Things of interest - From the beginning

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Of the origins…

The origins of Zbor svetega Nikolaja Litija date back to October 1997, when a group of young people decided to meet on a regular basis with a desire to socialize, singing of multi-voice songs as well as to sing at Sunday services in the local church. Since most of them had never sung in a choir before, the singers knew little or nothing of music notes, so even the simplest multi-voice song presented them a problem, as each individual sang as a soloist and by his liking. They had however a lot of fun and Saturday nights were always full of laughter. They successfully overcame their lack of knowledge in musical theory with great love of work and music and under the attentive leadership of Helena Fojkar Zupančič made visible (and hearable) progress every year.



First appearance at the diocese choir review
(Polšnik, May 10, 1998)


First public appearance…

During the first year, the choir was only participating at local church services and secular choir reviews. But already in the second year it prepared its first independent Christmas concert, which has now become a tradition. The local audience soon got very fond of them and »adopted« them. In the year 2000 was their first important performance at the 11th Slovenian Church Music Festival in Cerklje in Gorenjska, where professional audience declared them as the most promising choir. In the same year, the choir was given the opportunity to work with an orchestra. The youthful energy, increasingly beautiful singing and interesting music events – these were the primary reasons why more new young singers have been attracted to the choir.



1st Christmas Concert
(Church St. Nicholas Litija, December 25, 1998)


Calls from abroad…

Due to their tenacity, the singers started to look over Slovenian borders for challenges. In 2001 the choir was accepted in the European choir association Europa Cantat and in the same year had its first appearance abroad. On a three-day tour in Austria they had Christmas concerts in Graz, Dobrla Vas and Vienna. The tour's unforgettable atmosphere had a profound influence on the singers and the will to try even harder grew stronger.



Tour in Austria
(Vienna, December 30, 2001)


First Competition and…

The turning-point in choir's activity was definitely the 18th National Choir Competition Naša pesem 2003 in Maribor, which made the choir known Slovenia-wide. By pleasantly surprising the audience it received numerous additional awards. All modest expectations of the singers were surpassed and choir returned »golden« from the adventure into the unknown. It would be difficult to describe all of the feelings and emotions. However we can say, they were wonderful since the singers were on the right path.




18th National Choir Competition Naša pesem 2003
(Union hall, Maribor, March 30, 2003)


First CD…

What had seemed impossible became reality in the year 2003 when choir's first music CD called Božična Luč (Christmas Light) was recorded together with the symphony orchestra Simfonija Luwigana, bass-baritonist Marcos Fink and the Sv. Nikolaj children choir. A total of 6000 CD was distributed. It contains a selected opus of the English composer John Rutter, translated into Slovenian language by professor Irma Močnik. It is hard to combine all the joy and happiness felt for this musical accomplishment in just a few sentences as well as what this achievement means to 40 young people, who have succeeded in moving from songs for one voice to four and more voices in just a few years.



Božična Luč CD
(December 2003)


International competition…

Choir accepted the invitation to the 7th International Choir Competition in Maribor 2004. It was above all an opportunity to meet prominent choirs of european choir music. The outcome was a complete surprise. Second placing and every special award received left none equanimous. Tears of happiness, shouts of joy and serene faces of singers hid all the hours of hard work.



7th International Choir Competition Maribor 2004
(Union hall, Maribor, April 25, 2004)


Invitations grow in number…

The choir was receiving more and more invitations to cooperate at largest, most prominent festivals and competitions abroad and in Slovenia. So in September 2004 the choir went to Italy to participate at the renowned international choir festivals of "Citta di Fano" in Fano and "Polyphonia" in Pesaro. In December 2004 it arranged for two Christmas concerts to take place together with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra and in 2005 it organized an independent concert in the Grand Hall of Slovenian Philharmonic Society in Ljubljana under the wing of "Tako pojo zlati" (That is how the golden voices sing) project and participated at the "Quaresima in musica" festival in Gorizia, Italy.



Christmas concert with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra
(Gallus hall, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, December 19, 2004)


Today…

Today the Zbor sv. Nikolaja Litija consists of 42 singers, mostly students from Litija and its surrounding areas. It has become one of the most esteemed choirs in Slovenia as well as abroad thanks to hard work and extremely competent conductor Helena Fojkar Zupančič. Choir's major qualities include the ability give music of their hearts, to effectively merge it with text and persuasive realization of musical pieces of different styles and eras. Choir members are especially connected through strong experience of spiritual music.



The »Tako pojo zlati« project concert
(Grand Hall, Slovenian Philharmonic Society, Ljubljana, February 27, 2005)


In the future we wish…

To freely walk the path of beautiful music, but mostly to unite the joy of singing, mutual creativity and the delight of enriching each other as well as our listeners.



Members of choir on intensive practice
(Pohorje, August 28, 2004)


Hidden wishes…

Better work conditions. And our biggest wish? Well, each of us carries one in him/her and it should remain that way.

 

 

Nova kultura Litija, Valvazorjev trg 1, SI-1270 Litija, Slovenija | e-mail: info@litija.org