Celje, April 7, 2025 – Yesterday, the 36th International Youth Choir Festival concluded with a sunny choral walk through the old town center of Celje. Held from April 2 to April 6, the past days were inspiring and filled with high-quality singing from choirs from Slovenia and abroad, who also competed in the international choral competition. During the festival days, Celje hosted more than 5,500 musical guests from Slovenia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Serbia, and Switzerland. The highlight of this year’s event was undoubtedly Saturday’s Zborovski BUM (Choral BOOM), when around 5,000 young voices harmoniously resonated in Zlatorog Hall, accompanied by the Wind Orchestra of the Celje Music School. Festival awards and recognitions were also presented there. The event will undoubtedly remain a lasting and precious memory.

We are pleased that, after a few years, we successfully organized the international edition of the festival again, attracting exceptionally high-quality youth choirs from various parts of Slovenia as well as from the Czech Republic, Italy, Hungary, Germany, and Serbia. Our goal is to alternate the national festival biennially with the international edition, and we are already looking forward to future festival years. The honorary patron of this year’s festival was the Minister of Culture, Dr. Asta Vrečko, while the honorary patron of Zborovski BUM was the President of the Republic, Dr. Nataša Pirc Musar.

Next year, the festival will celebrate its 80th anniversary. To mark this major milestone, we are planning a special exhibition (we are collecting memories in the Kamra archive of the Celje Central Library) and a monograph that will commemorate three anniversaries: the 80th anniversary of the Celje Youth Choir Festival, the 100th anniversary of artistic activity, and the 120th anniversary of the birth of the festival’s visionary founder, Jurče Vreže. The monograph, authored by Dr. Darja Koter, will be published in cooperation with the Celje Mohor Society and the Academy of Music at the University of Ljubljana.

Choral Walk and Nationwide Singing with Heart

We wrapped up the 36th International Youth Choir Festival with a choral walk as part of the “Nationwide Singing with Heart” project, which unites all of Slovenia in singing Slovenian songs. Numerous vocal ensembles performed, bringing spring warmth into the old town center of Celje.

Performers included: MePZ Don Bosko Celje, Vocal Group Espiritu – Hospice Association, Ljubečanke – Women’s Choir KUD Ljubečna, Folk Group DU Slavko Šlander, Singing Group Vedeževi Črički, Vedež Association Celje, Štorsko Singing Society Osti Jarej, Academic Choir Karel Destovnik – Kajuh, Cultural Association APZ Celje, Almini Karlinčki, SKD Desanka Maksimović, and MePZ Grofija.

We sincerely thank everyone who contributed to the wonderful conclusion of the IYCF with their performances.

Celje’s institutions and associations will also join the “Nationwide Singing with Heart” project on Wednesday, April 23, when they will sing between 10:00 and 11:00 within their organizations. By participating in this nationwide event, they will send a message to the world about unity, cooperation, solidarity, and respect for the Slovenian language, culture, and traditions.

This year, the following will sing: Zavod Za vas živim, Fran Kranjc Primary School, Anica Černejeva Kindergarten, Celje School of Horticulture and Visual Arts, Celje Secondary School of Health and Beauty, Danijelov Levček Kindergarten – Center Unit, DU Slavko Šlander Association – Folk Group, Glazija Primary School, Šent Daily Center Celeia Celje, Ozara Celje, Most Žalec, Golovec Center for Care and Work, Savinja Home Celje, Celje-Center Grammar School, Public Institute Socio, and MePZ “Grofija”.

The 36th IYCF Will Echo for a Long Time

As the festival comes to a close, we would like to thank all participating choirs from Slovenia and abroad, the conductors, and their companions. Our thanks also go to the members of the music jury: Sebastjan Vrhovnik, Maja Cilenšek, Stefan Kaltenböck (Austria), Christian Klucker (Switzerland), and Karmina Šilec. We are also grateful to both honorary patrons, the Slovenian National Education Institute, the Celeia Celje Institute, the Celje Music School, Alma M. Karlin Secondary School Center, the company ZPO (manager of Zlatorog Hall), the music commission, the organizing committee, and all others who contributed to making the 36th IYCF a great success and inspiration.