MePZ Obala -

GIRLS' CHOIR OF THE KOPER MUSIC SCHOOL

The singers of the Girls’ Choir of the Koper Music School have been singing since an early age. Initially they were part of the children’s choir, then they grew into the youth choir and now they are part of the girls’ choir of the Koper Music School. Some of them have been singing with the conductor Maja Cilenšek for almost 16 years. This exceptional ensemble has tackled even the most difficult compositions and the members often perform as solo singers or in chamber vocal ensembles.

Through the years, the girls have competed in numerous national and international competitions and won golden awards, first prizes and first places (international competition Città di Rimini in 2012, international competition Varsovia Cantat in 2012, international competition Incanto Mediterraneo in 2015, International Baltic Sea Choir Competition in 2017, Regional competition for adult choirs Postojna in 2017).

The Girls’ Choir of the Koper Music School’s mission is to bring as much quality music as possible to the broad public. Apart from concerts and recordings, they are also interested in relations with other forms of art. They have been often invited to choir festivals in Slovenia and abroad, among which is also the International Biennial of Contemporary Music in Koper, where this year they will hold the opening concert. Apart from their performances at home, the choir also feels the responsibility to bring Slovene music to foreign stages and show its quality and freshness to the international musical audiences. The choir regularly gives first performances of works by contemporary Slovene composers, such as Uroš Rojko, Ambrož Čopi, Bojan Glavina, Tadeja Vulc and Andrej Makor.

MAJA CILENŠEK

Maja Cilenšek graduated in musical pedagogy from the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, under the mentorship of Marijan Gabrijelčič. She teaches at the Koper Music School and the Koper Primary School. She has been successfully conducting children’s and youth choirs for several years. Her programmes often include first performances of compositions written by Slovene contemporary composers, thus fostering the production of new music. She has achieved a number of first places and special awards both in Slovenia and abroad with children’s, youth and adult choirs. She has co-operated with various musical institutions and associations as a lecturer, expert evaluator, and jury member. in 2007, she competed at the international competition of choir conductors Mariele Ventre in Bologna and shared the first prize with the Italian conductor Lorenzo Donati. In November 2011 she conducted the joined choir of the best Slovene youth choirs in the Cankarjev dom concert hall in Ljubljana. In 2012, in Rimini, she was awarded as best conductor of the competition. In 2014 she was the recipient of a special award for achievements in the field of musical education, granted by the Ministry for Education, Culture and Science of the Republic of Slovenia, and in 2019, the Association of Music Schools of Slovenia awarded her the Fran Gerbič prize for exceptional achievements in the field of music education and performance.