Conductor: Vince Mendoza (8-time Grammy Award winner)
RTV Slovenia Big Band 
RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra 

This year, the RTV Slovenia Big Band and Symphony Orchestra are celebrating their 80th and 70th anniversary, respectively. They will mark these milestones with a gala concert, under the baton of the legendary VINCE MENDOZA. The renowned American conductor, composer and music arranger has built a stellar career, writing and arranging music for artists such as Björk, Gregory Porter, Chaka Khan, Elvis Costello, Al Jarreau, Diana Krall, Melody Gardot, Sting and Joni Mitchell. One of the world’s most respected and sought-after jazz composers, Mendoza has guest conducted some of the world’s most prestigious orchestras, including the WDR Big Band, the Metropole Orchestra and the New York, Los Angeles and Berlin Philharmonics.

The last eight decades of musical life in Slovenia would not have been the same without the RTV Slovenia Big Band and Symphony Orchestra. In partnership with Slovenian music legends, most notably Jože Privšek, Janez Gregorc, Samo Hubad, Anton Nanut and soloists Petar Ugrin, Andrej Arnol, Silvester Stingl, Marko Črnčec, Jure Pukl, Dubravka Tomšič Srebotnjak, Aci Bertoncelj, Irena Grafenauer, Igor Ozim, Branimir Slokar, and many others, our ensembles have raised the bar for what makes great jazz music to unprecedented heights.
At the concert in Cankarjev dom’s Gallus Hall, Vince Mendoza and the RTV Slovenia ensembles will perform jazz standards as well as the conductor’s latest compositions, which have earned him eight Grammy Awards and solidified his repute an artist at the forefront of jazz and contemporary music on a global scale.

Vince Mendoza & 80/70 Years of RTV Slovenia Big Band and Symphony Orchestra 
 

After sold-out concerts and in celebration of his 25-year music career, the beloved Balkan artist Sergej Ćetković returns to the stage of Gallus Hall. He is preparing an evening filled with emotions and timeless hits. Songs like Pogledi u tami, Još volim te, Korov, Ljubav, Moj Svijet, Zar je kraj, and Nek te ljubav dočeka have captured emotions that are difficult to put into words. From the moment he steps on stage, he lifts the audience to their feet, creating an unforgettable atmosphere.

The concert at Cankarjev dom will definitely be something special – intimate yet magnificent. Romantic yet full of energy. Elegant yet emotional. The audience will have the opportunity to experience Sergej in his element – live, genuine, and direct.

The concert of the Slovenian Armed Forces Band, conducted by guest conductor Maestro George Pehlivanian, will captivate the audience with its program, appealing to both music connoisseurs and the broader public while showcasing the orchestra's quality and versatility.

Established in 1996, the Slovenian Armed Forces Band plays a key role in various ceremonies and protocol events, including military parades, state ceremonies, and commemorations. In addition to its protocol performances, the orchestra is also well-established on concert stages, performing in various ensembles, from the concert and ceremonial orchestra to the big band and chamber ensembles. With its rich repertoire, it makes a significant contribution to Slovenia's cultural heritage and delights audiences both at home and abroad.

Zoran’s concert programme Pridi k meni (Come to Me) includes this legendary singer-songwriter’s most popular songs and a few that he feels have been unfairly overlooked. Under the musical direction of violinist Bruno Urlić, a group of world-class musicians will engage the audience and have them clapping along to their upbeat rhythms, while Zoran's infectious choruses will get the crowd to sing along. The concert’s featured guests are Duo Avtomobili aka the Vuksanovič brothers, Zoran’s friends and collaborators of forty years. Together, they will perform some of the brothers’ greatest songs.

Let yourself be carried away by the enduring appeal of analogue Praslovan.
 

Vlado Kreslin, voice, acoustic guitar, harmonica; Iztok Cergol, accordion, violin, saxophone, mandolin, acoustic guitar; Mileta Grujić, piano; Samo Budna, violin; Anton Tonč Feinig, Hammond; Matej Sušnik, electric and acoustic guitars; Domen Gracej, trumpet; Andraž Mazi, pedal steel guitar; Luka Ovsec, percussion; Andrej Sobočan, cymbals; Boštjan Rous, clarinet, saxophone; Luka Jerončič, electric bass guitar, double bass; Gašper Peršl, drums

Vlado Kreslin, returning to Cankarjev dom’s Gallus Hall for his thirty-fourth three-concert project, is a Slovenian poet, musician and troubadour who celebrates freedom, community, solidarity and the joy of living. After decades of music-making, he continues to surprise us and offer encouragement in our rapidly changing world with his new compositions. A musical phenomenon, Vlado Kreslin has been lifting the veil of mystery and baring his soul for decades with his directness, his poetry and his voice, holding a mirror to us all, allowing us to see ourselves in a way that is so subtle and refined that it’s all done unconsciously. Yet, we long for his music time and again. 


Insingizi are a vocal trio from Zimbabwe who bring new dimensions to the southern African mbube and isicathamiya a cappella styles.
A few years ago, Kreslin and Insingizi recorded a song together, Danes sem v molu.
 

Raiven in the Gallus Hall – raw freedom. This musical alchemist turns everything upside-down – no rules, no apologies. Sound, movement, a point in time – nothing else counts. Mystical stories of women come alive through untamed energy. An experience for everyone seeking unbounded feeling. Raiven takes us to the edge of emotion, to the depths where sound and movement merge into one. A hedonist manifesto.

We are delighted to announce a spectacular musical evening. Following a series of successful concerts in Zagreb, Vienna, and Budapest, the world's largest tamburitza orchestra will perform for the Slovenian audience. The concert, titled Croatian Tamburitza Rhapsody, will fill the stage of Gallus Hall with one hundred carefully selected musicians. They will perform works by renowned composers of classical, pop, and rock music, as well as virtuosic pieces from the Croatian cultural tradition. This broad showcase of Croatian popular music, also beloved in Slovenia, will be enriched by star guests: vocal soloists Vlado Kreslin and Amira Medunjanin, alongside Croatian pianist Matej Meštrović.

Since 2009, when TED launched the global TEDx initiative, TEDxLjubljana has been a platform in Slovenia for fresh, innovative, bold, inspiring, underrepresented, and courageous ideas. Their mission is to help create a future we all want to live in. By curating and sharing ideas on stage, they aim to contribute to building a better society.

This year marks TEDxLjubljana’s 15th anniversary, having hosted nearly 200 speakers across more than 38 events on a wide range of topics.

Are you ready to rise to the challenge and make a positive impact on the world?
Join us at TEDxLjubljana 2024, where you'll meet extraordinary speakers who push boundaries and inspire positive change in their communities and beyond.

The event features inspiring talks on diverse topics like investment, leadership, poetry, and linguistics. Before the official program kicks off at 6 PM, enjoy a warm networking session, followed by an afterparty in the Grand Reception Hall of Cankarjev dom.

Be part of a community of over 1,500 attendees brought together by innovative ideas, boundary-pushing insights, and the spirit of connection at TEDxLjubljana.

This year’s stage will welcome 11 remarkable speakers:

• Matic Ačko – Designer, photographer, writer, and performer
• Dr. Nina Črnivec – Climate scientist
• Marja Milič – Advocate for financial literacy
• Marko Drobnjak – Researcher at the intersection of language and law, and advocate for open science
• Melanie Seier Larsen – Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group
• Aljaž Bastič – TV director and assistant professor of TV direction at UL AGRFT
• Aljaž Celarc – Mentor, motivator, regenerative farmer, and passionate self-builder
• Dr. Zala Lenarčič – Leader of a research group exploring the deepest mysteries of the quantum world
• Dušanka Prelc Premate – President of the Slovenian Association for Therapy with Dogs (Tačke pomagačke) and therapy dog handler
• Marko Podgornik Verdev – Entrepreneur and author
• Dr. Jure Knez – President and co-founder of Dewesoft

The program will be enriched with musical performances by Jet Black Diamonds, as well as singer-songwriters Manca Berlec and Blaž Mencinger, creating an unforgettable atmosphere. DJ LYUT and DJ Čorba will keep the energy alive before the event, during breaks, and after the program, encouraging attendees to connect with speakers and event partners.

Connect with TEDxLjubljana on their Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin and TikTok profiles.

RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra
Olivier Latry, organ
Petra Vidmar, timpani

BACH/WEBERN: Ricercar a 6
POULENC: Concerto for organ, timpani, and strings
MOZART: Symphony No. 41 'Jupiter'

The esteemed organist Olivier Latry will showcase the grandeur of the organ in the Poulenc Concerto. Renowned as one of the finest organists, Latry ascended to the role of principal organist at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris at the young age of 23. Guided by the baton of the talented young German conductor and composer Oscar Jockel, the orchestra will also present Bach's Ricercar arranged by Weber, as well as Mozart's Jupiter Symphony.