Award-Winning Festival Programme by Choir “Zima” as a Gift to the People of Bar
Autor: Maja Tomović
Following a very successful participation in the International Choir Festival in Herceg Novi, the mixed choir and women’s ensemble “Zima,” led by conductor Varvara Lojko, performed before an audience in Bar this evening in the crypt of the Co-Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle.
The concert provided an opportunity for the ensemble to present the programme with which it had won two second prizes and one first prize at the festival in Herceg Novi. The audience followed the hour-long performance attentively, enjoying a highly diverse repertoire encompassing sacred, classical and contemporary choral music.
The programme opened with the six-member women’s ensemble “Zima,” performing sacred compositions. The repertoire included “Tebe pojem” by Alexander Labinsky, “Haec dies” by William Byrd, “Zavole se dvoje mlado,” a folk song arranged by Žarko Mirković, “O magnum mysterium” by Tomás Luis de Victoria, “Dostojno jest” by Pavel Chesnokov, “Ave maris stella” by Edvard Grieg, and “Kyrie” from Josef Gabriel Rheinberger’s Mass in G minor. The programme concluded with an impressive performance of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Vocalise” for women’s ensemble.
The mixed choir’s performance opened with Veljo Tormis’s striking composition “Svadbena,” followed by “Christus factus est” by Felice Anerio and “Cantique de Jean Racine” by Gabriel Fauré. Gibson’s “Dance” elicited a particularly strong response from the audience. In addition to singing, the piece incorporates movement and rhythmic clapping, adding to the performance’s stage dynamics.
Most of the compositions were performed a cappella, while Nikita Loyko provided piano accompaniment for the pieces that required it.
Varvara Loyko, head and founder of the “Zima” choir, made no secret of her satisfaction with the performance, noting that the festival experience had been invaluable to the choir, particularly because of the diversity of the repertoire and the challenges it presented.
“I think this is a very wise approach, because it allows the choir to grow. If a choir sings in the same style, it will improve only in that style,” Varvara said, emphasising that “Zima” has the opportunity to explore different musical directions and styles.
“It was very important for us to perform the part relating to medieval music as well. We mastered it, although it is not particularly easy, considering that we are an amateur choir.
Even though we performed the required programme, we enjoyed what we were doing, and I think that is precisely what has sustained us throughout all these years,” the conductor emphasised.
Speaking about the importance of the venue in which the choir performs, Varvara particularly praised the acoustics of the crypt of the Co-Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle, which, she noted, has become their home stage.
“I can say that this is one of the most suitable venues in Bar in terms of acoustics, even better than the large hall, where the sound ‘flies’ and it is more difficult for us to sing. We love performing in the co-cathedral, but we have decided to perform only sacred and classical music in the main hall. Given that today’s programme included various compositions, unusual choreography and entertaining pieces, I think the crypt is the best place for this kind of music,” Varvara said.
The concert was also a gift to the people of Bar and an opportunity to present the festival programme before the choir begins preparing for its upcoming performances. According to the conductor, the members of “Zima” will now turn their attention to their traditional Christmas concert.
“Every year we put on the concert ‘Darovi Božića’ [Gifts of Christmas], and this is already the fourth year. Once we finish this programme, we begin preparing the Christmas repertoire. This year, too, the concert will have an international character, so I think we have plenty to show you and to surprise you with,” Varvara announced.
Finally, she said she was pleasantly surprised by the audience turnout despite the concert having received only modest promotion.
“I am surprised by how many people came, considering that this is choral music and that we did not do much advertising. I think we have our own audience who regularly come to our performances,” Varvara concluded.