The Foundation

On March 10^th 1983. musical amateurs of the City of Zagreb were enriched with the foundation of the mixed choir that was made from members of the Cultural Artist Society "RIZ“ (Zagreb Radio Industry). Musical amateur Milivoj Malesevic, who was the President of the RIZ Cultural Club at the time, and Maestro Zlatan Sindicic enticed the foundation, and Maestro Sindicic has been conducting the choir ever since.
In the autumn on 1986 the choir was reinforced with the students of the XV. Science Gymnasium and the choir rehearsals were held in their building until 1997. In the memory of the late Croatian composer and conductor who made a big improvement in Croatian culture, the choir changed its name into Ivan noble Zajc choir in 1989.

Composers and Pieces

Ivan noble Zajc choir has a large repertoire of musical pieces (from a cappella to oratories), from the old masters of polyphony to the contemporary composers.
The choir has premiered forty pieces written by Croatian composers (D. Baseness, Đ. Dekleva-Radaković, J. Kaplan, A. Marković, N. Njirić, B. Okmaca, B. Starc, L. Županović). This is the choir's way of contributing to the promotion of the contemporary Croatian choir composition. The choir has also performed a large number of capital pieces of the Croatian choir literature (from I. Šibenčanin, A. Motovunjanin, V. Jelić, through I. noble Zajc, V. Lisinski, B. Bersa, J. Š. Slavenski, R. Matz, I. M. Ronjgov, J. Gotovac, S. Zlatić, B. Papandopulo, to I. Kuljerić, E. Cossetto and others), together with the pieces of the reputable Croatian composers and pieces from both domestic and foreign authors, as well as pieces who had never been performed before (Solemnis Mass by Ivan noble Zajc).

Achievements

The choir performed the Rigoletto opera by G. Verdi in the city of Draguignan (France). From the season of 1996/97 the choir participated in the performances of the J. Strauss' "Der Fledermaus“ operetta in the Comedy Theatre. In 1997, the choir has performed J. S. Bach's Magnificat with the Zagreb Soloists on the opening of the Summer Games in Rovinj, Istria. Then, in the January of 1998 King Tomislav Oratory with the Choir and Symphony Orchestra of the Croatian national television (HRT), written by a young composer Davor Bobic. In April 1998 Messiah by G. F. Handel with the Symphony Orchestra of the Croatian Military, and in May 1998 the choir has premiered the Magnificat Opera by John Rutter with the Zagreb Philharmonic Choir and the Chamber Orchestra of the Croatian National Theatre from Split in both Zagreb and Split.

In July 1998 Ivan noble Zajc choir performed Bocaccio operetta by F. von Suppe with the Comedy Theatre ensemble, conducted by Maestro Uros Lajovic. With Symphony Orchestra and the Choir of HRT, conducted by Maestro Niksa Bareza, the choir performed Te Deum by A. Bruckner in Zagreb, which was followed by the performance of Carmina Burana in January 1999 by Carl Orff in Salzburg, Austria. In March 1999 the choir performed W. A. Mozart's Requiem, in April 1999 Croatian Glagolitic Requiem by I. Kuljeric together with the Symphony Orchestra and the Choir of HRT followed by the Tin Symphony by S. Horvat together with the Symphony Wind Instruments Orchestra of the Croatian Military, conducted by Maestro Vjekoslav Sutej. In July 1999 Requiem by G. Verdi conducted by Georg Kugi in Finkerstein, Austria.

In December 1999 Ivan noble Zajc performed Messa di Gloria by G. Puccini, conducted by Maestro Johannes Wilder, and in 2000 Cycle Crucifix by N. Njirić. The choir has performed Prometheus poem by A. N. Skrjabin in January 2001 together with the Symphony Orchestra and the Choir of HRT, conducted by Maestro Pavle Despalj. In February 2002 choir participated in the concert version of Ernani opera by G. Verdi that was conducted by Niksa Bareza, which was followed by the performance of Christ's Agony and Death according to Matthew by B. Sirola, with Varazdin Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Mladen Tarbuk. In 2001, the choir also performed Kajkavska Mass, written and conducted by Zoran Novacic together with the Croatian Chamber Orchestra.

In October 2001 choir performed Kanconijer, written and conducted by I. Kuljeric with the Symphony Orchestra and the Choir of HRT, in December 2001 Tourandot opera by G. Puccini with the Symphony Orchestra and the Choir of HRT, conducted by V. Benic, and then in March 2003 The Dream Of Gerontius oratory by E. Elgar with the Zagreb Philharmonics (conducted by C. Iwamura), and also Symphony of Psalms by I. Stravinsky with the Zagreb Philharmonics and the Choir of HRT, which was conducted by M. Foster. In July 2004 Ivan noble Zajc choir performed W. A Mozart's Requiem in Paris and Versailles with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Orchestra, conducted by J. Iwer.

In 2005 and 2006 the choir participated in the Cantus Buranus project together with the medieval band Corvus Corax, philharmonics and the National Theatre Choir in Germany (Cottbus, Wacken, Berlin) and Netherlands (Groningen). In 2008, the choir performed Requiem by W. A. Mozart with the Zagreb Chamber Orchestra in Zagreb (conducted by Maestro Vladimir Kranjcevic) and in St. Madeleine Church in Paris (conducted by Maestro J. L. Petit). In April 2009 the choir participated in the 3rd International choir festival in Lima, Peru, gala concert (croatian authors pieces) and joined performance of Gloria, F. Poulence (cond. Werner Pfaff).

Achievements and Awards 

The choir has gotten many awards and achievements

Besides the regular shows in Zagreb, Ivan noble Zajc choir performs all over Croatia (Đurđevac, Glina, Križevci, Koprivnica, Slunj, Split, Pazin, Poreč, Rijeka, Rovinj, Vojnić, Vrginmost, Zadar, Samobor etc.), but also all over Europe(Austria, Portugal, Denmark, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Germany, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden and Peru).