34th 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.

Theodora Pavlovitch is a Professor in choral conducting and Head of Conducting Department of the Bulgarian National Academy of Music. As a conductor she has worked with the Bulgarian National TV-choir (1986-1991) and “Vassil Arnaudov” Sofia Chamber Choir (from 1991 and recently). Since 2005 she has been directing the Classic FM Radio Choir performing concerts with Classic FM Radio Orchestra and world-famous soloists such as Andrea Bocelli, Anna Tomowa-Sintow and others. In 2007/2008 she conducted the World Youth Choir, honored by UNESCO with the title Artist for Peace. She is frequently invited as a member of Jury-panels at a number of international choral competitions, as a conductor and lecturer at prestigious international events all around the world. In 2005 she led a Master class for choral conductors in the program of the 7th World Symposium on Choral Music in Kyoto, Japan. She has been representative of Bulgaria in the World Choral Council since 2012, Vice-President of the International Federation for Choral Music (2008-2014), Chair of the Artistic Committee of the World Youth Choir (2010-2014), Chair of the Music Commission of the European Choral Association Europa Cantat (2003-2006). For her artistic achievements, she has been awarded The Golden Century National Award bestowed by the Minister of Culture of Bulgaria (2016), The Golden Lyre by the Union of Bulgarian Musicians (2010), several Special Prizes by the Bulgarian Choir’s Union, Classic FM Radio, Sofia Municipality and other institutions.

Ragnar Rasmussen is conductor, university professor and composer, situated at NTNU - The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Trondheim, Norway). He was born and raised in the north-east region of Norway, surrounded with many cultural traditions of indigenous people and other peoples of the Arctic. This fact has heavily influenced his music-making, both as performer and composer. He is on regular basis visiting academies, choirs and orchestras all over the world as guest conductor, such as BBC Singers, The Slovene Philharmonic Orchestra and choir, Turkish State Choir and many others. Rasmussen is currently artistic leader of Nidaros Vokalensemble, and the international Utopia & Reality Chamber Choir (which he shares with Urša Lah).

Miguel Ángel Felipe is the Director of Choral Activities and Associate Professor of Music at the University of Arizona. He has also held similar positions at various other universities and served as President-Elect of the National Collegiate Choral Organization. Felipe is a supporter of new music and lesser-known masterpieces and has commissioned extensively, focusing on choral innovations in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. He has also established the Boston Choral Ensemble Commission Competition, the Northeast's largest choral commissioning project. Felipe's research areas have expanded to new choral pedagogies in higher education, addressing justice and the influence of choral societies in cultural development. Felipe is a proud member of various music organizations and has studied with renowned conductors and educators.

USC Thornton Choral & Sacred Music alumnus David Means (DMA ’97, choral music) is the founder of the Valley Choral Artists, South Texas’s first semi-professional chamber choir. He formed the ensemble in 2013 after he was appointed Director of Choral Studies at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Following a highly successful 2015 performance of selections from Handel’s Messiah, the Valley Choral Artists raised sufficient funds to repeat the program in 2016. That year it hoped to raise $20,000 to fund its first full season, so that the Valley Choral Artists could officially become a professional ensemble in South Texas. According to Means, “It will be the beginning of what I hope will become the area’s premier music making ensemble.”