Competition of Children’s, Youth and Girl’s Choirs * Concerts * Open Singing * Workshops * Round Tables * Exhibition * Closing concert of joined choirs
International Youth Choir Festival Celje is a biennial meeting of youth choirs chosen from Slovenia and abroad. In its history it has become an important international choir manifestation that regularly follows, values and stimulates the achievements of youth choirs, and with this it influences the quality level of young people’s singing culture.
Timeline
3.4.2025 - Celjski dom
Sebastjan Vrhovnik: SPOKEN MUSIC – WHEN THE VOICE BECOMES AN INSTRUMENT
The workshop "Spoken Music – When the Voice Becomes an Instrument" is a creative musical exploration focusing on the intersection of speech and music. Participants will discover through practical exercises and group work how spoken language, rhythms, accents, and melodies from everyday speech can become the foundation for musical expression.
Karmina Šilec: CHOREGIE
A method of working with ensembles and an artistic principle for creating musical stage projects. A presentation of the open process of operation as a systematic method for awakening a creative state.
Maja Cilenšek: LESSER-KNOWN COMPOSITIONS OF PAVLE MERKU
Last year marked the 10th anniversary of Merku's death. His musical output continues to surprise us with its diversity, modernity, and wit. Let’s explore some lesser-performed works for high voices to the texts of Robert Piumi.
Odmor za kosilo
Marko Vatovec: A HANDBOOK FOR CHOIR CONDUCTORS
A presentation of a new guidebook for choir leadership. When we think about rehearsals, those of us with a long choir journey behind us have different images and memories. Can we talk about a perfect rehearsal? Can we prepare for it? What is needed for it, and what does such a rehearsal look like, what feelings accompany it? Timothy Seelig wrote in his book The Perfect Rehearsal (2007) that every rehearsal is a journey—or better yet, an excursion. When thinking about a journey, the path, we might also recall the words of Slovenian mountaineer Nejc Zaplotnik: “Those who seek the goal will remain empty once they reach it, but those who find the path will always carry the goal within them.” A choir rehearsal should therefore be like a journey along a path that will fill us, one that we will experience fully, accompanied by various experiences, images of new landscapes, people, and cultures. New feelings, new insights. The path should be designed so that it is accompanied by authentic experiences, images of new, interesting sonic landscapes, new friendships, and new experiences.
Stefan Kaltenböck: WORKSHOP FOR CREATIVE REHEARSALS AND CONCERT EXPERIENCE
This workshop is designed for choir conductors, singers, and all lovers of choral singing who wish to elevate their vocal rehearsals to a new level. It focuses on innovative vocal training methods that are not only effective but also fun, as well as on the inclusion of attractive and modern pieces that will enrich the choir’s repertoire.
Youth Choir Festival Celje.
The Choirs taking part at the 36th International Youth Choir Festival will present themselves at the competition concert and with an independent performance with a programme of their choice, as well as joining other singers at open singing and presenting a typical piece from their cultural environment. The best choirs will be awarded with money prizes.
During the festival the choirs will be provided with free meals – lunch and dinner.
Festival is made possible by
