Vokalna akademija Ljubljana (VAL)

The Ljubljana Vocal Academy - VAL is a male vocal ensemble established in September 2008, formed of 16-20 singers. Since the beginning, the conductor of ensemble is Stojan Kuret with whom VAL quickly gained recognition in the world of Slovene and European vocal music. It received the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing in Varna in 2010, as the first male choir ever to compete in the final of this competition. Along with other highest prizes, it was also awarded the prestigeous Guidoneum Award 2011 for the artistic achievements and the contribution to the world of choral music.

Prizes at competitions

In 2009, VAL won first places in each of the four categories as well as the Grand Prix in the 57th »Guido d'Arezzo« international polyphonic competition (Arezzo, Italy). This led VAL following year to won the most prestigious award in choral singing, European Grand Prix for Choral Singing, which took place in Varna, Bolgaria. In September 2011, they won Grand Prix at the competition in Aosta, Italy, where the competition took place for the first time.

Co-operation and international character

VAL is set up of experienced Slovene singers (former members of choirs like Academic Choir Tone Tomšič, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana Madrigalists Chamber Choir, Ave Chamber Choir etc.). With the maestro Stojan Kuret (who is the co-founder, artistic director, and conductor of VAL) they soon gained international recognition. In the autumn 2011, they were invited on a well-known festival of vocal music Polyfollia, France. They co-operate and frequently perform with famous Slovene soloists: the pianist Mojca Prus, the soprano Martina Burger (also as a specialist for vocal technique), the cellists Urša Kržič, Kaja Kapus and the mezzosoprano Barbara Sorč. They perform also with world-renowned mezzosoprano Bernarda Fink, bass-baritonist Marcos Fink and soprano Kristina Bitenc.

The most prestigious award, which led the choir to get many new invitations, is the Guidoneum Award 2011 for the artistic achievements and the contribution to the world of choral music. Only three choirs were awarded with this prize before: Wienna Boys, St. Jacob's Chamber Choir and Philipphine Madrigal Singers. It is an award of one of the greatest and definately the oldest choral competition in Europe.

In July 2012, they will perform at the World Choral Summit 2012 in Peking as the representative of Europe.

Programme

The choir's repertoire consists of baroque and musical periods later on, singing varied array of secular and sacred music as well as Slovene folk songs. When winning the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing 2010, VAL convinced the jury with works by Jacobus Gallus, Hrabroslav Volarič, Hugo Wolf, Lojze Lebič, Giovanni Bonato and Ildebrando Pizzetti. In July 2011, Ljubljana Vocal Academy with soloists and instrumentalists presented a Henry Purcell's baroque opera Dido and Aeneas. Recently, they recorded cd-album, simply called VAL. Beside the composers, who they presented at EU Grand Prix for Choral Singing they recorded on their cd-album also songs of Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Leoš Janaček and Ambrož Čopi.

Vokalna akademija Ljubljana (VAL)

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