prof. Štefan Sedlický, ArtD. (1963) – art director of the festival and the competition
He studied piano at the Conservatory in Žilina and VŠMU (Vysoká škola múzických umení – Academy of Performing Arts) in Bratislava (with associate professor Starosta) where he started to study choral conducting in 1988 and completed it in professor P. Hradil’s class. Until 1998 he acted as a pedagogue at the Conservatory in Žilina – specialisation piano and conducting, from 1998 to 2008 as an assistant, later an associate professor at FHV – University of M. Bell in Banská Bystrica, where he conducted the Academic Chorus of J. Cikker.
In addition to conducting of Žilina Mixed Chorus, he is also a conductor of chamber chorus of Cantica – Collegium Musicum in Martin. He also successfully represents Slovakia abroad with the chorus. He also significantly contributed to beginning of cooperation between the two choruses and the State Chamber Orchestra in Žilina, Chamber orchestra in Trnava in performances of the large vocal and instrumental pieces of music of slovak composers (Iršai, Krška, Špilák …).
He has been art director and conductor of the Spevácky zbor slovenských učiteľov (SZSU – Slovak Teachers’ Chorus) after his professor P. Hradil.
He is a regular member of specialised juries at Slovak and international competition at home and abroad.
Mgr. art. Anna Kureková – founder of festival
Dear friends,
Voce Magna is becoming the brand of days filled by great music performed by most diversed choirs in Žilina. Fans of this genre finds every year in concert halls and festival interesting guests and varied music program.
When I based Voce Magna in 2010 together with my friends we did not think we would survive or at least stay healthy to see another year. The more suprising and pleasant is that we witnessed several successful years in a row.
The festival had a clear vision from the beginning: bring people choral singing as a phenomenon that they will newly fall in love with.
Phenomenon which, although it came off the minds of the people, but did not fade from their hearts. Voce Magna ambition is to reborn love for choir singing. We want to give a soul to vocal scores and pass the emotion of countless human voices into the souls of their listeners.
The people who make up the festival for you are giving the best and most precious they have – their time.
With deep love we are every day wondering what new we will bring on stage what will surprise you pleasantly. In which part of concert we will take your breath away and when we will give it back to you.
We think of you all the year long and will never stop until the last applause. We are Voce Magna.
Mixed Choir of Žilina
Mixed choir with almost 70 years of tradition (1954). Thanks to professional leadership and regular concerts, we have long been one of the best choirs in Slovakia. Today, we have around fifty singers, which makes us one of the largest groups of its kind in our country. We have also won leading positions and awards at many international competitions.
In our repertoire, we have secular and spiritual works by Slovak and foreign composers adapted for choral singing, which, thanks to the number of singers, we can offer in an original dramaturgy. We presented several important works of world and domestic vocal-instrumental works such as: W. A. Mozart – Requiem, Mass in C major and D major, F. Schubert – Mass in A major and G major, A. Dvořák – Mass in D major, G. F. Händel – Messiah , G. Puccini – Messa di Gloria, P. Krška – Requiem, P. Iršai – Kyrie and many other compositions.
We cooperate with several professional orchestras. We particularly value our partnership with Slovak Sinfonietta Žilina, which was established in 1990 and significantly enriches the quality of musical life in Žilina.
Our goal is to spread choral art and tradition, with the help of high-quality artistic concert activities, but also to provide cultural enjoyment to people who are interested in choral singing. We are the organizers of the prestigious International Choir Festival and Competition Žilina VOCE MAGNA, which celebrates its 13th year in 2023. We proudly represent the city of Žilina and Slovakia in Europe and the world.
The conductor of the choir is Prof. Štefan Sedlický, ArtD.