 1992. For up to 12 selected female, male and mixed choirs of 16 – 48 singers. Folk songs (non-competitive) and three competitive programmes (compulsory, free and Grand Prix). Monetary awards; accommodation for the selected choirs free of charge. The Maribor competition is one of the founding members of the new Choral Festival Network (CFN), organised by the IFCM. International Youth Choir Next: April 21/23, 2006. Festival, Celje (Application deadline Nov. 28, ‘05.) For announcements, Biennial since 1946. Three application forms, names of categories (children’s, outstanding choirs and jury youth, girls’). Accompanying members from the previous events festival events: professional see www.jskd.si conferences of pedagogues and choirmasters, musical workshops, choral concerts, and the traditional concluding concert of the joint Slovene and foreign children’s and youth choirs.

Next: April 2007. For announcements, application forms, names of outstanding choirs and jury members from the previous events see www.zkp-celje.si Children’s and Youth Choirs

Carmina Slovenica, Maribor (Cond. Karmina Šilec) Renowned worldwide, this youth choir introduces with the Choregie – Vocal Theatre a new artistic concept which incorpo- rates music, movement, acting and other scenic elements. Their

Balkan countries) and medieval music as well as baroque pieces composed by nuns. Karmina Šilec is the recipient of the international prize for choral music Robert Edler 2004. www.zbor-carmina-slovenica.si

Mešani mladinski zbor Veter (Youth Choir Veter), (Cond. Urša Lah) Most international awards (recently Neerpelt, Pohlheim, stage productions of this kind Cork, Budapest, Lindenholzhau- have lately been Scivias, Vampi- sen, Preveza). Their rabile, Iz veka vekov (From Time concert activities are Immemorial), Slovenian Sounds, high; frequently they Adiemus – awarded projects, have collaborated performed at many international with the Slovenia RTV festivals and broadcast by EBU Symphony Orchestra and and Eurovision. The choir’s spe- the Slovenia RTV Big Band. ciality are contemporary music, www.gml-drustvo.si/ ethnic (particularly from the zbor_veter.htm Other excellent choirs Gombač); Girls’ choir of the Gymnasium Celje-Center Children’s (cond. Barbara Arlič). Children’s choir of the Centre for musical Mixed Youth education, Koper (cond. Youth choir of the Diocesan Maja Cilenšek); Children’s Clasical Gymnasium, Ljubljana choir of Radio Slovenia (cond. Šentvid (cond. Helena Fojkar Tomaž Pirnat); Children’s choir Zupančič, Damijan Močnik). of the musical school Fran Korun

Koželjski, Velenje (cond. Matjaž More on choirs at the Vehovec). www.jskd.si

Girls’ Girls’ choir of the Diocesan Classical Gymnasium, Ljubljana Šentvid (cond. Helena Fojkar Zupančič); Girls’ choir Aurora SVŠGL (Gym- nasium), Ljubljana OUTSTANDING (cond. Janja Dragan CHOIRS Amateur Adult Choirs Komorni zbor Ave (cond. Andraž Hauptman) Akademski pevski zbor (APZ) Chamber choir, placed among Tone Tomšič, University of the finalists of the European Ljubljana Grand Prix in Tours, first and (cond. Urša Lah) second prizes at the 2000 Felipe Academic choir with an 80-year Vallesi Mendoza, 2001 Tallin, tradition. Programme orienta- 2004 Franz Schubert, Vienna. tion: contemporary composi- www2.arnes.si/~ljave1s tions and première performances The recipients of the Gold Plaque at the last two national competitions Naša pesem:

Mešani zbor Sv. Nikolaja, Litija (cond. Helena Fojkar Zupančič) A mixed choir, the choristers of which are linked by a sincere and strong experience of sacred music.

of the works by Slovene compos- ers. The only Slovene choir to obtain the European Grand Prix (Arezzo 2002, cond. Stojan Kuret). Their recent successes Stojan Kuret are: Awards at Tampere 2003, Cantonigros 2004 and Gorizia 2005 (cond. Urša Lah). www.apz-tt.si Mešani pevski zbor Cantemus, Kamnik (cond. Sebastjan Vrhovnik) Mixed choir. Besides in Slovene music they are interested as well in interpreting Renaissance and Baroque pieces (including the vo- cal-instrumental works). www.zbor-cantemus.si

Komorni zbor Ipavska (cond. Matjaž Šček) The chamber choir was born with V. Myskinis’s music; their performances were assisted by the composer. They were prized as the best debutant choir in 2003 in Slo- venia and later on achieved many international successes.

Komorni zbor De profundis (cond. Branka Potočnik Krajnik) This chamber choir has recently Mešani pevski zbor Obala commissioned and performed a (cond. Ambrož Čopi) number of new pieces by Slovene Mixed choir; organiser of the in- composers. teresting Choir Festival Koper with www.drustvo-deprofundis.si concerts and workshops. www.zborobala.net Mešani pevski zbor Hrast, Doberdob/Italy Šaleški akademski zbor (cond. Hilarij Lavrenčič) (cond. Danica Pirečnik) Mixed choir of the Slovene Academic choir. Recently they minority in that became premièred works by the rising very renowned in Italy and Slovenia. young composers. [email protected] [email protected] Komorni zbor Megaron Št. Primož/ (cond. Damijan Močnik) The best debutant choir at the (cond. national competition Naša pesem Stanko 2005. Polzer), www.megaron.si Domžalski komorni zbor (cond. Tomaž Pirnat), See the www.jskd.si for other Komorni zbor Emanuel Celje excellent Slovene choirs: (cond. Bernarda Kink), KUD PAZ Vinko Vodopivec (cond. Primož Malavašič), Ljubljanski madrigalisti (cond. Andreja Martinjak), Mešani pevski zbor Postojna (cond. Matej Penko), Perpetuum Jazzile (cond. Tomaž Kozlevčar).

Project Choirs (working in summer sessions)

Slovene Children’s Choir (10-16), for 90 singers

Akademski pevski zbor France Prešeren Kranj (cond. Primož Kerštanj), Akademski pevski zbor Maribor (cond. Zsuzsa Budavari Novak), Cerkveni ženski pevski zbor A. Vavken (cond. Damijan Močnik), Vokalna skupina Canticum (cond. Jože Fürst), Consortium musicum (Mirko Cuderman), Mešani zbor Danica (artistic director Dami- The best Slovene vocal groups of jan Močnik, conductors: pop and jazz music: Helena Fojkar Zupančič, Bernarda Kink, Martina Batič) Bit (under Sanja Mlinar) Slovene Project Choir for young adults (18-30) Dust (Cond. Karmina Šilec, Stojan Kuret) (under Samo Ivačič) Three choirs in one: male (24), www.vs-dust.com female (32) and mixed (56).

Vocal Groups For other excellent vocal groups see the website www. Slovenski oktet (Slovene octet) jskd.si (Artistic director Mirko Cuderman) The best octet; in the past it carried out the function of spreading Slovene song among the Slovenes abroad. www.slovenski-oktet.si Professional Choirs The Choir of the Opera Theatre of Maribor Slovenski komorni zbor (Slo- www.sng-mb.si vene Chamber Choir) (cond. Mirko Cuderman) Komorni zbor RTV Since 1991. The only professional Slovenija concert choir in Slovenia. Every The RTV Slovenia year they give eight concerts chamber choir is a semi- professional choir. 60 years of this choir’s activity after the WWII have passed by now. It has been led by notable and experienced conductors (many of whom were closely connected with the APZ Tone Tomšič): Ciril Cvetko, Milko Škoberne, Lojze Lebič, Marko Munih, Mirko Cuderman, Jože Fürst, Matjaž Šček, Urša Lah, Stojan Kuret.

of the Vocal Season. The choir recorded 30 CDs of the series Musica sacra slovenica and 20 CDs of the series Slovene Choral Music. www.filharmonija.si/zbor

The Choir of the Opera Theatre of Ljubljana www2.arnes.si/opera M. Strmčnik, P. Šavli, I.Štuhec, andlistento theirmusic on theattached CD. See the Earthsongs. Cultural Activities) and Slovenia PublicFundfor the JSKD(Republic of are publishedmostlyby life opus.Hischoralworks is tobefoundinhislarge sembles. Also scenicmusic poser bySlovenechoiren the mostdemandedcom is weighty. Hehasbeen composer, hischoralopus is mainlyaninstrumental composers. Although he Astrum (Slovenia). Publishers: DSS,JSKD, other SouthSlavicnations. of themusicaltradition he appliessomeelements of hisvocalpieceswhere been enrichedbyaline works. Slovenemusichas quite anamountofchoral His large opus contains also (1931) Alojz Srebotnjak of Slovenia’s leading Today heranksasone Lojze Lebič www.jskd.si forfurther interesting contemporary Slovene composers:N. Forte, (1934) - - CONTEMPORARY Publishers: JSKD, DSS. nic effectson theother. on theonehandandsce use oftraditionalmeans compositions reflectthe acteristic featuresofhis music aswell. The char genre. Writes instrumental in theyouthandchildren’s rich andwide,particulary His opusofvocalmusicis Jakob Jež(1928) Verlag. Composers), Pizzicato (The SocietyofSlovene Publishers: JSKD,DSS more modernresearch. ing theconstraintsof principles withoutavoid the exampleofclassical Institute) hefollows Musical andEthnographic (he alsoworkedatthe use offolkloreelements neoromantic tendencyand 20th century. Attached to Slovene composersofthe among themostexcellent His lifeworkrankshim Uroš Krek (1922)

- - - SLOVENE JSKD, Pizzicato, Astrum. of composing.Publishers: tends toalmostallforms compositions. Hisopusex reflected alsoinhisvocal Resia/Italy whichisoften of theSloveneminorityin researches intothemusic ed to ethnomusicology and composing, heisdedicat minority inItaly. Besides Member oftheSlovene Pavle Merkù JSKD, Astrum. in theopus.Publishers: characteristically present of Istrianfolkmusicare creativity, strongtraces his firstlove.In vocal musichasremained and symphonicfields, pieces intheinstrumental a numberofsignificant Though hehaswritten frequently performed. tions areamongthemost composers, hiscomposi Of theworksbySlovene Aldo Kumar T. Habe, P. Mihelčič. A. Misson, U.Pompe, U.Rojko, (1954) (1927) - - - COMPOSERS Astrum, DSS. Publishers: Sulasol, or neoromanticsound. rich neoexpressionistic and melody, harmonically biosis betweentheword mark isthesenseofsym folk songs.Hisdistinctive arrangements ofSlovene topic (inLatin)and secular aswellsacred Composer ofworkswith Ambrož Čopi Verlag. Publishers: Astrum, Carus and polychordstructure. polyphonic, polytonal into amany-coloured narrative oftendevelops perceived. Hismelodic also fromfolkmusic,are archetypal sonicnotions, tinge ofthechoraleand his melodismaremote its rhythmandtune.In inspired byachosentext, His musicallanguageis (1967) Damijan Močnik (1973) - The Ministry of Culture The Ministry of Education education to www.kultura.gov.si and Sports and The Republic the major- adopted in 2004 the Resolution on the ity of Slovene National Programme for Culture. It of Slovenia Institute for musicians defines the public interest in culture Education – instrumental- with the aim to assure conditions for www.mszs.si/eng, www.zrss.si ists, conductors, creativity, availability of cultural goods, The Ministry for Education and Sports composers and cultural diversity and the Slovene cul- finances 6 hours per week of choral musical pedagogues. tural identity. The public interest in the activity in all nine-form primary schools; Musical education on field of musical arts comprises also choral they are approved as regular working the university level singing and musical publishing. By public hours of the teacher, for the children this can be obtained in calls the Ministry of culture supports is an activity of interest. A school has Slovenia also at the projects of the best Slovene choirs. to organise a one-voice choir in the first the musicological The other choirs and their projects are triad and a two or three-voice choir in departments of the backed by the Republic of Slovenia Public the second and third triads. In secondary Faculty of Arts of Fund for Cultural Activities (JSKD). schools the choirs are considered an the University of activity of interest which is financed by Ljubljana, of the The Republic of Slovenia Pub- the Ministry upon a contract for 4 hours Pedagogic Faculty in Ljubljana and per week. In secondary schoools there the Pedagogic Faculty in Maribor. lic Fund for Cultural Activities are few choirs, mostly they are mixed or An independent university-level study (JSKD) girls’ ensembles. of choir conducting does not exist in www.jskd.si, [email protected] Slovenia. This subject is taught at the is a non-profit governmental institution The Union of Cultural Societ- Academy of Music in two departments: for culture and art with experts at its musical pedagogy and sacred music (2 headquarters in Ljubljana and 58 local ies of Slovenia (ZKDS) hrs per week of group lessons). Through offices in all major urban centres in www.zveza-kds.si, [email protected] practical work, where each class acts as Slovenia. By a governmental regulation is a national non-government central or- a choir, the students learn the technique the JSKD is obligated to support amateur ganisation of cultural societies that rep- of conducting, didactics, the technique cultural societies and their unions. It is resents the interests of these societies of rehearsals and get acquainted with the functioning primarily as a focal point for in relation to the state or its Public Fund theoretical problems of performing music education in culture and backs cultural and in relation to the local communities. of various periods. Besides conducting, projects. The JSKD prepares seminars Several decades ago it had at its disposal the syllabus comprises every year also for the members of various cultural a professional and organisational appara- one hour per week of score playing and groups, for mentors and school teachers tus which supported the development of of the vocal technique. as well as amateurs, interested in art. It choral activity (publishing, organisation of national choral events and awarding organises annual reviews and festivals of The Society of Slovene Com- non-institutional artistic and cultural ac- of prizes). After the Republic of Slovenia tivities. There are 2250 cultural societies Public Fund for Cultural Activities (JSKD) posers (DSS) www.dss.si, [email protected] with 79000 members in Slovenia. Most of had been founded in 1997 within frames is a voluntary professional association of them are engaged in choral singing. of the Ministry od Culture, the entire composers and musicologists, founded Once a year the JSKD announces a Union apparatus and its tasks were taken in 1945. Up to now, the Edicije DSS public call for financing of projects and over by the JSKD. Per tradition the Union have published 1700 works by Slovene programmes on the national level. Since retained the role of the co-organiser of composers, appr. 8% of which was 1999 the state of Slovenia has been some national choral events. choral music. In 2001 a choral division allocating special funding for investments was founded, since then the number of in culture (»kulturni tolar« – »the cultural The Academy of Music newly commissioned compositions has tolar«). The JSKD is obligated to make www.ag.uni-lj.si, [email protected] increased and contacts with the best two annual public calls for investments: in Ljubljana is on the university level the choirs for performing the new pieces one for investments to enhance the only musical academy in Slovenia and is were established. equipment of non-professional groups a member of the University of Ljubljana. and the other for youth culture centres. This institution has given professional Institute of Musicology of the Competition Maribor and the competition The Society was founded in 1872. Its Scientific Research Centre of children’s choirs Zagorje ob Savi. In aim was initially to promote Slovene its regular broadcast Izvir(n)i it presents music literature which was still meagre of the Slovenian Academy of some of the more important perfor- at the time. The following year the Sciences and Arts mances of amateur ensembles. Society started issuing music editions www.odmev.zrc-sazu.si/instituti/mi that up to 1945 kept bringing more and The Institute of Musicology that Radio Slovenia less demanding compositions by Slovene forms a part of the Scientific www.rtvslo.si, composers of all genres. Within the Research Centre (ZRC) was Ljubljana: [email protected] Society operated the archive, artistic founded by the Slovenian Koper: [email protected] department for musical editions, concert Academy of Sciences and Maribor: [email protected] agency, bookshop for music editions, Arts in 1980. It’s main Radio Slovenia with its headquarters in Orchestra Society, musical school and task is the research into Ljubljana and regional centres in Koper a choir. Its archives held the largest Slovenian cultural and and Maribor records and broadcasts all collection of music editions in Slovenia. musical heritage. The major choir concerts and events. Current Now the Glasbena matica collaborates Institute publishes events - national and foreign - are trans- in inciting new choral projects which it critical editions of old mitted live and in the weekly programme executes with various co-organisers. music which comprise Choir Panopticon, the rest are given in also the complete works by Iacobus the eight regular broadcast of every Zveza primorskih pevskih Gallus (1550 - 1591). See the chapter week on the Ars Programme (R3) and the zborov (The union of choirs in on editions. four broadcasts on the First Programme (R1). Selected records are sent to the Eu- the Slovene maritime area) The Slovene Music Information roradio (EBU): for their transmissions, for [email protected] This union links the choirs of Primorska, Centre (SIMIC) the programmes in the nightly European Classical Nocturne and for the biennial the western part of the country, which www.sigic.si, [email protected] is the most active in choral singing in The society operates as the principal competition Let the People Sing. The Musical Programme of the Radio Slovenia Slovenia. It organises educational events Slovene musical information centre. It and regional competitions, and issues presents info on the Slovene musical shapes its programmes and increasses the materials in its musical archives by anthologies of music by composers from past and present of all genres and styles, Primorska. info on Slovene musicians of all genres paying special attention to children’s, and styles, on Slovene institutions and youth and amateur performers and to the non-government organisations that in Slovene choral creativity, including the Zveza kulturnih društev Lju- professional or amateur manner operate one that still awaits to be discovered. bljana (The union of cultural in the field of music, on the available societies, Ljubljana) sound carriers of Slovene authors and The Slovene Caecilian Society www.zkdlj-zveza.si, [email protected] performers, on the Slovene book and is a professional association of church links the cultural societies operating music editions, on the materials in the musicians. After a break of several years mainly in the capital city of Ljubljana. It Slovene musical archives and museum it has re-assembled since 1996. They organises review events. collections, on Slovene folk music, on organise master classes for church choir- the achievements of Slovene musicology masters and organists and issue hymnals. and on the programmes of the creators Address: 23, Štula, Si-1210 Ljubljana, of Slovene musical life, and at the same Slovenia time enables by websites an exchange of info with corresponding musical-informa- Glasbena matica Ljubljana tion organisations worldwide. (The Ljubljana Philharmonic INSTITUTIONS TV Slovenia Society) www2.arnes.si/~ljglmat/ www.rtvslo.si zgodovinadrustva.html, broadcasts the Slovene choral competi- SUPPORTING [email protected] tion Naša pesem, the International Choral CHORAL ACTIVITIES Republic of Slovenia Public brings study contributions, re- Astrum Music Publications Fund for Cultural Activities ports on choral events, critiques www.astrum.si, [email protected] (JSKD) on new publications etc. In its was founded in 1993. It is a music supplement it brings in www.jskd.si, [email protected] predominantly choral literature each issue the scores of one folk publishes Slovene choral lit- publisher of Slovene composers and one artistic composition for erature for children’s and adult and arrangers. It publishes all adult voice settings. choirs. The most prominent music from around the world editions are the monographies as well. Series: Astrum Carols, on the leading Slovene compos- Sacred Choral Music, ers (Lebič, Krek, Jež etc.), the Secular Choral Music, anthologies of folk music and artistic compositions, thematic anthologies and material for seminars. For 60 years it has published the journal Naši zbori (Our Choirs) which three times per year presents composers, choirs and conductors, and Handl-Gallus Edition; choral ZRC Publishing DSS (The Society of Music from Slovenia and New [email protected], Slovene Composers) Choral Horizons. Published www.zrc-sazu/zalozba www.dss.si, [email protected] by now: works by composers is a scientific editorial house Up to the present day, the Ambrož Čopi, Corrado Margutti, that also issues the series of Edicije DSS have published 1700 Pavle Merkù, Vytautas Myskinis, critical music editions Monu- works by Slovene composers. Damijan Močnik and others. menta artis musicae Sloveniae. Among them some 160 publica- Astrum music publications have The most significant volumes of tions involved the voice (a been at several expositions of the series: cappella, solo songs, cantatas, the American Choral Directors’ Iacobus Handl - Gallus masses, didactic works, pieces Association (ACDA), at the World (1550—1591): Opus musicum for children etc.); about 60 are Choral Symposium in Minneapo- (Vols. 5-17); Selectiores choral pieces (a cappella or with lis and the Frankfurt Music Fair. quaedam missae (Vols. 18-21); piano accompaniment). Harmoniae morales (Vol. 26) and Moralia (Vol. 27; composition preserved in manuscript). First The Rep. of Slov. Institute complete recording by Singer for Education Pur, Freiburg, Ljubljana 2000; 3 www.zrss.si, [email protected] CDs, accompanying book. Journal Glasba v šoli (Music at School), with a music supple- Musica noster amor. Musical Art ment; choral anthologies for of Slovenia from its Beginnings school choirs. to the Present. Maribor, Lju- bljana 2002. Anthology; 16 CDs, The Slovene Caecilian accompanying book. Society Issues hymnals. Other volumes involve the works by Lagkhner, Družina d.o.o. Dolar, Prenner, Strictius, [email protected] Plautzius - Plavec, issues the oldest Slovene musi- Posch, Wratny, Puliti, cal journal Cerkveni glasbenik Schwerdt. (Church Musician).

PUBLISHERS OF CHORAL MUSIC Mr. Christian Balandras, artistic director of the prominent French international choral competition Florilège Vocal de Tours, undertook on behalf of the French Ministry of Culture a research into the achievements of choirs from various countries at the most demanding inter- national choral competitions in the past ten years. About the interesting survey and the communication of the significant international success of Slovenia, an ac- complishment of the best Slovene choirs, you can read at the www.rapportbalandras.free.fr