View source for Academic Choir France Prešeren, Kranj

{{Article
| status       = 
| maintainer   = Maia Golobič
}}

{{Infobox
| name                = Academic Choir France Prešeren, Kranj
| localname           = Akademski pevski zbor France Prešeren Kranj
| email               = apzfpk@dspot.si 
| website             = http://www.apzfpk.si/
| mailing address     = p.p. 17, SI-4001 Kranj
| town                = SI-4000 Kranj
| contacts     = {{Contact
  | name        = Mija Aleš
  | role        = President
  | street      = 
  | town        = 
  | website     = 
  | email       = krapz@dspot.si 
  | telephone   =
  | fax         = 
  }}
{{Contact 
  | name        = Fernando Mejias
  | role        = Conductor
  | street      = 
  | town        = 
  | website     = 
  | email       = 
  | telephone   =
  | fax         = 
}}
| accounts            =
https://www.facebook.com/APZFPK/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4Xxi9w5P71g22oCxKegUFA
}}

{{Teaser|
Established in [[established::1969]], the [[Academic Choir France Prešeren, Kranj|Academic Choir France Prešeren]] has worked with many world-renowned composers and conductors, including Jiři Belohlavek, Fabio Luisi, John Rutter, Leonti Wolf, Andre Ducret, Eric Ericson, Gary Graden, and Ariel Ramirez. While under the direction of [[Primož Kerštanj]] (2000&ndash;2010) the choir started to frequently perform with the [[RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra]], the [[Slovene Philharmonic Orchestra]], and the chamber ensemble Slovenicum. The choir's versatile dynamics, sound, diction, and choreography have been awarded many prizes both in Slovenia and abroad. 
}}

==History==

Established in a high school in Kranj by its first conductor [[Matevž Fabjan]] in 1969, the choir was initially known as the Academic Chamber Choir (though today it is more or less equally comprised of student and non-students). It performed at festivals and competitions in Italy, Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Greece, Spain, Denmark, Israel, and Sweden. Under the guidance of [[Tomaž Faganel]], its conductor from 1981 to 1991 and from 1996 to 2000, the choir was four times the laureate at the Slovene choir competition in Maribor. From 2000 to 2010 and 2010 to 2013 the choir was successfully conducted by [[Primož Kerštanj]] and [[Matej Penko]] respectively. Since 2013 the conductor [[Fernando Mejias]] leads the choir.

==Competitions, prizes and tours==

In 2003 and 2005 the choir received the second place prize at the [[Naša pesem Choir Competition]] in Maribor. At the International Choir Competition in Bremen (Germany) in 2004, it received prizes in the category of gospel music and a first place prize in 2005 at the International Choir Competition Svatski pisni in Olomouc (Czech Republic). In 2010 the choir performed in Helsinki (Finland) and also took part in the International Choir Competition in St Petersburg (Russia). In 2011 it won the so called Golden Lyre at the International Warsaw Choir Festiwal.

The choir is regularly touring around Europe as well as elsewhere (Argentina, Chile, Mexico, USA, Canada, etc), and has partly funded its 2016 Canary Island tour via a crowdfunding platform. 

==Programme==

The choir's repertoire includes a wide array of classical music works, ranging from the renaissance period to some contemporary pieces. During the 1990s, the choir performed many important choral works, including J. Sandström's ''Gloria'' under the direction of Gary Graden, John Rutter's choral works, and pieces by C. Monteverdi, [[Iacobus Gallus Carniolus|I. Gallus]], R. Vaughan-Williams, E. Rautavaara under the direction of Eric Ericson, including works by Slovene composers such as [[Lojze Lebič]] and [[Marij Kogoj]]. In 2011 the choir participated in the rendition of Mahler's 8th symphony conducted by Valery Gergiev at the opening of the [[Ljubljana Festival]].

The choir's repertoire in recent years also consists of Slovene and foreign folk songs as well as gospel music. Its varied programme also includes some sacred music and adaptations of musicals, such as ''Cats'' and ''The Phantom of the Opera'', as well as adaptations of pop songs, such as Queen's ''Bohemian Rhapsody''. To commemorate the choir's 40th anniversary a CD was released, containing a compilation of Slovene folk songs.

==See also==
*[[RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra]]
*[[Slovene Philharmonic Orchestra]]
*[[Naša pesem Choir Competition]]
*[[Ljubljana Festival]]

== External links ==
*[http://www.krapz.si/ Academic Choir France Prešeren, Kranj website] (in Slovene)
*[http://nasizbori.jskd.si/45-let-apz-france-preseren-kranj/ A comprehensive article on the choir] (in Slovene)

[[Category:Music]]
[[Category:Music groups, ensembles and orchestras]]
[[Category:Choral music]]