The exchange of the Kantonsschule in Wohlen and The Diocesan Classical Gymnasium was a huge success in every aspect – musical, academic and getting to know the Swiss way of life. Both conductors Walter Siegel and Helena Fojkar Zupančič are the most deserving of respect and praise for the outstanding organisation and uplifting the spirits at all times. The following two reports one by Klara, a Slovene choir singer and the other by Mr Seigel, both adequately reflect the ambiance of this joyous event.
“As a member of the (Re)Mixed Choir I had a chance to visit Switzerland from February 25th to 29th 2024 during the exchange with the school Kantonsschule in Wohlen. All Slovenian students stayed with Swiss host families who generously let us be a part of their family for a few days, making us feel at home away from home. Besides sightseeing, visiting a medieval church and climbing a snowy mountain, we spent a lot of time with the Swiss students and really got to experience life the way they live it in the picturesque Swiss countryside. I was paired up with another girl from our school that I had only known the name of prior to the tour, but grew really close to immediately.
On the first day, our host family welcomed us as if we were old friends and we experienced more unforgettable memories with them every day. We also got to meet other Swiss hosts and Slovenian singers we hadn’t known before. The family dinners, late night talks and game nights filled me with such content and gratefulness for being so lucky with the family that had been chosen for me. During the day, we had many rehearsals with our choir and also together with the Swiss one, all in preparation for the big last evening concert. Being in the front row while singing, I was able to observe people’s reactions to our performance and I saw how taken aback they were by our energy, as well as our choreography and the type of music we brought with us. The acoustics of the church only enhanced the experience and together with the audience’s praises after the concert left an imprint in all of our hearts. Having enjoyed such a fulfilling experience, I can certainly say I will cherish the memory of it for a really long time. And to anyone deciding whether to join an exchange: definitely do, you will not regret it.” /Klara Gaberšek, year 4/
Walter Siegel, the conductor of the Swiss Choir, collected memories of the exchange by writing the following: “The past few days have been filled with joy, music, and camaraderie. Your singers brought an incredible energy to our community, and it was an honour to host them and share in their musical talents. The concert was a huge success and we earned a lot of credit for it here in Wohlen. That will immensely help us to implement future music projects. Thank you! I believe music has a unique ability to touch hearts and create lasting impressions, and I’m thrilled that our collaboration has left such a positive impact on everyone involved. The dedication of everybody involved and hospitality played a significant role in making this experience unforgettable. It’s been a pleasure working with all of you and hosting your talented singers. I too hope our paths cross again in the future.” /Lily Schweiger Kotar/
One of the concerts on the Swedish tour – focus, joy and singing
St. Stanislav Girls’ Choir of The Diocesan Classical Gymnasium went on a concert tour from 9th- 15th February 2024 to Stockholm to meet a phenomenal girls’ choir Adolf Fredriks Flickkör and present themselves to the Swedish public. It was an amazing opportunity to have two concerts with two amazing Swedish choirs and a concert at Adolf Fredriks Music Primary School where the subject of choir singing is emphasized. At this school we were presented some other classes as well.
It was an unforgettable experience to meet one of the world’s best conductor Gary Graden, who has been collaborating with Megaron Chamber Choir for the last thirty years. Later we joined him at the service in a Swedish old town church and were lucky to be able to listen to the amazing Bach’s B Minor Mass under Graden’s conductorship.
Cultural program was an inportant aspect of the entire tour and it also included listening to the incredible Swerige Radiokören/The Swedish Radio Choir which hosted a seminar for young Norwegian conductors. We were all stunned by their almost angelic singing and learned a lot about their singing technique which is quite typical of Swedish choirs. Our tour was not just about singing and music. There was enough time to explore the beauty of Stockholm, which is a very picturesque city. We managed to visit two famous museums. The first museum was the Vasa Museum with a massive 17th century ship exhibited. Second one was the Astrid Lindgren’s Museum, where some of her most known stories are presented, including Pippi Longstocking. In addition, we also had a chance to visit Stocholm Stadshus/Stockholm City Hall, where a massive banquet for 1300 guests of honor is annually held after the Nobel Prize ceremony.
This is just a quick glimpse into our tour in Stockholm, but we experienced a lot more and had a great time with each other and singing together on stage as well as off stage. We would like to thank everybody who made this possible for us, especially the choir’s conductor Helena Fojkar Zupančič. /Diana Dominko, year 4/
Students of 3B class organized a Greek recital soiree as a part of a project assignment on January 30th 2024 at The Diocesan Classical Gymnasium. We had the honour of hosting the Greek ambassador to Slovenia Mr. Argyrios Makris. The director of St. Stanislav’s Institution Mr. Anton Česen also attended the event.
We had the pleasure of listening to excellent recitations of Greek and Slovene poems, in both Greek and Slovene language. The selection of poems for the occasion was excellent and the entire event was deeply moving and emotional. The house was full, the audience obviously enjoyed the recital. In addition to reciting poems, the program was enriched by students playing musical instruments. We listened to some Greek songs played on the piano and the violin, but it was the guitar performance that truly introduced the Greek vibe. If you closed your eyes, you could actually imagine yourself lying under an olive tree on a Greek coast.
After the recital, the students treated us to some exquisite homemade Greek desserts. Following Greek tradition, a special pie was traditionally cut on a New Year’s Day, and we wished each other all the best for the remainder of the year. The audience agreed the recital was truly something special, definitely to be repeated. /Jurij Matija Lisec, year 3/
Marija Bobič, Diocesan Classical Gymnasium alumna, Nativity scene, 2021, watercolour
Christmas awakens longing for happiness, fullness of life and true joy. Let us stop, look in ourselves and consider others. There are many reasons for hope and opportunities to share it with the loved ones. Allow it to touch us and fill up our hearts with the mystery of Holy Night.
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a joyful New Year 2024.
St. Stanislav’s Institution Diocesan Classical Gymnasium, Jeglič Student Home, Alojzij Šuštar Primary School, Good Shepherd Kindergarten, Janez F. Gnidovec Residence Hall, Slovene Home, Matija Tomc Music School and Stane Kregar Gallery
The Best in English contest, which took place on November 16th 2023, is an online English competition that includes countries in the EU and more. This year 24,343 students from 702 schools in 34 countries took part. It is opened to all high schools and their students aged 14-19. The level of the test is B1 – C1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The best students win a 2-week trip to Canada. Škofijska klasična gimnazija in Zavod sv. Stanislava did really well by getting the 167th position out of 702 schools globally. We are happy to announce that some students excelled also individually. The best result was achieved by Jurij Martinčič, (year 3), who was one of the top 7 students in Slovenia and ranked 66 out of everyone. Klara Lešnik (year 4) was second-best, followed by Jerica Brolih (year 3), Klara Gaberšek, (year 4), and Rihard Rener (year 2.)
The school community feels proud of students’ success and everything they have accomplished. Congratulations. /Katja Gorjup/
The Diocesan Classical Gymnasium student Vida Vurušič, year 2, won third place at Street dance show championship in two adult categories – namely the street dance show duos and street dance show formations. The event took place from 13th-15th November 2023. We congratulate Vida upon the outstanding success! The school community is extremely proud of you! /Lily Schweiger Kotar/
Each year the entire school community celebrates St. Stanislav’s Day to mark the feast of the Institution’s patron. This academic year the celebration is all the more special as the 30th anniversary of the reestablishment St. Stanislav’s Institution is being marked. The fill rouge of the celebration is explained under the motto To love out of gratitude.
We have the pleasure of inviting you to this year’s celebration which will be marked with the holy mass on Monday 13th November 2023. It will be celebrated at 10.30 a.m. in the Cathedral of St. Nicolas. The formal celebration will take place on Tuesday 14th November at 5.30 p. m. in the sports hall of the Alojzij Šuštar Primary School. Mr. Jože Kurinčič, a former teacher of Slovene language at the Diocesan Classical Gymnasium, will hold the official speech. The performance will be given by the students of all schools in St. Stanislav’s Institution.
We look forward to celebrating with you.
Anton Česen, M. A., Director of St. Stanislav’s Institution
General description: International conference on the challenges of education in the age of artificial intelligence, on building interpersonal relationships in the school environment and wider society, on teaching in and coexistence with nature, and on the future and vision of Catholic education in contemporary society.
Date: 9-11 May 2024
Promoters: national and internationally renowned lecturers and experts on the subject
Content:
Church in the mission of education,
Pedagogy in response to the challenges of our time,
Digitisation and AI in school processes
More information about the conference and opportunities to participate, including on how to present your own papers, will be available on the school website in early December.
Various stages in the life of men and institutions illustrate their growth, which through time define their identity. St. Stanislav’s Institution was founded on 13th November 1992 and a year later lessons started in the partly renovated building. It was returned to the Archdiocese of Ljubljana by the then government of The Republic of Slovenia, led by Mr. Lojze Peterle and the Minister of Defence Mr. Janez Janša.
In the academic year 2023/24, we mark the 30th anniversary of the reestablishment of St. Stanislav’sInstitution, which was founded by the Bishop of Ljubljana Anton Bonaventura Jeglič in 1905 as the first entirely Slovene gymnasium. He had an exceptional vision of the future. We are grateful that the alumnus, the Archbishop Alojzij Šuštar, initiated by some enthusiastic parents, made it possible that St. Stanislav’s Institution today represents the leading educational and cultural establishment of The Archdiocese of Ljubljana.
The renovation of the main section of the Institution and building of new schools on the area of former military barracks have provided the vertical learning environment from primary and music school to gymnasium, student home and residence hall to gallery, exhibition and concert management.
The mission of St. Stanislav’s Institution is to foster the integral personal growth of each individual in the community for the betterment of the wold.
We are grateful for each and every one who has been employed in the Institution so far: directors, headmasters, teachers, guardians and maintenance staff who have shared their experience with children and students; we are deeply indebted to all who have enrolled at different schools in St. Stanislav’s Institution and parents for their trust. Every day almost 1500 young people form their lives and create their future here. The school’s motto Amor magister optimus materialises the vision of being included in the life of the youth, and fostering their relationship with God.
Love is the best teacher in the present and the future. It is our ardent wish that the young would discover and materialize their mission in the Church and society, thus bettering the world for themselves and generations to come.
The Impressive Nine Choirs from St. Stanislav’s Institution on the Biggest Stage in the Country
28th Annual Concert of the Choirs and Orchestras of St. Stanislav’s Institution
The concert took place on Sunday, 14th May, 2023 at 6.00 p.m. in Gallus Hall in Cankarjev Dom (Ljubljana). The fil rouge of this year’s concert was the young heart’s song, which suggests that it was the creative force of a young person’s heart that brought about the unprecedented joy and creativity of all the singers of nine choirs (St. Stanislav Youth Choir of the Diocesan Classical Gymnasium, directed by D. Močnik; St. Stanislav Girls’ Choir of the Diocesan Classical Gymnasium, directed by H. Fojkar Zupančič; Chamber Choir Megaron, established and directed by D. Močnik; The First-Year Girls’ Choir and The First-Year Boys’ Choir of DCG, directed by M. Kozmus and T. Bec; St. Stanislav Student Choir, conducted by M. Praček Prašnikar; Alojzij Šuštar Primary School Children’s and Youth Choirs directed by N. Janežič and T. Bec; and (Re)Mixed Choir of the Diocesan Classical Gymnasium directed by M. Kozmus) and two orchestras (the String Orchestra of Matija Tomc Music School, directed by D. Močnik and Ž. Faganel; and Orchestra Symphony 23, conducted by M. Zupanc Kovač). They performed a variety of compositions ranging from renaissance to modern genres, from folk music to religious pieces and musicals. Polona Gantar, journalist from Radio Slovenia, attended the event and this is how it resonated with her.
“Anybody who knows at least a little about the Slovene choir scene, is aware of the fact that music holds a special place in St. Stanislav’s Institution. This is what the audience felt at the Sunday concert. Every year the abundant measure of youthful enthusiasm about music, singing, music making and spring zest is sensed, and this time it was no different. The conductors of choirs and orchestras know it all too well that this status is never self-understood and cannot be taken for granted. These conductors of the choirs and orchestras are one of the most dedicated and learned in the country and so are the young singers and instrumentalists of all vocal and instrumental ensembles in St. Stanislav’s Institution. Most probably there is no other school or music establishment in Slovenia which prides itself on such diversified music activities, especially the choral ones. However, what really needs to be emphasised is not the quantity but the exceptional quality of their performance, which the audience has been witnessing for years and is in fact improving from year to year. This was a first-class music event. The only additional observation one could make is that the young can shape their values, life views and work habits very effectively through music, of which the music pedagogues in St. Stanislav’s Institution have been well aware for years. The audience has sensed it strongly tonight. I believe there has not a single concertgoer who has not touched by this joyous performance, which was followed by standing ovations.” /Lily Schweiger Kotar/
