Children’s and Youth Choir of the Serbian Church Choral Society of Pancevo
The Children’s and Youth Choir of the Serbian Church Choral Society of Pancevo was founded in 2003 at the initiative of Archpriest-Stavrophor Milovan Glogovac.
Conductors and Leaders of the Children’s Choir
Since its establishment, the Children’s Choir has been led by several young and very successful choir conductors.
The first choir conductor, Vesna Paunov, created a strong core of young singers in a short period of time. Although she led the choir for only a year, she left behind a considerable number of choral arrangements for the children’s choir.
Nataša Čavoški took over the newly established children’s choir in 2004. During this time, the choir became the largest and frequently performed at church services, in monasteries, and at various important events in the city of Pančevo. It gained notable attention at the Choir Festival in Ruma in 2006. Television recordings of Christmas songs from this period still exist, showcasing the choir’s talent.
In 2007, Katarina Radusinović took over as the leader of the children’s choir. Around that time, she divided the singers into two age groups. She focused on incorporating religious education into their singing, and Katarina also arranged numerous creative workshops for the children. The Children’s Choir made its debut performance at the renowned “Choirs among Frescoes” Festival in Belgrade under her guidance.
Teodora Ristić continued to nurture young singers in the autumn of 2009. They continued to successfully perform at the “Choirs among Frescoes” Festival. Multi-day excursions were organised, including visits to monasteries, so that the choir could learn the entire “Liturgy for Children’s Choir” by Mita Topalovic.
Since 2011, under Ljiljana Jošić’s leadership, the choir has decreased in size but upheld its quality. They have sung in Timișoara during holidays around Vidovdan (a Serbian national and religious holiday), as well as in Kotor and Bijela in Montenegro.
To mark its 10th anniversary, which coincided with the Serbian Church Choral Society of Pancevo’s 175th anniversary celebration, the Children’s Choir, thanks to the efforts of its conductors, presented a performance called “Easter Story”. Katarina Radusinović was responsible for the text, set design, and costumes, while Ljiljana Jošić prepared the musical numbers, and Teodora Ristić directed the performance.
In late spring 2013, long-time society singer and conductor Borjana Stražmešterov took over as head of the Children’s Choir and has led it to the present day. As generations of children continuously change, she refreshes the ensemble and brings in new young singers. Together with Katarina Radusinovic, she wrote the script for the play “The Magic of Easter Night.” Borjana adeptly prepares both instrumental and vocal pieces, while Katarina Radusinovic designs the sets and sews the costumes. Through this performance, the authors aimed to demonstrate the versatility of young singers and encourage children of that age to get involved in the arts. Before Easter 2015, the play was performed in Jabuka, Banatsko Novo Selo, and Pancevo.
Creating the Youth Choir Section within the Children’s Choir
Since 2015, within the Children’s Choir, there has been a parallel existence of a group of older children called “Youth Section,” aged 11 to 19, who perform very demanding compositions of spiritual and secular music.
Composer Vera Milanković wrote and dedicated a stage play “Bethlehem Cave” to the Children’s Choir. The “Angelic Choirs” from the Bethlehem Cave were performed by the Children’s Choir for the first time at the International Festival The Pančevo Days of Sacred Music, then at the Apollo Hall in Pancevo in 2017, and in the main hall of the Kolarac Foundation in 2020.
International Festivals
The Youth Section had its first major international performance in 2022 when they performed at the International Festival of Orthodox Music “Virgin Mary – It is Truly Meet” in Pomorie, Bulgaria. They were greeted with ovations and returned with a diploma and commendations for their spiritually inspired angelic singing.
The Children’s Choir’s First Full-length Concert
The Children’s Choir held its inaugural full-length concert in 2016 at the Apollo Hall in Pancevo, arranged by the Pancevo Youth Center. During this event, elementary school students were introduced to a “choral” year, featuring songs sung on all major holidays and festivals where the Children’s Choir regularly performs. Additionally, the Children’s Choir celebrated its fifteenth anniversary with a full-length Jubilee concert at the Grand Hall of the National Museum of Pancevo, attended by all former conductors and featuring 58 singers. The following year, they performed a one-hour concert on an open stage on Christmas Eve, organized by the BIG shopping center.
Participation of the Children’s and Youth Choir in Services at the Church of the Assumption in Pancevo
For twenty years, the Children’s and Youth Choir of the Serbian Church Choral Society of Pancevo has been singing at major holidays in the Temple of the Assumption of the Most Holy Mother of God, as well as at city events and the Saint Sava’s Academy. The final concert of each choir season belongs to the festival “The Days of Vasa”, where the Children’s and Youth Choir regularly perform.
The clergy, with wholehearted support, lovingly assist the work of the young generation of singers of the Serbian Church Choral Society of Pancevo.