Friday, September 27
Cathedral, 8.00 p.m
Chamber vocal ensemble Donum
Uršuline zvjezdice, Choir of St. Ursula Catholic Primary School
Katarina Mandić, positive organ
Mislav Lucić, concept and assistant art director
Višeslav Jaklin, artistic leadership
Divinum officium
In festis beatae Maria Virginis
Ad Vesperas
Ad processionem
Arnolt Schlick
Salve Regina
Motetus in honorem Beatae Mariae Virginis
Richard Dering
Ave Virgo gloriosa
Incipit
Gregorijanski koral
Deus in adiutorium meum – Gloria Patri
Hymnus
Hans Leo Hassler
Ave maris stella
Psalmus CX
antifona: Dum esset Rex (greg. koral)
Tommaso Cecchini
Dixit Dominus
Psalmus CXIII
antifona: Laeva eius (greg. koral)
Anđelko Klobučar
Laudate pueri Dominum
Psalmus CXII
antifona: Nigra sum (greg. koral)
Claudio Monteverdi
Laetatus sum
Psalmus CXXVII
antifona: Iam hiems transiit (greg. koral)
Gregorijanski koral
Nisi Dominus
Psalmus CXLVII
antifona: Speciosa facta es (greg. koral)
Heinrich Schütz
Zu Lob und Ehr mit Freunden singt (PSALM 147)
Ad intermissionem
Johann Caspar Kerll
Magnificat primi toni
Canticum Magnificat
antifona: Beatam me dicent (greg. koral)
Tommaso Cecchini
Magnificat
Prex paschalis Beatae Mariae Virginis
Leopold Ebner
Regina caeli
Oratio
Ambrozijanski koral
Pater Noster
Conclusio
Thomas Tallis
Gloria Patri
The Donum Chamber Vocal Ensemble was founded in 2011 at the initiative of the mezzo-soprano Sofija Cingula from Varaždin, originally as the Donum Octet, and initially operated under the auspices of the parish of St. Nicholas in Varaždin. Throughout its existence, it has undergone several lineup changes, most notably functioning as the Donum Nonet for the longest period. Since 2024, it has been established as the Donum Chamber Vocal Ensemble, allowing for broader collaborations with vocalists and instrumentalists. The CVE Donum primarily focuses on works from earlier musical epochs (Renaissance and Baroque), but its repertoire also includes pieces from the Romantic period and contemporary composers. The ensemble pays special attention to performing works by Croatian composers from all eras, and it has premiered several compositions. Its concert activities are primarily reflected in traditional Lenten concerts, as well as regular performances at the Varaždin Baroque Evenings. In addition to numerous concerts in Croatia, the ensemble has also achieved a series of international appearances (Slovenia, Austria, Germany), with notable concert tours in Canada (2018 and 2023). The current regular lineup consists of nine young musicians from Varaždin, mostly students from music academies in Zagreb and Graz. Since 2013, the artistic director of the ensemble has been Maestro Višeslav Jaklin, the titular organist of the Varaždin Cathedral. Since its inception, the KVA Donum has enjoyed the support of the Diocese of Varaždin.
The Choir of the Catholic Primary School of St. Ursula, called Uršuline Zvjezdice, was founded in parallel with the establishment of the School in 2014. The first choir director was Sister Damjana Mihaela Barbarić, the current principal of the School. Since 2017, the choir director has been Višeslav Jaklin, a music teacher at the Catholic School, organist of the Varaždin Cathedral, and commissioner for church music of the Diocese of Varaždin. In a short period, the choir has gathered a large number of children. From the first generation, which had 13 singers, the choir has grown to 85 singers and operates in two age groups. The desire to work has been confirmed and continues to be confirmed through their great successes. Since 2019, Uršuline Zvjezdice has been a regular participant and absolute winner of the Music Creativity Review of Children and Youth of Varaždin County, and a regular participant in the Croatian Youth Music Festival, the longest-running competition in the Republic of Croatia. For six consecutive years, Uršulice has successfully defended the title of the best children's choir of primary schools in Croatia at the Music Festival. For their work, Uršuline Zvjezdice has received several recognitions and awards, including the transitional trophy of the Croatian Composers' Society for the best performance of a Croatian composer's piece, several Knowledge Oscars, the Plaque of the City of Varaždin, and perhaps the greatest recognition for the choir's work: an invitation from the international federation Pueri Cantores to participate in the largest European choir event to be held in Vienna this year. Uršuline Zvjezdice, or Uršulice as the choir director likes to call them, will present themselves in Vienna with works by Croatian composers. The choir regularly performs at School, Diocese, and City celebrations.
Katarina Mandić studied organ at the Academy of Music, University of Zagreb, in the class of Ljerka Očić. She spent her final year of studies at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg in the class of Wolfgang Kogert as part of the Erasmus+ program. During her education, she attended seminars led by renowned organists, including Henry Fairs, Martin Schmeding, Wolfgang Kogert, and Gunther Rost. In 2015, she won the Second Prize at the regional organ competition, and in 2017, she won the First Prize at the same competition, earning the Oscar of Knowlege award. In addition to numerous solo performances (Sonus caelestis Organ Festival, Petar Nakić Organ Festival, Wien Modern Festival of Contemporary Music, Passion Heritage Festival in Zagreb, Anabasis Organ Festival at the Academy of Music, International Organ Festival Ars Organi Sisciae) and performances with chamber ensembles, she serves as the organist at the Basilica of St. Quirinus in Sisak and as the conductor of the mixed choir of the Diocese of Sisak.
Mislav Lucić studies singing at the Academy of Music in Zagreb in the class of Helena Lucić Šego. So far, he has performed as a soloist in many major works of musical literature, including J. S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio, Magnificat, and St. Mark Passion; G. F. Handel's Messiah, The Resurrection, and Israel in Egypt; W. A. Mozart's Requiem and Coronation Mass; and C. Orff's Carmina Burana. He has performed with ensembles such as the Baroque Orchestra of the Academy of Music under the direction of Gábor Hollerung, the Varaždin Chamber Orchestra and the Croatian Radiotelevision Choir under the direction of Tomislav Fačini, as well as the Croatian Baroque Ensemble and the Ivan Goran Kovačić Academic Choir under the direction of Ivan Šćepanović. He portrayed the role of Goro in Puccini's opera Madama Butterfly, conducted by Ivan Hut, in a co-production between the Croatian National Theatre in Varaždin and the Marin Držić Theatre in Dubrovnik. Since the 2021/22 season, he has been regularly collaborating with the Croatian Radiotelevision Choir, and as a chamber musician, he performs with the vocal ensemble Antiphonus, as well as with esteemed artists and ensembles such as the Croatian Baroque Ensemble, Concerto dei venti, pianists Filip Fak and Danijel Detoni, and bass-baritone Krešimir Stražanac. He also performs at numerous festivals such as the Varaždin Baroque Evenings, Zagreb Music Spring, Füssen Festival of Early Music, Zagreb Advent Classic Fest, Passion Heritage Festival, and the Heferer cycle.
Višeslav Jaklin is the titular organist of Varaždin Cathedral and the commissioner for church music for the Diocese of Varaždin. He earned his first master's degree in organ, improvisation, and conducting from the Church Music program at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, and later obtained a master's degree in organ performance from the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna under the tutelage of Michael Radulescu. He took private lessons in organ and improvisation in Weimar and Paris. He is a recipient of first prizes at international organ competitions in Switzerland and Austria. From 2001 to 2008, he served as the organist of the Franciscan Church in Graz, and in 2008, he became the organist of Varaždin Cathedral. As a soloist and chamber musician, he regularly performs in Croatia and many European countries, as well as in Israel, collaborating with the choir Grazer Kapellknaben, the orchestra Capella Calliope (Graz), Grazer Choralschola, and others. He has frequently performed with the Graz Symphony Orchestra and has often recorded for ORF. Since 2013, he has been the artistic director of KVA Donum from Varaždin, and since 2017, he has led the choir of St. Ursula's Catholic Primary School, the Uršuline zvjezdice (Ursuline Little Stars) from Varaždin, with whom he has won first places in state competitions across various age groups for several years.