33rd International Choral Festival of Preveza

Ambrož Čopi (born 1973) studied composition under the tutelage of Dane Škerl and Uroš Rojko, and piano, at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana. He is recognized as a composer, conductor, lecturer, and the artistic director of the International Youth Choirs Choral Festival Aegis Carminis in Koper. Presently, he is a leader of choral activities at the Conservatory of Music and Ballet Ljubljana (KGBL) and teaches at the Artistic High School in Koper. From the inception of his teaching career, he has fostered his students' creativity in choral music, emerging as a mentor to Slovenia's youngest generation of composers. Through his leadership, new compositions have been inspired and performed worldwide. His original compositions, recorded on five CDs, regularly grace stages worldwide. His works are published predominantly by Astrum Music Publisher, with select works featured by Sulasol, TICF and Hinshaw Music. Čopi has guided numerous Slovenian choirs to remarkable achievements in both national (15 gold plaques) and international competitions (29 first places). He has been awarded many times for outstanding performances and as best conductor. Presently, he conducts the KGBL Chamber Choir and the University of Primorska Academic Choir, both esteemed among Slovenia's premier choral ensembles. In 2014, he was honored with the Gallus Plaque, Slovenia's highest recognition in the realm of musical endeavor, alongside the prestigious national award, the Prešeren Fund Prize, Marjan Kozina Prize and Republic of Slovenia Prize for Education. He is regularly invited to act as a jury member at choral competitions worldwide; he also actively engages in choral music seminars and masterclasses for conductors and composers alike, offering his expertise as a lecturer.

John Fitzpatrick is a conductor, examiner, and regular adjudicator in national and international choral festivals. Festival Director of the prestigious Cork International Choral Festival (1993 – present); Director of the County Cork School of Music (1974 – 2009); a founder Board Member of both AOIC (The Association of Irish Choirs) and The Music Network; a Board Member of the Choral Festival Network, a Music Consultant to the European Choral Association – Europa Cantat and the Singing Network. Honoured by the City of Cork as Cork Person of the Year (2007) and by University College Cork with an honorary Master of Arts degree (2011), in recognition of his services to choral music, music education, and to the musical and cultural life of Cork.

The maestro Antonis Kontogeorgiou was an iconic figure for vocal art and choral singing in Greece. Born in Thessaloniki in 1945, he studied theory, piano, and singing at the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki while also attending medical school at the University of Thessaloniki. He continued his musical studies in Munich and the Mozarteum summer academy in Salzburg. He performed over 1,600 concerts in Greece and abroad as a soloist or conductor and collaborated with Greek and foreign orchestras and famous conductors. He conducted 142 choral works with orchestra, 1030 other choral works, 21 operas, and over 800 oratorios. Many Greek composers dedicated their works to him. He also directed many choirs, including the Athens Conservatory choir.

Composer and conductor, Lorenzo Donati studied composition with Camillo Togni (Scuola di Musica di Fiesole), Ennio Morricone (Accademia Chigiana), Pascal Dusapin (Accademia di Francia), Azio Corghi (Accademia Chigiana) and at Conservatory of Music of Firenze with Rosario Mirigliano and Romano Pezzati. He also studied choral conducting with Diego Fasolis, Gary Graden and Rinaldo Alessandrini, Ottavio Dantone, Carl Høgset, Roberto Gabbiani, Peter Neumann. He performed at concerts with Insieme Vocale Vox Cordis, UT Insieme Vocale-Consonante, Hesperimenta Vocal Ensemble winning several national and international awards (Arezzo, Cantonigròs, Gorizia, Senlis, Tours, Varna, Vittorio Veneto). With UT insieme vocale-consonante he won the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing 2016. In 2007 he won two first prizes at the International Competition for Choral Conductors (Bologna). He conducted Coro Giovanile Italiano (2011-2014), EuroChoir (2016-2017) and from 2016 he conducts the professional choir Coro della Cattedrale di Siena Guido Chigi Saracini in Siena. He has been invited to conduct professional choirs like Turkish State Choir and Zbor Slovenske Filharmonije - Slovenian Philharmonic Choir. His compositions are being performed and published around the world and he receives commissions of new works from many choirs like Coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Grex Vocalis, Philippine Madrigal Singers, St. Jacob's Chamber Choir. He won first prizes in many international composition contest: Arezzo, Avellino, Gorizia, Rome, Vittorio Veneto.