Mixed choir Rače
There is a saying: Bad people don’t sing. In Rače, there are many singers and therefore good people. Amongst all music groups and ensembles under the patronage of Culture and Art Association Rače, Mixed choir has the longest period of operation, as its beginnings date back to 1946. Various choirmasters conducted it: Anton Zapletal, Jože Križman, Ivan Rožič, Ivo Partlič, Katja Lovrenčič, Jakša Vranjican and Ervin Šega. For the longest time its artistic director was Ivo Partlič – from 1970 until his death in 2008.
In 2016, the choir celebrated 70 years of existence. In June, we prepared the traditional event Rače Sings, where all music groups from our town performed. Half a year later, on December 17th, we organized a gala concert in the White Hall of Castle Rače due to the important jubilee. We invited some musical guests: the children’s choir of the primary school Rače under the baton of Anja Lešič and the church choir from Slivnica with its conductor Milena Crnjac. The White Hall was full of choral singing lovers; amongst them was a special guest, Polde Mustafa, who sang in the mixed choir at the time of its founding. Simona Napast charmingly coordinated the concert’s programme.
At the venue, the singers received Gallus awards for their long-term participation in the choir. A special surprize was prepared for our musical guest, Milena Crnjac, who, at the initiative of her singers, received the honorary Gallus award for 60 years of singing. The president of Culture and Art Association Rače, Mr. Tone Žuraj, handed it out to her.
The Mixed Choir Rače currently consists of 18 singers. Most of them have been its members for over 10 years. Our repertoire includes mainly Slovenian folk and art songs, which suit every occasion.
The singers of the choir are aware that singing is not intended only for their pleasure and pastime, but their work preserves the tradition of choir singing in Rače and spreads beautiful Slovenian songs amongst the locals and into wider cultural space.