View source for Vokalna akademija Ljubljana (VAL)

{{Article
| status       = PHOTO
| maintainer   = Aljaž Pavlin
}}

{{Infobox
| name               = Vokalna akademija Ljubljana
| local name         = Vokalna akademija Ljubljana (VAL)
| logo              = 
| street             = Srednje Gameljne 47 D
| town               = SI-1211 Ljubljana Šmartno
| website            = http://valval.si
| email              = vokalna.akademija@gmail.com
| telephone          = 
| fax                = 
| founded by         =
| founded by 2       =
| organised by       =
| organised by 2     =
| organised by 3     =
| managed by         = VAL, Vokalna akademija Ljubljana, kulturno društvo
| managed by 2       = 
| managed by 3       = 
| contacts     = {{Contact
  | name        = Mitja Kovač
  | role        = President
  | street      = 
  | town        = 
  | website     = 
  | email       = vokalna.akademija@gmail.com
  | telephone   = 386 (0) 31 302 171
  | fax         = 386 (0) 1 511 0554
  }}{{Contact
  | name        = Daniel Svenšek
  | role        = Producer
  | street      = 
  | town        = 
  | website     = 
  | email       = 
  | telephone   = 386 (0) 41 296 575
  | fax         = 
  }}
| accounts       = 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/97777865089/
}}

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{{Image|Ljubljana Vocal Academy 02.jpg}} 

The [[Vokalna akademija Ljubljana]] &ndash; VAL &ndash; is a male vocal ensemble established in September [[established::2008]], made up of 16&ndash;20 singers. Since the beginning, the conductor of ensemble and artistic director has been [[Stojan Kuret]] with whom VAL quickly gained recognition in the world of Slovene and European vocal music. The choir 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 most prestigious Guidoneum Award 2011 for the artistic achievements and the contribution to the world of choral music at the oldest choral competition in Europe.

They have been invited, as one of five World-Class Choirs, to perform at the World Choral Summit 2012 in Beijing as the European representative.
}}

== Other 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 in Arezzo, Italy. In the following year VAL 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 the Grand Prix at the competition in Aosta, Italy, where the competition took place for the first time.

== Cooperation and international character ==

VAL is set up of experienced Slovene singers (former members of choirs like the [[Academic Choir Tone Tomšič, University of Ljubljana]], the [[Ljubljana Madrigalists Chamber Choir]], the [[Ave Chamber Choir]] etc.). In autumn 2011, they were invited on the renowned festival of vocal music Polyfollia in France. They cooperate 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 mezzo-soprano [[Barbara Sorč]]. They also perform with world-renowned mezzo-soprano [[Bernarda Fink]], bass-baritone [[Marcos Fink]] and soprano [[Kristina Bitenc]].

== Programme ==

The choir's repertoire covers musical period from the baroque on; they sing a wide 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 Vokalna akademija Ljubljana with soloists and instrumentalists presented Henry Purcell's baroque opera ''Dido and Aeneas''. In December 2011 they presented a selection of solo and polyphonic motets by C. Monteverdi.

They have recently recorded an album, simply called ''VAL''. Apart from the above-mentioned composers, the album also features works of Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Leoš Janaček, and [[Ambrož Čopi]].

{{YouTube|VMUL7WENBRM}}

== External links ==
*[http://sites.google.com/site/vokalnaakademijaljubljana/ Vokalna akademija Ljubljana website]
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Grand_Prix_for_Choral_Singing European Grand Prix for Choral Singing on Wikipedia]
*[http://www.megla.org/?p=210 VAl album cover by Ursula Lavrenčič]
*[http://www.ifcm.net/public/doc/781.pdf World Choral Summit 2012 brochure], pdf
 
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[[Category:Choral music]]
[[Category:Music]]
[[Category:Music groups, ensembles and orchestras]]