View source for Academic Choir Tone Tomšič, University of Ljubljana

{{Article
| status       = PHOTO
| maintainer   = Gregor Pompe
}}
{{Infobox
| name                = Academic Choir Tone Tomšič, University of Ljubljana
| local name          = Akademski pevski zbor Tone Tomšič Univerze v Ljubljani (APZ Tone Tomšič)
| logo               = Academic Choir Tone Tomsic (logo).svg
| street              = Kongresni trg 12
| town                = SI-1000 Ljubljana
| telephone           = 386 (0) 1 251 4287
| fax                 = 386 (0) 1 426 9387
| email               = info@apz-tt.si
| website             = http://www.apz-tt.si
| contacts = {{Contact
| name                = Lucija Tavčar
| role                = President
| telephone           = 
}}
{{Contact
| name                = Barbara Slivnik
| role                = Public Relations
| telephone           = 386 (0) 40 416 567
}}
}}

{{Teaser|

{{Image|Academic Choir Tone Tomsic - 02.jpg}}

The [[Academic Choir Tone Tomšič, University of Ljubljana|Academic Choir Tone Tomšič (APZ Tone Tomšič)]] choir is made up of students from the [[University of Ljubljana]]. The initiator of the APZ was Slovene ethnomusicologist [[France Marolt]] who before World War Two had already organised a male student choir as well as a female one. Today the choir consists of more than 1,600 singers. Since 2009 their conductor has been [[Sebastjan Vrhovnik]].

The choir has performed in almost all European countries, in North and South America, in Africa and Asia (for example, in Korea with conductor [[Stojan Kuret]]). They have twice returned home with the Grand Prix from the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing: in 2002 (conductor [[Stojan Kuret]]) and in 2008 (conductor [[Urša Lah]]). 
}}

== History ==
In [[established::1926]] Slovene ethnomusicologist [[France Marolt]] established a male choir that consisted of students from the [[University of Ljubljana]], and was called APZ (Akademski pevski zbor). Between 1938 and 1939 Marolt also led an equivalent female line-up. The male choir was banned in 1941, due to its symbolic resistance during the Italian fascist occupation of the Province of Ljubljana. Despite the cultural black-out, promoted by the Liberation Front, the choir held its last concert during WW2 on Friday, 12 December 1941, in the Union Hall of Ljubljana. The choir's touchy interpretation of [[Miroslav Vilhar|Miroslav Vilhar's]] well-known song ''Lipa zelenela je'' was secretly recorded by [[Rudi Omota]] and the recording has been kept until nowadays. The microphones were hidden in the venue's huge main light. 

The choir resumed its operations in 1946 as a mixed choir under the new name Študentski pevski zbor (Student Choir). In 1953 the choir was named after [[Tone Tomšič-Gašper]], the WW2 Secretary Organiser of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Slovenia, condemned to death penalty and shot in Ljubljana by the Italian fascists in May 1942, later proclaimed a Yugoslav National Hero. Since 2006 the APZ Tone Tomšič has been a part of the University of Ljubljana.

The list of its conductors consists of many acclaimed names of Slovene music; after Marolt followed [[Radovan Gobec]], [[Janez Bole]], [[Lojze Lebič]], [[Marko Munih]], [[Igor Lavrič]], [[Jože Fürst]], [[Jernej Habjanič]], [[Stojan Kuret]], and [[Urša Lah]]. 

==Programme==
The repertoire of the choir includes compositions of all historical periods, but focuses on contemporary music and adaptations of folk music. Many of the compositions were acquired via international open calls for new choral compositions. 

The choir performs all over Slovenia, participates in vocal-instrumental projects (for example, Carl Orff's ''Carmina Burana'', Giuseppe Verdi's ''Requiem'', Johannes Brahms's ''German Requiem''), records pieces for [[Radio Slovenia]], and collaborates with foreign conductors on seminars, concerts and festivals. The choir frequently commissions new works written by Slovene composers ([[Nana Forte]], [[Lojze Lebič]]). It has made several recordings and boasts quite a prolific discography.

==Projects==
Each year the choir prepares its annual concert in one of the [[Slovene Philharmonic]] in Ljubljana. In May 2006 the Academic Choir Tone Tomšič staged a concert in [[Cankarjev dom]] to mark its 80th anniversary. An exhibition about the choir's history and nowadays was on display at the [[National and University Library (NUK)]] and later at Cankarjev dom.

==Awards==

In addition to being awarded the Golden Order of Freedom of the Republic of Slovenia and the Grand Prix at the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing, the Academic Choir Tone Tomšič has achieved many further successes: a Grand Prix de la Ville de Tours three times; First Prize at the International Choral Festival in Tampere, Finland in 2003; two First Prizes in the category of Mixed and Female Choirs in Cantonigros, Spain in July 2004; First Place in Polifonia/Programma Monografico category at the International Choral Competition C A Seghizzi in Italy in 2005; Grand Prix Varna 2007; two gold medals at the competition in Olomouc in 2009, two silver medals at the choir festival in Cantonigros and the City of Rimini Grand Prix in 2010. 

==See also==
* [[University of Ljubljana]]

== External links ==
* [http://www.apz-tt.si Academic Choir Tone Tomšič website]
* [http://www.facebook.com/apztt Academic Choir Tone Tomšič on Facebook]
* [http://www.gpeuropa.com European Grand Prix for Choral Singing website]
* [http://sl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akademski_pevski_zbor_Tone_Tom%C5%A1i%C4%8D APZ Tone Tomšič on Wikipedija] (in Slovenian)


{{Gallery}}

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