7th Masterclass for Choral Conductors 2026
The International Choral Festival of Preveza invites choral conductors to a three-day intensive masterclass built around real rehearsal practice. In collaboration with the Ave Chamber Choir, participants will work directly with a distinguished ensemble, exploring conducting technique, musical interpretation, and communication in a practical and focused environment.
This masterclass is designed as a working laboratory for conductors who wish to deepen their artistic and technical approach.
The masterclass concludes with a final working session with the choir.
Ambrož Čopi has studied composition, piano and vocal music. His
compositions have been published by Astrum, DSS, and Sulasol in
numerous CDs and he has won plenty of prizes for his
compositions in several composer competitions. He was awarded:
the Young Musician Award in (1995) for the outstanding
achievements during his study, the “Prešeren” Prize of the
University of Ljubljana and the award of the Municipality of
Bovec (1997), Gold Medal of the University of Primorska for the
achievements with the APZ UP choir (2009) and two important
awards by the Municipality of Koper (2014), the “Gallus” Medal,
the highest award in the field of musical activity at national
level in Slovenia (2014).
Since 1999 he has been a music teacher at the Art Grammar School
in Koper and since 2010, he has been directing the Choir of the
Music and Ballet Conservatory Ljubljana.
In the past years, he also conducted the Youth Mixed Choir of
the Art Grammar School Koper (1999 –2002, 2007 – 2013), the
“Vladimir Lovec” Chamber Orchestra (2005 – 2007), the Chamber
Choir “Iskra”, Bovec (1992 – 2001), the Nova Gorica Chamber
Choir (1998 – 2004), the Mixed Choir “Obala” Koper (1998 – 2007)
and the Academic Choir of the University of Primorska (2004 –
today). With his choirs he has won many prizes and he has been
awarded as the best conductor in numerous competitions. He is
regularly invited as a member of jury at various choral events
and competitions, and he is often involved in choral music
seminars at home and abroad as a lecturer.
Marco Antonio García de Paz graduated with the best grades in choir direction at the
Superior Music Centre of the Basque Country (Musikene). Founder and leader of the choir El
León de Oro, in its twenty two years of existence García de Paz has developed an extensive
international career with his group, carried out in a large number of concerts in the USA,
Africa and several European countries, important prizes and recordings with prominent record
companies.
Currently, García de Paz also takes part as a judge in the most important choir singing
contests in Spain and Europe. In addition, he gives masterclasses and workshops about choir
direction and “open singing” both at national and international level, in many European
countries. In 2015 he was invited to conduct the Choir of Radio Televisión Española (OCRTVE)
in a concert at the Monumental Theater of Madrid, which was broadcasted live by Radio
Clásica of Radio Nacional de España.
Throughout this year he has worked with other professional choirs of his country, such as
the Community of Madrid Choir (ORCAM) and the National Choir of Spain (CNE). He is a
principal guest conductor of the Young Choir of Andalusia (JCA). His immediate projects
include commitments in Spain, Italy, France, Bulgaria or Greece
AVE CHAMBER CHOIR was founded in 1984 in the parish of Ljubljana–Vič as the Ave Vocal Group and, in four decades of activity, has established itself as one of the most important Slovenian chamber choirs. Since its inception, it has been characterized by high standards of performance, stylistic diversity, and strong concert and competition activity. The choir has successfully performed at numerous international competitions and festivals throughout Europe and around the world, receiving a number of top awards, including prizes at prestigious international choir competitions, the Prešeren Fund Award, the City of Ljubljana Award, and the Order of Merit of the Republic of Slovenia.
With its long-standing presence and artistic consistency, the Ave Chamber Choir holds an important place in Slovenian cultural life and the wider European choral scene. Over the past 40 years, the choir's artistic image has been shaped by numerous conductors, including its founder Andraž Hauptman, Branka Potočnik Krajnik, Jerica Gregorc Bukovec, Marko Vatovec, Alenka Podpečan, Gregor Klančič, and Jakob Ivačič. An important part of the choir's identity is also its discography, which includes the CDs Škrinja orehova, Eno dete je rojeno, Mozaiki, the original CD Praeparate corda vestra, and the double CD Ave v živo.
The recordings reflect both the choir's interpretative excellence and its commitment to the Slovenian choral tradition and collaboration with contemporary composers, and testify to the ensemble's long-term and profound artistic development. In October 2025, Ambrož Čopi, an internationally renowned composer and conductor, will take over the artistic leadership of the Ave Chamber Choir. His collaboration with the choir has an important history, as he led the Ave Choir as a guest conductor in 2013 and recorded his original CD Praeparate corda vestra with them. The new period under his leadership continues the long-standing tradition of artistic excellence and opens up space for further development, in-depth interpretation of contemporary and classical repertoire, and consolidation of the role of the Ave Chamber Choir as one of the central pillars of Slovenian choral music at home and abroad.
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