NEWS

Voices New Zealand, our premier national chamber choir, is welcoming esteemed Slovenian conductor Ana Erčulj to Aotearoa. Ana has conducted the world-renowned, Grammy award-winning Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, the Choir of the Slovenian Philharmonic and most recently the Honour Choir Tokyo. In New Zealand, she will conduct Voices in two performances of Eternal Light – Fauré Requiem, 26th June in Auckland and the 27th in Wellington. Ana is also bringing music from her homeland, introducing local audiences to works by Slovenian composers Andrej Makor, Aldo Kumar, Damijan Močnik and Lojze Lebič, paired with a newly commissioned New Zealand piece – the world premiere of “Awatea” featuring kupu (words) by Bianca Beard set to music by Rosa Elliott.

“I’m especially excited to be performing Gabriel Fauré’s masterpiece “Requiem”, the centrepiece of the New Zealand concerts,” says Ana Erčulj, “I’ve designed a programme around it, incorporating Slovenian composers and exploring the theme of light – particularly eternal light, which in Slovenian folk tradition is closely associated with the sun.”

“Ana brings a wealth of international experience, and her work with Voices will provide a significant contribution to our singers and our organisation,” says Jessica Kinney, Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand’s Manager Artistic Planning and Outreach, “I can’t wait to welcome her to Aotearoa”.

Ana says, “I’m travelling to New Zealand with both anticipation and deep respect for the work of Voices NZ founder Karen Grylls, whose many years of dedication have shaped the ensemble’s distinctive sound”. Following the Wellington and Auckland concerts, Ana will tour with the NZ Youth Choir, which last year was name Choir of the World.

Beyond classical music, Ana is committed to promoting contemporary music, especially Slovenian compositions; acting as an ambassador of Slovenian music and culture on international stages. She is the founder and artistic director of the vocal group Gallina, conductor of the vocal instrumental ensemble Musica Emonica and currently the conductor of the Symphony Orchestra “Vladimir Lovec” and Gorizia chamber choir

Eternal Light – Fauré Requiem. Voices NZ in concert, conducted by Ana Erčulj

26 June: 7pm, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland

27 June: 7pm, Wellington Cathedral of St Paul

Tickets HERE

More about Ana Erčulj

Last year alone, Ana Erčulj conducted the Athens State Orchestra, the orchestra of the Slovenian Philharmonic and worked with the Grammy Award-winning Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. She also led the Choir of the Slovenian Philharmonic in five concerts dedicated to the 70th anniversary of composer Aldo Kumar’s career.

Ana is also the founder and artistic director of the vocal group Gallina, conductor of the vocal instrumental ensemble Musica Emonica and currently the conductor of the Symphony Orchestra “Vladimir Lovec” and Gorizia chamber choir. Specialising in vocal-instrumental music, her passion lies in blending instruments and vocals across opera, musicals, vocal instrumental works and concert repertoires. Beyond classical masterpieces, she is committed to promoting contemporary music, especially Slovenian compositions, acting as an ambassador of Slovenian music and culture on international stages.

In 2022, Ana completed her studies in orchestral conducting at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana under the mentorship of Prof. Marko Letonja and Prof. Simon Dvoršak, performing the overture to the opera The Magician (CM von Weber) and Pulcinella (I. Stravinsky) with the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra. Earlier, she graduated in in Choral Conducting under prof. Sebastjan Vrhovnik at the Academy of Music Ljubljana (2017) and Musicology and Sociology of Culture from the Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana (2013). Ana also broadened her studies internationally at the University of Utrecht and the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, under the guidance of Prof. Johannes Prinz.

Ana has also conducted renowned orchestras, Cameristi della Scala, Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, Symphony Orchestra of the Royal Northern College of Music, Orchestra Padova e Veneto, Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra, RTV Symphony Orchestra and the Symphony Orchestra of Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi.

Ana has worked extensively with Slovensko Komorno Glasbeno Gledališče and SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana, premiering the opera Španska vas by Nana Forte and Jure Ivanušič and conducting the first performance of Rok Golob’s opera The Sound. Ana has served as assistant conductor for operas such as Ksenija and Carmina Burana at the same institution. Additionally, she has contributed as repetiteur and conductor of musicals at the City Theatre of Ljubljana and SNG Drama, with works including The Addams Family, Rent, Fiddler on the Roof, Turandot, and Orlando.

Ana has participated in numerous masterclasses worldwide with distinguished mentors like Risto Joost, Loukas Karytinos, Oleg Caetani, Uroš Lajovic, Martina Batič, Gary Graden and Ragnar Rasmussen and has collaborated with renowned vocal groups such as Singer Pur and Rajaton. Her artistic collaborations extend to composers Aldo Kumar, Andrea Basevi Gambarana, Nana Forte, Andrej Makor, Ambrož Čopi and others. She has also worked with musicians including Alexander Gadjiev, Laibach, Sara Briški Cirman (Raiven), Maja Horvat and Neža Torkar, as well as theatre directors like Stanislav Moša, Dragan Živadinov, Aleksander Popovski, Barbara Hieng Samobor and Eva Hribernik