Choral music

Ever since its first expansion in the 19th century, choral music is one of the most representative music genders in Slovenia. Although there is only one professional choir (Slovene Chamber Choir), next to the one semi-professional (RTV Slovenia Chamber Choir) and the two opera choirs (in Ljubljana and Maribor), there are quite a few amateur ones that have but received important prizes for their singing worldwide, for instance the Academic Choir Tone Tomšičof the University of Ljubljana, Carmina Slovenica or the Vokalna akademija Ljubljana.

The most important organization dedicated to education and development in the field is the choral music section of the Music Programme of Public Fund for Cultural Activities of the Republic of Slovenia. Mihela Jagodic, a head adviser for vocal music, created several significant national and regional events. A traditional Naša pesem Choir Competition with high quality level of selected choirs was upgraded with the International Choral Competition in Maribor with a high number of international choirs applications in competition.

A section for chamber music was founded by the the Society of Slovene Composers in 1945 with an aim of encouraging creation of new choral works by Slovenian composers and taking care of the maintenance of traditional Slovenian choral literature.