Akademski pevski zbor Univerze na Primorskem predstavlja eno najaktivnejših družabnih dejavnosti za študente, dijake in druge glasbene navdušence. Brezplačno, na zelo kakovostnem nivoju mladim omogoča umetniško poustvarjanje, z organizacijo koncertov kakovostne klasične glasbe pa bogati koncertno dejavnost na slovenski obali. Pevci in pevke se redno predstavljajo na koncertih in tekmovanjih doma in v tujini, od koder se vsakič znova vračajo z največjimi uspehi.
Akademski pevski zbor Univerze na Primorskem (APZ UP)
APZ UP deluje pod okriljem Študentske organizacije Univerze na Primorskem (ŠOUP) vse od ustanovitve leta 2004. V zboru poje približno 40 študentk in študentov Univerze na Primorskem (UP) ter drugih zborovskih zanesenjakov. Od ustanovitve ga vodi dirigent Ambrož Čopi, pri vodenju zbora pa mu pomaga asistentka dirigenta Andreja Tomažič Hrvatin. V začetku 16. sezone je k zborovskim uspehom vidno pripomogla tudi asistentka dirigenta Lara Willewaldt. V enajsti in dvanajsti sezoni je zbor deloval pod vodstvom dirigenta Mirka Ferlana.
Zbor posega v vse glasbene zvrsti in stile, od renesanse pa vse do današnjih dni. Posebno pozornost namenja izvedbam skladb primorskih skladateljev, v repertoar pa umešča tudi redkeje izvajana dela iz svetovne zakladnice in novitete mlajše generacije. Z naročanjem in izvedbami novih skladb APZ UP nenehno spodbuja k nastajanju novih dosežkov na vokalnem področju in bogati nacionalno zakladnico vokalne glasbe. V vseh dosedanjih sezonah delovanja se je izkazal kot pomemben kulturni ambasador Univerze na Primorskem in Slovenije ter promotor nove umetnosti tako na koncertnih prizoriščih kot tudi s pomembnim arhivskim prispevkom novih del na kar 8 zgoščenkah, ki pričajo o vsebinski izjemnosti projektov APZ UP. V svojih projektih združuje primorske glasbenike in sodeluje z različnimi domačimi in tujimi zbori, z neprofitno organizacijo kakovostnih koncertov mednarodnega cikla vokalne in instrumentalne glasbe Simfonic voices pa že 12. leto pomembno sooblikuje kulturno ponudbo na Slovenski obali.
Akademski pevski zbor UP je predlani obeležil pomemben jubilej. 15 let mogoče ni veliko, je pa vsekakor glede na dosežke, organizacijsko dejavnost in spodbude pomembno obdobje za Koper in univerzitetni prostor. V letošnjem letu nadaljuje že s svojo 17. sezono delovanja.
APZ UP sodi med pomembne sooblikovalce kulturnega življenja na Obali in tudi širše. S svojo vizijo spodbuja k nastajanju novih skladb, ki jih že vrsto let promovira doma in v tujini. Sodelovanje z založbo ASTRUM in založnikom Vitom Primožičem omogoča izvedbo nastalih del tudi domačim izvajalcem in zborom iz tujine. Tako je vrsta skladateljev mlade generacije svojo prepoznavnost v tujini pridobila ravno s predstavitvami APZ UP na festivalih in tekmovanjih širom po svetu.
Novost, ki jo je APZ Univerze na Primorskem predstavil pred dvema letoma, in sicer pred tednom Univerze na Primorskem (14.–17. marec 2019), je bil 1. mednarodni mladinski zborovski festival »AEGIS CARMINIS«, mednarodni festival zborovske glasbe 20. in 21. stoletja, v okviru katerega so se zvrstila kar tri tekmovanja: mednarodno tekmovanje zborovskih dirigentov, mednarodno tekmovanje pevskih zborov in skladateljski natečaj za nove zborovske skladbe. Šlo je za izjemen mednarodni projekt, ki je veliko odmevnosti in prepoznavnosti pridobil že ob prvi ediciji in ga bo zbor bienalno organiziral. 2. mednarodni mladinski zborovski festival »AEGIS CARMINIS« se bo tako odvil 11.–14. marca 2021.
Visoka kakovost koncertov pomembno vpliva na razvoj tako zborovske, še posebej pa orkestralne glasbe na Obali. Kot pod dejavnost cikla Simfonic voices je zbor v lanski sezoni organiziral projekt-festival mednarodne sodobne glasbe Aegis carminis, ki s svojimi izobraževalnimi koncertnimi in tekmovalnimi vsebinami vsekakor sodi med elitne dogodke v Sloveniji in Evropi. V letu 2018 pa je zbor prvič pristopil tudi s ponudbo mednarodnega festivala SANCTI NAZARII kot podporo postavitvi kora za pridobitev novih orgel v Stolni cerkvi Marijinega vnebovzetja v Kopru, ki bodo prenešene iz Tonhalle, iz Švice. Gre za pomembno pridobitev v slovenskem prostoru, ki bo omogočala vrhunske izvedbe vokalne glasbe v kombinaciji z orglami in orkestrom. Projektu so pristopili tudi drugi tuji organizatorji, ki so s svojo soudeležbo pri projektu omogočali izvedbo vokalno-instrumentalnih del v tistem letu. Organizacija prireditev v okviru omenjenih aktivnosti je vsekakor edinstven primer v Sloveniji, ki s svojo kvaliteto in raznovrstnostjo ponudbe decentralizira glasbeno ponudbo v Sloveniji, najvidnejše slovenske projekte pa predstavlja tudi na Obali.
Zbor redno koncertira po Sloveniji in v tujini. S kvaliteto izvedb in programsko usmeritvijo v svojem 17-letnem obdobju delovanja se je z izjemnimi uspehi dokazal na domačih in tujih tekmovanjih, kjer je prejel več prvih mest in zlatih plaket: državno zborovsko tekmovanje Naša pesem v Mariboru, kjer je pod vodstvom dirigenta Ambroža Čopija prejel štiri zlate plakete v mešani zasedbi (2014, 2012, 2010, 2007) in eno zlato v ženski zasedbi (2014), v dvanajsti sezoni (2016) pa pod vodstvom dirigenta Mirka Ferlana srebrno plaketo v mešani zasedbi. Na regijskih tekmovanjih odraslih pevskih zasedb je prejel kar tri zlata priznanja z odliko, in sicer dvakrat v Postojni (2011 pod vodstvom asistentke dirigenta Andreje Tomažič Hrvatin, 2015 pa pod vodstvom dirigenta Mirka Ferlana), leta 2019 pa pod vodstvom asistentke dirigenta Lare Willewaldt v Kočevju.
Več prvih mest in zlatih plaket je dosegel tudi na mednarodnih zborovskih tekmovanjih: Krakov (2017) pod vodstvom dirigenta Ambroža Čopija, Paralia (2016) in Herceg Novi (2015) pod vodstvom dirigenta Mirka Ferlana, Derry (2014), Istanbul (2014), Prijedor (2013), Milazzo (2013), Split (2012), Vilna (2012), Ohrid (2011), Cantonigròs (2011), Varna (2008), Prèveza (2006) pod vodstvom dirigenta Ambroža Čopija). Kot finalist je leta 2009 nastopil na tekmovanju za Veliko nagrado Evrope v zborovskem petju v francoskem Toursu.
V vseh teh letih je bil povabljen tudi na mnoge zborovske festivale. Pred zaključkom 15. sezone, julija 2019, se je udeležil mednarodnega festivala zborovske glasbe v Rimu, kjer je z dvema koncertoma predstavil svojo uspešno dejavnost in promoviral slovensko ustvarjalnost, nato pa še festivala Bled s celovečernim koncertom v cerkvi sv. Martina.
Ministrstvo za kulturo Republike Slovenije je zboru za izjemne dosežke leta 2010 podelilo naziv status društva v javnem interesu. V vseh teh letih je prejel kar nekaj nagrad, priznanj in plaket, med drugimi v letu 2016 Gallusovo plaketo, najvišje priznanje Javnega sklada Republike Slovenije za kulturne dejavnosti (JSKD RS) za področje glasbene dejavnosti, v letu 2015 od Zveze kulturnih društev Mestne občine Koper (ZKD MOK) srebrno plaketo in priznanje za izredne dosežke v preteklem letu, v maju 2015 tako od Mestne občine Koper (MOK) kot od JSKD RS nagrado za desetletno uspešno delovanje, v istem letu plaketo za izjemne uspehe v omenjenem letu s strani Univerze na Primorskem (UP), leta 2014 priznanje z veliko plaketo Mestne občine Koper, leta 2012 pa zlato plaketo Zveze kulturnih društev MOK.
V svojem 17-letnem obdobju delovanja je Akademski pevski zbor UP izdal že osem zgoščenk. Leta 2008 je izdal svojo prvo, APZ UP - v živo, s posnetki skladb v živo. Zbral jih je na koncertih v prvih treh letih ustvarjanja. Na naslednji, Mysterium, so izbrane skladbe četrte in pete sezone. Zgoščenka je bila izdana spomladi leta 2010. Sodelovanje z etno skupino Vruja je predstavljeno na zgoščenki Istriantico, četrta zgoščenka Mozaiki pa vsebuje izbrane skladbe koncertov in tekmovanj iz istega obdobja (2010–2012). V letu 2014 peta izdana zgoščenka Tebe pojem predstavlja inovativno vsebino skladb primorskih skladateljev s sakralno-pravoslavno vsebino, pri čemer je pomembno vedeti, da je edina zgoščenka s tovrstno glasbo v Sloveniji. Šesta zgoščenka Sonority je darilo pevcem APZ UP ob njihovi 10. obletnici delovanja in skupek posnetkov skladb dveh, za zbor zelo uspešnih, sezon (2012/2013 in 2013/2014). Na njej je vrsta skladb, ki jih je zbor izvedel prvič, nekatere so bile prvič izvedene tudi v Sloveniji. Program obsega skladbe, ki so zapete v osmih različnih jezikih, in skuša predstaviti mlado primorsko glasbeno tvornost. Sedma zgoščenka Fantazije, izdana ob koncu leta 2014, je prva avtorska zgoščenka enega najbolj izvajanih avtorjev najmlajše skladateljske generacije v slovenskem prostoru in nekdanjega APZ-jevca, Andreja Makorja. Zgoščenka ni le cvetober skladb enega trenutno najbolj iskanih zborovskih skladateljev v Sloveniji, temveč je hkrati tudi celostna predstavitev zasedb na Obali (Mladinski pevski zbor Glasbene šole Koper, Mešani pevski zbor Gimnazije Koper, Mešani pevski zbor Obala in APZ UP). Leta 2019 je zbor k omenjeni zbirki zgoščenk dodal še osmo, ki so ji nadeli ime LUX (luč) - sodobna sakralna glasba slovenskih skladateljev. Vsa dela na njej tvorijo krščansko zgodbo o svetlobi in temi. Zbor se jih je naučil, izvedel in posnel v zadnjih treh sezonah. Večina je napisanih in posvečenih prav APZ-ju, ki je dela pod vodstvom Ambroža Čopija tudi prvič izvedel.
Academic choir of University of Primorska
(Koper, Slovenia)
The choir performs under the auspices of Student Organization of University of Primorska (ŠOUP) since its establishment in 2004. In the choir, there are about 40 students of University of Primorska with some other choral enthusiasts. A composer and conductor Ambrož Čopi leads the choir. He has been leading it for the first decade of its activity and now again, since October 2016. His assistants, that help him with the leading of the choir, are Andreja Tomažič Hrvatin. In the 11th and 12th season, the conductor was Mirko Ferlan.
The Choir embraces a whole range of music genres and styles, from the Renaissance to modern music. Particular attention is dedicated to the compositions authored by the composers of the Primorska Region; moreover, the choir is enriching its repertoire with rarely performed works and novelties composed by the world composers and the younger generation of Slovenian composers. By ordering and preforming new songs, APZ UP is constantly encouraging new achievements in the vocal area of our national music, making the treasury of it become richer. In all the years of its existence, the choir has been an important cultural ambassador of the University of Primorska and of Slovenia, and a promotor for new art works with their concerts and with a significant archive contribution of new works on CDs, all of which underlines the substantive exceptionality of the APZ UP projects. The choir engages with musicians from the Primorska region and cooperates with a variety of other national and foreign choirs, by hosting highly acclaimed concerts of quality vocal and instrumental music in the cycle Simfonic voices for non-profit it shapes an important part of culture landscape of the Slovenian coast in the last ten years.
Academic choir of the University of Primorska regularly performs at all major events organized by the University and arranges concerts in Slovenia and abroad. It is successfully presenting itself at national and international competitions; at Slovenian national choral competition “Naša pesem” the choir achieved four golden plaques (Maribor 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2014) with Ambrož Čopi and one silver plaque (2016) with Mirko Ferlan in the category of mixed choirs. One golden plaque was achieved in the category of female choirs (2014) with Ambrož Čopi. At a regional competition in Postojna (Slovenia) APZ UP received two golden awardswithhonours, one in 2011 with Andreja Tomažič Hrvatin and one in 2015 with Mirko Ferlan.
The choir also achieved many first places and golden plaques in international competitions (Prèveza (Greece) – 2006, Varna (Bulgaria) – 2008, Cantonigròs (Spain) – 2011, Makedonia – 2011, Vilnius (Lithuania) – 2012, Split (Croatia) – 2012, Milazzo (Italy) – 2013, Prijedor (Bosnia and Herzegovina) – 2013, Istanbul (Turkey) – 2014, Derry (Northern Ireland) – 2014 with Ambrož Čopi, and in Herceg Novi (Montenegro) – 2015, Paralia (Greece) – 2016 with Mirko Ferlan). APZ UP was also invited to many choral festivals. In 2009, it performed as a finalist at the European Grand Prix in Choral Singing in Tours, France.
In 2010 the Ministry of culture of the Republic of Slovenia awarded the choir a status of an Association of public interest, which is an important award of activity and a success for the choir. In all of the years the choir has collected many awards, prizes and plaques: In 2016 Public Fund for Cultural Activities of Republic of Slovenia gave it the Gallus plaque as the highest award for music activity. In 2015, the Association of Cultural Societies of the Municipality of Koper gave the choir a silver award and a plaque for special achievements in the previous year. In May 2015 APZ UP received an award for 10 years of working from Public Fund for Cultural Activities of Republic of Sloveniaand Municipality of Koper. The choir also received an award for special achievements for 2015, given by the University of Primorska. In 2014, the Municipality of Koper gave the choir an award with a Grand Plaque. In 2012, the Association of Cultural Societies of the Municipality of Koper awarded the choir a golden plaque for outstanding achievements.
From the establishment on, APZ UP has published seven CDs. In 2008 the choir released its first CD with live recordings from the concerts given in the first three years of performing, APZ UP – v živo; another CD, Mysterium, featuring the selection of pieces from the fourth and the fifth season, followed in the spring of 2010. Cooperation with an ethno group called Vruja is presented on a CD named Istriantico and the fourth CD named Mozaiki features a selection of songs from concerts and competitions from the same period (2010–2012). The CD released on the 10th anniversary of the choir is named Sonority. It is a gift to the singers of the choir, as it holds records of the last two seasons (2012–2014), which were very successful for the choir. The choir performed many compositions on the record for the first time and some were performed for the first time in Slovenia. The program contains compositions sung in eight different languages and tries to present a young musical creativity of the region. In the same season the 6th CD, Tebe pojem (2014) was released. It presents orthodox legacy of composers of Primorska and it is the only one with this genre of music in Slovenia. The 7th CD called Fantazije (2014) is also the first CD by a young composer of Primorska Andrej Makor, who was a member of APZ UP in the past. It contains prime work of one if the most sought choral composers in the country and it is a holistic presentation of the coastal choirs (Youth Choir of the Music School Koper, Mixed Choir of the Gymnasium Koper, Mixed Choir Obala and APZ UP).
ACHIEVEMENTS AND AWARDS OF THE ACADEMIC CHOIR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PRIMORSKA
MIXED CHOIR
THE CHOIR WAS LED BY ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR LARA WILLEWALDT
• Regional competition of adult singing groups, Kočevje (Slovenia, 2019):
gold award with distinction for 92 points,
special award for the best performance of a song written in the 19th century (Albert Becker: Ich bin die Auferstehung Op. 67),
special award for the best performance of Slovenian contemporary music written after 1989 (Tine Bec: Deliver me, o Lord),
special recognition to conductor Ambrož Čopi for best program selection,
special recognition to conductor Lara Willewaldt for her promising conductor.
THE CHOIR WAS LED BY CONDUCTOR AMBROŽ ČOPI
• 8th International Choral Competition »Cracovia Cantans« (Poland, 2017):
first place in category of sacral music,
second place in category of mixed choirs.
THE CHOIR WAS LED BY CONDUCTOR MIRKO FERLAN
• 5th International Choral Competition »Music&Sea« (Greece, 2016):
first place in category of folk music,
first place in category of mixed choirs,
Grand Prix winner – trophy for the best choir of the competition.
• 24th Slovenian Choral Competition Naša pesem Maribor (Slovenia, 2016):
silver plaque.
Regional competition of Primorska choirs and small groups, Postojna (Slovenia 2015):
gold award with distinction,
special award for the best performance of a song written from 20th century to the present day, Libera me (Lajos Bárdos),
best mixed choir of the competition.
• 1st Herceg Novi Choir Festival (Montenegro, 2015):
first place in youth category and absolute first place,
cash prize for the best choir of the competition.
THE CHOIR WAS LED BY CONDUCTOR AMBROŽ ČOPI
• 2nd Derry International Choral Festival (Ireland, 2014):
first place (90.00 points),
trophy and cash prize for the best choir of the competition.
• 4th International Choral Competition Istanbul (Turkey, 2014):
first place (97.3 points),
trophy and cash prize for the best choir at the competition.
• 23rd Slovenian Choral Competition Naša pesem Maribor (Slovenia, 2014):
golden plaque,
third prize with a cash prize for the choir with the third highest number of points.
• 12th Choral Festival Zlatna Vila, Prijedor (Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2013):
first place, plaque Zlatna vila (Golden Fairy),
special recognition award for the performance of the songs from the Renaissance Sweet honey bees sucking (John Wilbye).
• 3rd International Choral Competition Incanto mediterraneo 2013 (Milazzo, Sicily, 2013):
gold award, trophy of the festival Incanto Mediterraneo.
• 16th International Festival Cro Patria, Split (Croatia, 2012):
first place, gold cathedral for the performance of the song Moj cv'jet My flower (Luke Wenceslas Mayernik).
• 3rd International festival and Competition »Laudate Dominum«, Vilnius (Lithuania, 2012):
Grand Prix,
gold medal and first place,
special prize for the best performance of a compulsury composition Laudate Dominum III. (Jurius Calcas).
• 22nd National Choral Competition »Naša pesem«, Maribor (Slovenia, 2012):
gold medal,special award for the best performance of a Renaissance composition Unser keiner lebet sich selber (Heinrich Schütz).
THE CHOIR WAS LED BY ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR ANDREJA TOMAŽIČ HRVATIN
• 5th Regional competition of Primorska choirs and small groups, Postojna (Slovenia 2011):
gold award with distinction,
special award for the best performance of song written from 20th century to the present day, Daemon irrepit callidus (György Orbán).
THE CHOIR WAS LED BY CONDUCTOR AMBROŽ ČOPI
• International Choral Festival Ohrid (Macedonia, 2011):
first prize in the category of mixed youth choirs,special award for the implementation of contemporary composition »Vem, da je zopet pomlad« of the slovenian composer Lojze Lebič.
• 29th International Choral Competition Festival de Musica de Cantonigròs, Cantonigròs (Spain 2011):
first place in the category of mixed choirs.
• 21st National Choral Competition »Naša pesem«, Maribor (Slovenia, 2010):
gold medal.
• 21st European Grand Prix Competition for Choral Singing, Tours (France, 2009):
finalist.
• 30th International May Choir Competition »Prof. Georgij Dimitrov«, Varna (Bulgaria, 2008):Grand Prix Varna 2008,first prize in category of mixed choirs,special prize for the best performance of a Bulgarian song by a foreign choir.
• 12th Days of Sacred Music »Cro Patria«, Split (Croatia, 2007):
third award (the Bronze Cathedral) for the performance of a contemporary composition.
• 20th National Choral Competition »Naša pesem«, Maribor (Slovenia, 2007):
gold medal, special award for the best performance of a Renaissance composition.
• 12th International Choral Competition of Sacred Music Prèveza (Greece, 2006):
gold medal and first place in the category of youth choirs,
FEMALE CHOIR
THE CHOIR WAS LED BY CONDUCTOR AMBROŽ ČOPI
• 4th International Choral Competition Istanbul (Turkey, 2014):
first place (95.7 points).
• 23rd Slovenian Choral Competition Naša pesem Maribor (Slovenia, 2014):
golden plaque, special award for the best female choir.
• International Choral Festival Ohrid (Macedonia, 2011):
first prize in the category of female youth choir.
•29th International Choral Competition Festival de Musica de Cantonigròs, Cantonigròs (Spain 2011):
second place in the category of female choir.
• 12th International Choral Competition of Sacred Music Prèveza (Greece, 2006):
gold medal and first place in category of equal voices choirs (female choir).