Slovene Octet

The Slovene Octet was established in 1951 under the initiative of the Slovene Emigrant Association, which aimed to strengthen links between Slovenia and the Slovene community in the USA. Around 30 singers, many of them acclaimed opera and concert singers, have interpreted compositions of all music periods for the group. The Octet was one of the best-known Yugoslav choral groups and toured France, Belgium, Norway, Austria and Italy in the 1950s. Later it also performed in North and South America, Australia, China, Japan and Angola. Since 1996, when the Slovene Octet was reformed with new singers, it has performed more than 100 concerts in Slovenia, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Bosnia, Macedonia and Bulgaria. Since 2000 Dr Mirko Cuderman has been its Artistic Director.

Slovenski oktet was founded on the initiative of Slovene emigrants in the USA, who wanted – having lived in a foreign land - their Slovene consciousness to be strengthened and ennobled by native Slovene song from »the old place«. On 27th September 1951, a famous audition took place in the premises of Slovene Philharmonic Orchestra in Ljubljana, after a tender had been put out by Ministry of Culture in cooperation with Slovene Emigration Association (Slovenska izseljeniška matica).

A commission in charge confirmed the members of the ensemble, who most nobly sang one of the most simple and yet famous folk songs »Pri farni cerkvici« (»At the parish Church«).

Janez Lipušček & Gašper Dermota, Marij Kogoj & Božo Grošelj, Roman Petrovčič & Tone Kozlevčar and Tone Petrovčič & Artur Šulc – together with their first artistic director, Janez Bole – founded a new landmark of Slovene singing culture.

In its over 50-year-mission Slovenski oktet has risen Slovene singing culture to new heights and has brought it to all five continents of the world, with love and devotion. More than forty singers have participated in the octet so far and every one of them shared a strong feeling of moral responsability towards the name of the ensemble they represented, and a feeling of great pride – coming forth from a sense of belonging to Slovenski oktet.

Slovenski oktet has had more than 5,000 concerts in Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America and Australia, as well as at home - in Slovenia, and among the Slovenes in Italy and Austria. They have recorded an enviable number of records and CDs, as well as several TV programmes and films. In 1957 they were awarded The France Prešeren Prise, in 1964 A Reward of France Prešeren Foundation, 1966 A National Certificate of Merits and in 1996 A Gold Medal of Honor and Freedom of Republic Slovenia.

The present members of Slovenski oktet have been continuing splendid ensemble tradition and have been making efforts to keep their high quality singing and octet’s immense popularity among large audiences, who love Slovene song and harmonic singing in general.

In 1996, Slovenski oktet took a new road with an important reorganization of the ensemble. At that time the octet was also legally founded and named Kulturno društvo Slovenski oktet (Cultural Society Slovenian Octet). In the year 2000, dr.Mirko Cuderman became artistic director of the ensemble.

In the season that has brought us a new CD, Slovenski oktet has – again – often been a guest on numerous concert stages at home, as well as worldwide. Especially at home, the octet experienced a grateful embrace of their most loyal audience, which is a great joy and invaluable stimulus for the young members of Slovenski oktet.

Slovene Octet

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