CHORAL BOOM 2025.
The largest singing celebration in Slovenia.
The Choral BOOM is the largest singing celebration in Slovenia – an event that brings together elementary school youth singers from all over the country. It is not just a concert, but a real experience where children connect in song, Slovenian words, and the joy of singing together.
It began in 2012 in Maribor, when the simultaneous singing of 1,435 children from 36 elementary schools in Štajerska first echoed in Leon Štukelj Square. A year later, the event expanded to the national level – 4,744 singers from 154 Slovenian schools filled the Ljudski vrt stadium. In 2015, the mass singing of 6,419 children was enriched by a dance choreography of 323 dancers. In 2017, under the baton of Simon Krečič and accompanied by the symphony orchestra of SNG Maribor, 5,487 children from 184 schools sang in unison. They were also joined by top soloists from the Maribor opera.
The initiator and professional leader of the project is Dr. Inge Breznik, advisor for music art at the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Education. The purpose of the Choral BOOM was to revive the love for choral singing among young people, to raise the quality of polyphonic singing, and to nurture the Slovenian language and culture. Thus, behind the seemingly fun event is also an important educational mission.
From 2013 to 2017, Zborovski BUM traditionally took place every two years under the auspices of the Institute of Education of the Republic of Slovenia, organized by the Narodni dom Maribor and the Municipality of Maribor, and then regional and national events were intertwined. The epidemic interrupted the tradition for a while, but we revived it in 2022 with mini Choral BOOMs throughout Slovenia.
CHORAL BOOM 2025 RETURNS IN STYLE!
After seven years, the national Choral BOOM returns – strong, heartfelt, and unforgettable! This time, the center of this unique singing celebration will be the city of Celje, which will open its doors wide on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at 3 p.m. in the Zlatorog Hall.
More than 5,200 young singers from 160 elementary schools will join their voices accompanied by the Celje Music School Youth Wind Orchestra, under the baton of Gašper Salobir. Together, they are preparing a concert spectacle that they have been planning since last fall.
In addition to the anthem, the repertoire includes nine songs by Slovenian authors that have been performed most often by youth school choirs in Slovenia in the last 15 years.
5,200 young singers from 160 elementary schools accompanied by the Celje Music School Youth Wind Orchestra.
Program
1. Slovenian Anthem
Stanko Premrl / France Prešeren
2. Youth Sings to You
Tomaž Habe
3. Wheat Ear
Pavel Dolenc
4. How the Year Grows
Damijan Močnik / Bina Štampe Žmavc
5. Birds
Andrej Makor / Tone Pavček
6. A Little Bird Flew In
folk song, arr. Črt Sojar Voglar
7. Let Dreams Guide You
Ambrož Čopi
8. Nothing Is More Ours
Tine Bec / Borut Gombač
9. Let Everyone Sing Their Own Way
Katja Gruber
10. Day of Love
Tadej Hrušovar, arr. Samo Ivačič / Dušan Velkaverh
The first post-corona national Choral BOOM will be the highlight of the Celje 2025 International Youth Choir Festival, the oldest choir festival in Slovenia, which has placed Celje on the European choir map since 1946. The festival, which used to take place biennially, now hosts the best children’s and youth choirs every year, and the Choral BOOM returns to its roots – the joint singing of young people.
The Choral BOOM 2025 will be more than just a concert – it will be the conclusion of the festival with the presentation of festival awards and recognitions. In 2027, the festival will celebrate its venerable 80th anniversary!
The event is being created in cooperation between the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Education, the Municipality of Celje, the Celje Music School, and the Public Institute Celeia Celje, which is also the organizer of the Celje Youth Choir Festival.
The patron of the event is the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr. Nataša Pirc Musar.
Participating choirs come from OŠ Majde Vrhovnik Ljubljana, OŠ Riharda Jakopiča, OŠ Spodnja Šiška, OŠ Trnovo, OŠ Poljane Ljubljana, OŠ dr. Vita Kraigherja, OŠ Danile Kumar Ljubljana, OŠ Nove Jarše, OŠ Martina Krpana, OŠ Franceta Bevka, OŠ Šmartno pod Šmarno goro, OŠ Medvode, GŠ Domžale, POŠ Ihan, OŠ Rodica, OŠ Mengeš, OŠ Jurija Vege, POŠ Vače, OŠ Zadobrova, OŠ Litija, OŠ Gradec, OŠ Gabrovka – Dole, OŠ Šmartno, OŠ Louisa Adamiča Grosuplje, OŠ Škofljica, OŠ Ig, OŠ Šmarje – Sap, OŠ Ferda Vesela Šentvid pri Stični, OŠ Brezovica pri Ljubljani, OŠ Preserje, OŠ Tabor Logatec, OŠ Ivana Cankarja Trbovlje, OŠ Angela Besednjaka, OŠ bratov Polančičev, OŠ Toneta Čufarja Maribor, OŠ Bojana Ilicha, OŠ Franceta Prešerna Maribor, OŠ Leona Štuklja, OŠ Prežihovega Voranca Maribor, OŠ Martina Konšaka, OŠ Starše, OŠ Kungota, OŠ Sladki Vrh, OŠ Jožeta Hudalesa Jurovski Dol, OŠ Malečnik, OŠ Sveta Ana, OŠ in vrtec Sv. Trojica, OŠ Duplek, OŠ Korena, OŠ Sveti Tomaž, OŠ Gorišnica, OŠ Velika Nedelja, OŠ Markovci, OŠ Podlehnik, OŠ Dušana Flisa Hoče, OŠ Franca Lešnika – Vuka Slivnica, OŠ Fram, OŠ Gustava Šiliha Laporje, OŠ Antona Ingoliča Spodnja Polskava, POŠ Pragersko, OŠ Janka Glazerja Ruše, OŠ Kamnica, OŠ Selnica ob Dravi, OŠ Radlje ob Dravi, POŠ Remšnik, OŠ Ribnica na Pohorju, OŠ Brezno – Podvelka, OŠ Franja Goloba Prevalje, GŠ Celje, OŠ Hudinja, I. OŠ Celje, II. OŠ Celje, III. OŠ Celje, IV. OŠ Celje, IV. OŠ Celje, OŠ Frana Kranjca Celje, OŠ Dobrna, OŠ Vitanje, OŠ Pod goro Slovenske Konjice, OŠ Vojnik, OŠ Štore, OŠ Dobje, OŠ Franja Malgaja Šentjur, OŠ Hruševec Šentjur, OŠ Dramlje, OŠ Blaža Kocena Ponikva, OŠ Šmarje pri Jelšah, VIZ II. OŠ Rogaška Slatina, OŠ Bistrica ob Sotli, OŠ Kozje, OŠ Slivnica pri Celju, OŠ Primoža Trubarja Laško, OŠ Vransko-Tabor, OŠ Prebold, OŠ Gorica Velenje, OŠ Gustava Šiliha Velenje, OŠ Livada Velenje, OŠ Braslovče, OŠ Planina pri Sevnici, OŠ bratov Letonja Šmartno ob Paki, OŠ Lesično, OŠ Karla Destovnika-Kajuha Šoštanj, OŠ Orehek Kranj, OŠ Naklo, OŠ Šenčur, OŠ Poljane nad Škofjo Loko, OŠ Ivana Tavčarja Gorenja vas, OŠ Železniki, OŠ Antona Tomaža Linharta Radovljica, OŠ Dobravlje, OŠ Dušana Bordona Semedela – Koper, OŠ Otlica in Osnovna šola Col, OŠ Komen, OŠ Antona Globočnika Postojna, OŠ Rudolfa Ukoviča Podgrad, OŠ Dragotina Ketteja Ilirska Bistrica, OŠ Antona Žnideršiča Ilirska Bistrica, OŠ Podgora Kuteževo, OŠ Dekani, OŠ Šmarje pri Kopru, OŠ Oskarja Kovačiča Škofije, OŠ Vojke Šmuc, OŠ Lucija, OŠ Center, OŠ Šmarjeta, OŠ dr. Pavla Lunačka Šentrupert, OŠ Mirna, OŠ Brežice, OŠ Artiče, OŠ Maksa Pleteršnika Pišece, OŠ dr. Jožeta Toporišiča Dobova, OŠ Velika dolina, OŠ Jurija Dalmatina Krško, OŠ Adama Bohoriča Brestanica, OŠ Blanca, OŠ Boštanj, OŠ Tržišče, OŠ Krmelj, OŠ Jožeta Gorjupa Kostanjevica na Krki, OŠ Belokranjskega odreda Semič, OŠ Loka Črnomelj, GŠ Črnomelj, OŠ komandanta Staneta Dragatuš, OŠ Vinica, OŠ I Murska Sobota, OŠ II Murska Sobota, OŠ III Murska Sobota, OŠ Bogojina, OŠ Turnišče, OŠ Miška Kranjca Velika Polana, OŠ Beltinci, OŠ Franceta Prešerna Črenšovci, OŠ Prežihovega Voranca Bistrica, OŠ Stročja vas, OŠ Janka Ribiča Cezanjevci, OŠ Ivana Cankarja Ljutomer, OŠ Mala Nedelja, OŠ Kapela, OŠ Kajetana Koviča Radenci, OŠ Sveti Jurij.
Choral Boom is made possible by
Honorary patrons of the 36th YCF Celje 2025
dr. Nataša Pirc Musar, President of the Republic of Slovenija
dr. Asta Vrečko, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia