• Academic Mixed Choir (AMC)

• Academic Accordion Orchestra (AAO)

Academic Mixed Choir (AMC)

In 1982, when the first generation of Music Culture students enrolled into Year III, because of a significantly larger number of music students in Pula, there were enough singers willing to gather, so the choir of female singers was formed under the leadership of Zvonimir Ivančir. The choir became active in the city music activities, participating in many occasional performances. In the mid-1980s, when the famous and established conductor Nikola Debelić joined our department, their concert activities continued with success. In a short period of time, the choir was well received with demanding and good programmes. The experienced and distinguished conductor Miroslav Homen, although an external associate, was the next one who also continued with his tremendous engagement, and that is why the Academic Mixed Choir frequently performed then. For some time, they had performances with a part of the Rijeka Symphony Orchestra, and became easily recognized by their impressive and very well-received concerts. Today their work is continued with Denis Modrušan, with whom they had many successful performances such as the one at the Mimara Museum in Zagreb or Naš kanat je lip in Poreč where different choirs meet.  

Their repertoire is versatile and rich. It does not only comprise pieces by early masters and pearls of the choir literature from different centuries, but also pieces by Croatian composers, especially the ones from Istria. It is not a rare occasion that this choir performs compositions especially dedicated to its singers, which is exquisite honour and great satisfaction for every ensemble and its development.  

The Academic Mixed Choir performed with many distinguished musicians, such as:  Lidija Horvat Dunjko (soprano), Slavko Sekulić (bass), Ronald Braus (baritone), Tvrtko Stipić (tenor), Blanka Tkalčić and Sofija Cingula (mezzo-soprano), etc. Students challenged themselves as soloists – the ones who attended optional singing courses or the ones who were included in the prep years before the introduction of Solo Singing study programme.

Academic Accordion Orchestra (AAO)

The Academic Accordion Orchestra (AAO), Juraj Dobrila Unievrsity in Pula, celebrated the first 20 years of existence in 2013/2014.  

The orchestra started its activities in 1993 as one of the main courses within the accordion study programme that was introduced at the Department of Music then. It comprised the Classical Accordion Sub-Department students, who, under their five-year-long study, acquire competences for tasks that a professional orchestra musician conducts. Many of them are today distinguished soloists and pedagogues in the environments where they are active and creative. Vitalij Muntjan led this orchestra for a couple of years upon its establishment, but Denis Modrušan took the orchestra over since the academic year of 1996/1997. Apart from being significant in terms of teaching and pedagogy, the AAO soon became one of the most important subjects of music life at the Department of Music and the Juraj Dobrila University in Pula. An accordion orchestra, common in the amateurish music setting, is so rare in academic music institutions across the world, except for the ex-Soviet Union countries and a few European music academies. Significant goals, set at the very beginning, resulted in the high reputation that the AAO has achieved so far.

There are no data about the first years, so it is not possible to provide a precise insight into its activities for the last two decades. But it is true indeed that the AAO has had more than 70 performances with more than 280 titles (above 75 different compositions among them) since it was established twenty years ago! Its quality was also recognized by composers, who allowed them to premiere a couple of pieces: Aproksimato No. 5 for the accordion orchestra and Lode a Dallapiccola for the accordion orchestra and the female choir by Bashkim A. Shehu, Poema pastorale and Let It Be, My God – prayer for the accordion orchestra by Damir Bužlete, Put the Cards on the Table by Sanja Drakulić and Calabrrian Memories by young Patrik Andreja.

The Orchestra regularly performs in Croatia and abroad. Apart from a large number of their performances in Pula (Tone Peruško Hall, Pula City Theatre, Croatian Defenders’ Home, St. Frances’s Church, Italian Minority Association), they also had their performances in Dubrovnik (Marin Držić Theatre), Labin (Church of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary), Makarska, Novigrad (St. Pelagius’s Church and Church of John the Baptist), Opatija, Požega (City Theatre Hall), Split (Art Gallery Hall), Rovinj (Gandusio Theatre), Varaždin (Croatian National Theatre, CNT), Zadar (Central University Hall), Zagreb (Croatian Institute of Music, Big Hall of the Mimara Museum, Big Hall of the Central Croatian Cultural and Publishing Society), Izola (Hall of the Besenghi degli Ughi Palace), Žalac (Home of Culture), Ljubljana (University Hall, Small Hall of the Slovene Philharmonics), Trieste, Castelfidardo (St. Frances’s Church – Ancona, Italy), Smederevo (Concert Hall of the Smederevo Culture Centre),  Novi Sad (City Hall), Kragujevac (Central Room in 1st Comprehensive School), Prishtina (Shën Ndou Catholic Church – Kosovo), etc. 

The Orchestra often participates in important international music events. Moreover, it is a special occasion when they are invited by the organizers to open some of them by holding a ceremonious concert. Let us mention some of them: International Music Forum in Pula, International Contemporary Music Festival in Prishtina, Music Festival in Novi Sad, International Accordion Days in Smederevo, Gala-Concert at the Opening Ceremony of 63rd World Accordion Cup in Varaždin, Gala-Concert at the Opening Ceremony of 37th International Meeting of Accordionists in Pula, etc.

For the last two decades, the Orchestra has also taken part in music competitions. 

The obtained results confirm their superb achievements, such as: 

• 2nd Award at the International Citta di Castelfidardo Competition (Castelfidardo, Italy, 2003),
• 1st Award at the International Fisa..armonie Competition (Trieste, Italy, 2004),
• 1st Award in the category of orchestras at 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st and 35th international meetings of accordion players in Pula (1999, 2001, 2003 & 2005),
• the Pula City Cup as the best orchestra and the absolute winner at the international meetings of accordion players in Pula (1999, 2003 & 2010),
• 1st Award at 39th and 41st county competitions in Pula (2001 & 2003),
• 1st Award at 39th and  41st state competitions in Dubrovnik in 2001,

The absolute winner in the category of orchestras at the State Competition of Music Learners and Music Students held in Dubrovnik (2003).

The Orchestra often establishes cooperation with soloists whose engagement enriches its activities. Let us mention the following ones: Sofija Cingula, mezzo-soprano; Svjetlana Modrušan, domra; Leonora Surian, soprano; Giorgio Surian, bass-baritone; Ivan Šverko, accordion; Miran Vaupotić, accordion; Borut Zagoranski, accordion. Eminent professional musicians like them are not the only ones who have accompanied the Orchestra, since some students (who attended the optional singing courses) have also presented themselves along with the Orchestra. Their names are as follows: Stella Cimerman, alt; Stjepan Posedi, bass; Antonija Puček, soprano; Zoran Sedlanić, tenor and Nikola Habek, bass.

What was set as the main task when this orchestra was established is still valid: the popularization of accordion as an academic instrument and the popularization of pieces composed for this instrument.