The 25th annual jubilee concert with nine choirs, string orchestra of St. Stanislav’s Institution and and the hosting orchestra of Frederic Chopin Conservatory in Krakow, Poland included more than 500 musicians who fired the full house in Cankarjev Dom with enthusiasm on 13th May 2018. The majestic music event, rounded off by Anton Bruckner’s Te Deum, celebrated the 25th Anniversary of Diocesan Classical Gymnasium and Jeglič Student Home and 10th Anniversary of Alojzij Šuštar Primary School.
This year individual choirs joined into four meaningful groups depending on songs performed, which ranged in various style. The concert opened with a medley of Slovene folk songs, entitled Alba/Dawn, a novelty by Damijan Močnik, dedicated to the long-serving director of St. Stanislav’s Institution Roman Globokar. Two more mixtures of folk songs Joyous Heart and Vigred/Springtime were presented by both Primary School choirs; the latter being accompanied by an improvisation on folk instruments. Both first year choirs of the Diocesan Classical Gymnasium continued with a mix of evergreen Slovene pop songs, a novelty compiled by Tine Bec, conductor of the First-Year Boys’ Choir. The audience attention of the first part went to The Beatles Best of Songs in the interpretation of the (Re)Mixed Choir of the DCG and St. Stanislav Student Choir. Impeccable choreography (by Mojca Sečkar) of more than 150 singers underpinned by singers’ 1960’s outfits brought to life the Beatles’ greatest hits of all times. It was an explosion of Beatlemania in its broadest sense of the word, which fuelled big cheers. The grand finale united almost 600 performers from nine choirs, both orchestras and four accompanying voices in the interpretation of Bruckner’s Te Deum. The following singers features as soloists: Marta Močnik Pirc, soprano; Sabina Gruden, alto; Martin Sušnik, tenor and Marcos Fink, bass. All five sections of this majestic work put new life into the words We praise you, God – the life of sincere praise for numerous gifts gratefully received in the last 25 years in St. Stanisalv’s Institution. The piece drew on full resources of the choirs and orchestras, concluding in a joyous fugue of In Te, Domine, speravi/In you, Lord, have I trusted. That was the second time this evening that the audience gave a standing ovation.
Apart from music, there were two meaningful speeches given on the solemn occasion. The first one by Anton Česen, M.A., director of St. Stanislav’s Institution, who explained the guiding lines of the jubilee motto Youth Woven from Sparks of Sun. It combines fruitfully the search for opportunity growth,various challenges and personal endeavours of the young. He concluded by words of thanks to the conductors and the singers for their commitment to the cause. The honourable speaker was Tomaž Faganel, M.A., Slovene musicologist, who pointed at the role of music throughout the 25 years since the reestablishment of St. Stanislav’s Institution. “Music is a way of life, liberated from everyday routine, invariably originating from curious silence. All this is presented to the young in St. Stanislav’s Institution by charismatic leaders – conductors, who create “little songs” that the audience and performers gratefully take home. They represent a significant part of our dreams and encourage curiosity.”
Indeed, the listeners took home many new songs from tonight’s concert that featured music which was a feast for the soul and the senses. You can listen to it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpPkL1rRgK8
/Lily Schweiger Kotar/