Each year the entire school community celebrates St. Stanislav’s Day to mark the feast of the Institution’s patron. This year it is under the title of The Focus of Harmony, which adequately points at the 25^th anniversary of the establishment of The Music School of St. Stanislav’s Institution.

This year as well all celebrations have been restricted to virtual mediums only. Therefore, we have the pleasure of inviting you to follow us online. The occasion will be marked with holy mass and a solemn celebration on Thursday 11th November 2021. Holy mass will be celebrated at 3.00 p.m. by the Archbishop of Ljubljana Msgr. Stanislav Zore in St. Stanislav’s Chapel. https://tiny.cc/masa2021

The solemn celebration will take place at 5 p. m.. Ivan Florjanc, M.A., a Slovene composer, will hold the official speech. The performance will be given by the students of all schools in St. Stanislav’s Institution. https://tiny.cc/akademija2021

We are looking forward to meeting you online.

Anton Česen, M. A., Director of St. Stanislav’s Institution

Damijan Močnik, Slovene composer, conductor and a long serving music teacher is the deputy chairman of the Europa Cantat Music Commission and the chief music advisor for the music image of the opening ceremony and concerts representing Slovene choral music to international audience. Unfortunately, the intended programme will be materialised only partly due to pandemic restrictions. Damijan Močnik is the conductor of both Megaron Chamber Choir and St. Stanislav Youth Choir of The Diocesan Classical Gymnasium.

Megaron Chamber Choir will perform at the concert on Thursday, 22nd July 2021 at 5 p.m. in Cultural and Congress Centre Cankarjev dom in Gallus Hall. In the section Listen to Slovenia Slovene sacral music by Jacobus Gallus will be presented; the programme will also include pieces from the flourishing period of the 19th century Slovene music to timelessness of choral works by contemporary Slovene composers including Mav, Klemenčič, Ipavec, Dev, Lebič, Vulc, Makor, Mlakar and Sojar Voglar. For more detailed information please follow: https://europacantat.jskd.si/programme/special-projects/sing-to-slovenia/ and https://europacantat.jskd.si/programme/concerts/listen-to-slovenia-concerts/

St. Stanislav Youth Choir is the festival choir of the residence and is to perform in Open Singing section and Discovery Ateliers. Open Singing is a daily open-air event where everybody is welcome to join in for the sake of pure joy of singing. An intensive musical experience is guaranteed. Open Singing is led by Jan Schumacher, German professor of conducting and conductor of award winning ensembles. Discovery Ateliers are designed for those who love diversity in terms of style, singing techniques and genres of choral music. Workshops are to take place from 17th-20^th July, 2021. For more details follow: https://europacantat.jskd.si/programme/workshops/discovery-ateliers/

Both Megaron Chamber Choir and St. Stanislav Youth Choir will perform at the concert Sing to Slovenia in Slovenian Philharmonic on Sunday, 18^th July, 2021 in the morning (9.30-12.00 a.m.) and evening session (6.p.m-8.30 p.m.). This event celebrates the 30th anniversary of Slovenia’s independence.

At St. Stanislav’s Institution we strongly believe singing is an important part of education of every young person. Students of The Diocesan Classical Gymnasium and alumni take advantage of probably the best musical education available in Slovenia. Singing brings with it also the benefits of skills that will last a lifetime and singers gain a natural self-confidence, as well as the appreciation of good time-keeping and the rewards that result from hard work. Warmly welcome to any of the above mentioned events. The more, the merrier! /Lily Schweiger Kotar/

If you want to listen to one of the greatest choirs in the world, this is your chance! The concert will take place on Wednesday, 21st July 2021 at 9 p.m. in Cultural and Congress Centre Cankarjev dom in Gallus Hall. The first part of the concert will feature the Slovene composers from Gallus to Bec, Čopi, Močnik and Vovk. The second part will offer two world premieres by international composers like Jennefelt, Ešenvalds, Patriquin, Hyokki.

The night will be a perfect realisation of St. Stanislav Girls’ Choir mission statement, which is summarized in the words Sharing My True Self. The girls share discipline, hard work, compliance, focus, trust, vigour and naturally a love for singing. The moment a beautiful sonority is created, it is time to pass it on through concert performance. You do not want to miss this, right? When sharing their true selves in front of the audience, the girls become an inspiration for others and the mission is accomplished. We shall be honoured if you could join us.

Still hesitant? Listen to (and watch) St. Stanislav Girls’ Choir and Butterfly by Mia Makaroff. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNfhz1lGU40

/Lily Schweiger Kotar/

“The right hand of the LORD has struck with power; the right hand of the LORD is exalted. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.” The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. Ps 118:16-17, 22-23

May the celebration of Easter open our eyes to the light of the Risen, so that our lives may reflect the hope that he bestows upon us! Felix Alleluia!

Anton Česen, M. A.

Director

Each year the entire school community celebrates St. Stanislav’s Day to mark the feast of the Institution’s patron. This year it was under the title of “Building Bridges Together” between all schools in St. Stanislav’s Institution, between the present, past and future, between the present students and alumni, between modern and classical, between you and me.

This year’s celebration was marked with holy mass and a solemn celebration on Wednesday 13th November 2019. Holy mass was celebrated at 3 p.m. in the parish church of St. Vitus in Ljubljana Šentvid by the Archbishop of Ljubljana Msgr. Stanislav Zore. The solemn celebration took place at 5 p. m. in the sports hall of the Alojzij Šuštar Primary School. Ms Alenka Potočnik, alumna of The Diocesan Classical Gymnasium, held the official speech. The performance was be given by the students of all schools in St. Stanislav’s Institution.

Other events in November are taking place, such as the opening of the exhibition of Tadej Žugman’s paintings (Kregar Atrium, November 6, 2019, at 7 p.m.); a festive concert of the Music School of St. Stanislav’s Institution (Matija Tomc Concert Hall, November 12, 2019, at 6 p.m.) and the opening of the ceramics exhibition »Jože Plečnik’s Architecture as an Inspiration« (Meršol Atrium, November 18, 2019, at 6 p.m.). Warmly welcome.

Last school year The Diocesan Classical Gymnasium and Kanto Daiichi High School had an exchange and it went really well so it will take place again from 27th March – 2nd April 2019. Fifteen Japanese students a couple of the teachers will spend a week in Ljubljana.

The exchange will be educational and will involve bond making as well. The exchange will include visits to a lot of historical and natural attractions and some sightseeing. We will have a short city tour of Ljubljana, visiting the beautiful sights of the capital city. There will be a one-day excursion where we will visit Logarska Valley, Celje and Celje Castle and stop at Trojane to have some doughnuts. Some time will be dedicated for Japanese and Slovene students to hang out with host families and experience Slovene way of life. We expect to learn a lot about Japan, brush up our English and improve social skills. Students of the DCG are all really looking forward to the exchange. /Vesna Bukovnik and Neža Tomažič, year 2/

Ten representatives of The Academic Society Unitas Würzburg are to visit St. Stanislav’s Institution on Tuesday, 26th March 2019. Among them, we shall welcome also two alumni of The Diocesan Classical Gymnasium Marko Planinc and Jan Pintar who together with Pavel Orešnik have received a scholarship for undertaking the university studies in Würzburg. Irena Bolta, teacher of German at the DCG and Pavel’s class teacher, has been in charge of the link with Society Unitas since its very beginnings in 1997.

Since 1855 The Academic Society Unitas Würzburg has been there to assist science Catholic students and academics. In 1877 Archbishop Jeglič, the founder of St. Stanislav’s Institution, was accepted as member when on a study tour in Germany. He kept in touch with UNITAS also later when appointed the archbishop. Pre-war alumni dr. Marjan Zupančič, an UNITAS member as well, informed his fellow member about the reestablishment of Stanislav’s Institution in 1993. The society embraced the news enthusiastically, offering the possibility of university studies in Germany to one alumni of the DCG. This was Pavel Orešnik (1st generation), an attorney specialised in German transport, civil engineering and architecture law, with an office in Tettnang, Bavaria, Germany. The second alumni to benefit from the UNITAS generosity was Marko Planinc (10th generation), who finished studies of business informatics; presently Jan Pintar (18th generation) is studying social politics at Bayerische Julius-Maximilians Universität Wurzbürg.

We are happy to welcome all members, especially Mr Steimer, thanks to who alumni of DCG have had a chance to study in Würtzburg and has taken care of the constant financial support throughout the 22 years of fruitful common cooperation. /Lily Schweiger Kotar/

Hori Takeaki, a guest at the international PEN meeting in Bled, Slovenia, will deliver a speech for the students of the Diocesan Classical Gymnasium on 27th March 2019 at 10.40 a.m in the Jeglič Student Home.

Hori Takeaki is a professor, scientist and a haiku writer as well as an honorary vice chairman of PEN International. With his assistance, the Hiroshima and Nagasaki exhibition in Ljubljana has been set up to recall the memory of the atomic bomb victims and raise awareness of the danger of nuclear weapons. Mr Takeaki will talk to students about his poetic endeavors and they will read some of their own haiku poems. We are very much looking forward to the event. Welcome! /Lily Sch. Kotar/

In recognition of world poetry day the students of the Diocesan Classical Gymnasium prepared a recital of ancient Roman poetry. The event took place in Dr. Anton Breznik Library on 21st March 2019. The passages from Ovid’s Art of Love and other pieces of poetry were read and interpreted by second year students. They proved that the theme of love and courtship have not changed much through times. It was  a perfect and occasionally humorous celebration of the first spring day.

World Poetry Day was declared by UNESCO in 1999. Each year the focus is given on some particular poet and his/her works.  One of the main objectives of the Day is to support linguistic diversity through poetic expression. In celebrating the occasion the school community recognizes  the outstanding ability of poetry to capture the creative spirit of the human mind. /Lily Schweiger Kotar/

Homer’s Iliad is one of the earliest work in the Western literary tradition and one of the best loved stories of all times. It will be read by almost six thousand readers from all over the world and Dragica Fabian Andritzakos, teacher of Latin and ancient Greek at the Diocesan Classical Gymnasium, is to join them with some other Slovene humanities lovers in Ljubljana. Students of the DCG will join the audience as well. The public reading will be carried out on the world level during the 13th European Latin Greek Festival, which will take place in Lyon, France from 20th to 24th March 2019. The Iliad is an epic poem, which recounts some of the meaningful events of the final weeks of the Trojan War and the Greek siege of the city of Troy.

The event in Slovenia will take place on 22nd  March 2019 in The National Gallery (Prešernova 24, Ljubljana) at 10 a.m. Welcome to experience Iliad in the ways that Ancient Greeks might have done. This is one of the ways to celebrate classical poetry and culture.  /Lily Schweiger Kotar/