First page

The Slovenian Choir in London sends the following information:

Join us for a fun evening filled with much loved Slovenian folk and pop songs. Our lineup includes classics like “Lipa zelenela je” and “Kje so tiste stezice,” alongside popular tunes such as “Dan Ljubezni” and “Soba 102”.

We are excited to premiere our original adaptations of “Mala Terasa” and “Pravljica o mavričnih ljudeh.” These adaptations offer a fresh take on these songs, presented for the first time ever for a mixed choir.

The Slovenian Choir in London comprises passionate singers for whom Slovenia still represents home. Since our inception in 2022, we have performed in events for the Slovenian and European community in London and opened for Slovenian artists such as Vlado Kreslin and Andrej Šifrer. Our mission is to promote and keep the Slovene language alive through music, while building a vibrant community of people who share the love for the language and Slovenia.

Slovenian Choir in London is supported by Government Office for Slovenians Abroad. 

Here is the link  where you can buy tickets:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/slovenian-choir-in-london-concert-tickets-1019399931637

VENUE HAS NO DISABLED ACCESS – ACCESS VIA TWO FLIGHTS OF STAIRS ONLY!

More info on Instagram: slovenian_choir

On Sunday 22nd September at 5 pm Holy Mass will be celebrated in the Slovenian House at 62 Offley Road, London SW9 0LS,  by Peter Rožič, a priest and Professor of Ecology at the University of Oxford.

The Slovenian House extends a welcome to everybody whether religious or not.

Contact: info@skm-london.org.uk, 07365 353 900

If you are thinking of studying Slovene this year, join evening Slovene language courses starting in October 2024 at UCL School of Slavonic & East European Studies.

These small interactive courses are designed for adults and develop conversation skills without losing sight of the fundamentals of grammar. They are ideal for anyone interested in the rich culture and unique language of Slovenia.

All courses are scheduled to run 6:30-8:30pm online and will start in the week commencing 7th of October.

This year they will be offering Beginners, Lower Intermediate, Upper Intermediate, Advanced, and  Advanced Plus courses.

More information about the Slovene courses is available at the following link: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ssees/evening-courses/slovene

If you are interested, please enrol at the following link: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ssees/evening-courses/how-to-enrol

The courses will be taught by Maja Rančigaj Beneš (Upper Intermediate and Advanced Plus course), Romana Šuštar (Advanced course) and Ana Ilievska Završnik (Beginners and Lower Intermediate course).

For more information contact Maja Rančigaj Beneš, Slovene language lector: m.rancigaj@ucl.ac.uk

Vlado Kreslin: Live in Concert

The Slovenian Government Office for Slovenians Abroad has sent us the following information about grants available for Slovenians abroad:

Javni štipendijski, razvojni, invalidski in preživninski sklad Republike Slovenije je 22. 8. 2024 na svoji spletni strani Štipendije za Slovence v zamejstvu in Slovence po svetu za študijsko leto 2024/2025 (355. JR) | Javni štipendijski, razvojni, invalidski in preživninski sklad RS (srips-rs.si) objavil razpis za dodelitev štipendij za študij v Republiki Sloveniji za Slovence v zamejstvu in Slovence po svetu za študijsko leto 2024/2025. Rok prijave je do vključno 30. 9. 2024.

Vloga za nadaljnje prejemanje štipendije pa je tudi že objavljena na spletni strani: Objavljena vloga za nadaljnje prejemanje štipendije za Slovence v zamejstvu in po svetu 2024/2025 | Javni štipendijski, razvojni, invalidski in preživninski sklad RS (srips-rs.si)

Za vsa vprašanja v zvezi z razpisom se prosim obrnite na Javni štipendijski, razvojni, invalidski in preživninski sklad Republike Slovenije. Njihovi kontaktni podatki se nahajajo v tem dokumentu: 355. javni razpis

The Government Office for Slovenians abroad  has informed us about scholarships ayailable for:

• Morning Course of Slovene Language Online – Autumn 2024
• Afternoon Course of Slovene Language Online – Autumn 2024
• Winter School of Slovene Language 2024
• Spring School of Slovene Language 2025

The deadline for the application is 31 August 2024.

https://centerslo.si/en/courses-for-adults/general-information/scholarships/application-scholarships-for-slovene-courses/

Close your eyes. Photographic works by Nika Špan and Richard Whitlock

The opening of the exhibition CLOSE YOUR EYES at Equrna Gallery in Ljubljana will take place on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, at 7 PM in the presence of the artists. The exhibition closes on the 26th of September 2024.

Photography seems to verify that the way we see the world is the right way. But when we close our eyes things continue to exist quite happily on their own, in a space undefined by human eyes and camera lenses. The works of Nika Špan and Richard Whitlock throw doubt on the way we visualise the world, and the way we photograph it, Whitlock by abandoning the single viewpoint of the lens, Špan by photographing the photographic moment itself. They place us in the zone of innocence before the click of the camera made us self-conscious – before objectivity, before science, before utility.

This year Nika Špan is also representing Slovenia at the 60th Venice Biennale.

CV
Richard Whitlock (b. Liverpool 1952) has exhibited in Moscow, Beijing, New York, London, Athens, Helsinki and elsewhere. In Ljubljana he exhibited at Equrna gallery in 1997 and that year made a drawing in a (former) prison cell at the Autonomous Cultural Center of Metelkova – Mesto. His work has been showcased in Afterimage, Photomediations Machine, the French design review FauxQ, and in the Slovenian journals Likovne Besede and Membrana. 

Nika Špan (b. 1967 in Ljubljana) works as a freelance artist in various media such as installation, video, performance, spatial and sound interventions. In Ljubljana she exhibited at Manifesta 3, at the 30th Biennial of Graphic Arts, at the 1st, 2nd and 6th Triennial of Contemporary Art – U3, at overview exhibitions Slovene Art 1985-1995 and 1995-2005 at Moderna galerija, at +MSUM, Mala galerija, Cukrarna Gallery, Škuc Gallery, Jakopič Gallery, DUM Project Space and Gregor Podnar Gallery.  

The British chapter of VTIS (Slovenians Educated Abroad)  is organising a picnic in Oxford – at one of the colleges of the University.

If you wish to take part please use this link:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vtis-velika-britanija-piknik-v-oxfordu-tickets-984120058587

For any questions please contact katjaobed@gmail.com.

Blejska folklora pod angleškim nebom in slovenskim kozolcem.pdf

Bled’s local newspaper Blejske novice  (see link above) reported extensively on our summer picnic in Henley-on-Thames on 7^th July, at which a Bled Folklore Group sang and danced. The previous day they also performed on Henley’s Town Square, and entertained patrons attending Henley’s Royal Regatta in the Argyll pub. There they met Henley’s Mayor.

“Bled and Henley signed a twinning agreement in 2013. What they have in common is that they can both take pride in their rowing regattas and their prestigious business schools,” the newspaper wrote.

It described how the British-Slovene Society built a traditional kozolec (Slovenian hayrack) on Gillotts Field on the outskirts of Henley in 2022, and has been holding summer picnics there for the last three years. Joiners headed by Damjan Bajc from Slovenia faithfully followed instructions of the open-air museum Dežela kozolcev to create a replica of an original, and travelled to Henley to erect it themselves.

Under such a kozolec belong Slovene music and national costumes. And these were provided by the Folklore Group Rudi Jedretič and the ensemble Šuštarji, “creating a real Slovene atmosphere,” the newspaper commented

.

A Memorial Service for the late David Lloyd, OBE, former Chairman of The British-Slovene Society, was held in Hertford on 29 July 2024.

Keith Miles, our Honorary President and former Chairman, reported: “As well as Slava and I, from the BSS were present Anica and Terry Page, Shirlie Roden and Jana Valenčič. A very nice well attended family orientated event.”

We share these tributes to David:

Jana Valenčič:

One memory I would like to share is how he repaired the old Kozolec. After it was moved from the Pitt River’s Music Garden to the Harcourt Arboretum it started to rot as that particular site was too damp for it.

When I visited the site I saw David in action. Fully equipped with tools and timber repairing materials, he was replacing parts of the Kozolec’s decaying wooden structure.

“You’re doing this at least as professionally as a skilled Slovenian carpenter”, I said to him, “It looks to me that in a previous life you must have been Slovenian”.

(NB: a new Kozolec now stands on Gillotts Field in Henley-on-Thames.)

Shirlie Roden:

I’m still processing David’s death as he seemed so vibrant at Prešernov večer such a short while ago.

He will be much missed by so many people and I continue to thank him from my heart for all the support he gave me and my music while he was British Ambassador in Slovenia.

It has been an honour to know and work with him.

Catherine Inglehearn:

I spent 4 years at our Embassy in Slovenia from 1996, during most of which David was the Ambassador.  I loved my time in Slovenia for so many reasons, but David was an important part of making it such a good time – not just for me but probably for most of us in the Embassy team then. He was a great example as an Ambassador, which I’ve followed in my own time as Ambassador in Guinea and Niger.  The work was always interesting but he made it enjoyable and fun, and he really removed the boundaries between himself and this team.  He was always the Ambassador, and respected as such, but he was open to us all and seemed to really care.

I wrote to David a month or so ago with a few memories of him – of his arrival in Ljubljana in blue and silver Aston Martin (?), of his mischievous speeches at QBPs (Queen’s Birthday Parties), or him eating Slovenian cheesecake at some official function and ending up with powdered sugar all over his face.  He had no airs or graces but was just a wonderful diplomat and so right for his time in Slovenia.

I’m sorry that I did not manage to catch up with him for several years but always enjoyed his messages, including one most recently at Christmas in which he was so obviously enjoying being surrounded by a big and noisy family.  He was so evidently proud of you all!

Joži Orme:

I am very sorry to hear about the passing of David Lloyd. He will be greatly missed.

My sincere condolences to his family.