This summer the Slovenian Youth Orchestra (SMO), led by its founder and conductor Živa Ploj Peršuh, is reaching one of its most important artistic peaks. As a cultural ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia, the orchestra will represent the country in mid-August at the prestigious international festival Young EuroClassicin Berlin. Immediately after returning from the German capital, SMO will, for the sixth year running, organise the Summer Orchestra Camp (POK26), which offers young musicians advanced training of an exceptional standard, this year enhanced by an innovative collaboration with the well-known musician Leopold I.
Important milestones
Summer 2026 brings one of the most important milestones for the young co-creators of Slovenian culture.The Slovenian Youth Orchestra(SMO), which for many years has served as a central space for developing outstanding musical talent and introducing progressive teaching approaches, is stepping onto a prestigious international stage. The orchestra has received an official invitation to the festivalYoung EuroClassicin Berlin, which is regarded as the key European platform for the finest youth symphony orchestras.
As official musical ambassadors, the young Slovenian musicians, led by their founder and artistic directorŽiva Ploj Peršuh, will represent Slovenia in the German capital. The tour and concert at this international venue are made possible with the support of the Young Euro Classic festival and the Ministry of Culture, and with the support and co-organisation of the Slovenian Cultural Centre Berlin – SKICA Berlin and the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Berlin.
To the international public and demanding professional critics, the musicians will present a programme that confidently interweaves contemporary Slovenian music, world classics and bold genre-crossing breakthroughs.
Representing Slovenia at the Young EuroClassicin Berlin
Performing at the Young EuroClassic, which takes place in Berlin from 31 July to 16 August, means more for SMO than a concert tour: it is a comprehensive diplomatic and artistic presentation of the country. The three-day visit to Berlin will also give the young musicians invaluable international experience, the chance to network with peers from other countries, and an opportunity to put Slovenia back on the map of the most important music venues.
“To step onto the stage of the Young Euro Classic festival means taking on the role of cultural ambassador at the highest level. We are bringing to Berlin a programme that respects tradition, boldly helps shape the present and at the same time points to the future. For our young musicians this is a formative experience that presents them with a great challenge, and proves that their work reaches beyond local boundaries,” emphasises the conductor Živa Ploj Peršuh.
The premiere of Krečič's musical “counter-attack” and a bridge between genres withLauri Porra
A special highlight of the Slovenian evening on 13 August at the Konzerthaus in Berlin will be the German premiere of a new work by the established Slovenian composer Matija Krečič entitledFast Break. The piece was inspired by the thrilling idea of depicting the three seconds of action before a basketball player slams the ball through the hoop during a game. Although the work is not programmatic, through its dominant rhythmic drive Krečič sustains exceptional tension, which he slows down and calms in the middle section, offering the listener a chance to see things from a different perspective.
The orchestra's artistic range will be further underlined by the world-famous Finnish bassist and composerLauri Porra, with whom SMO is collaborating for the second time following their acclaimed sold-out performance at the Ljubljana Festival in 2024. Porra, who in his work brilliantly interweaves the tradition of academic training with the energy of heavy metal, will perform his compositionEntropiawith the orchestra. Working with a soloist of this kind directly reflects SMO's mission: to show young people that academic discipline opens paths into the most diverse musical genres and that the doors to artistic activity are open extremely wide.
Beethoven's Fifth Symphony as an interpretative milestone
To demonstrate the orchestra's technical and interpretative maturity, the core of the Berlin programme will be Ludwig van Beethoven's monumental Fifth Symphony. This historic musical landmark represents the ultimate challenge for young musicians, and for the expert Berlin audience an opportunity to judge the precision, passion and cohesion of the Slovenian youth ensemble.
Saša Šavel, head of the Slovenian Cultural Centre in Berlin – SKICA Berlin:
I am immensely pleased that through our joint efforts we have succeeded in including the Slovenian Youth Orchestra, led by conductor Živa Ploj Peršuh, in the programme of the Young Euro Classic festival, one of Europe's most distinguished youth orchestra festivals. Performing in the main hall of the Berlin Konzerthaus, one of the most important concert venues in Germany, is an exceptional recognition for the orchestra and its musicians and an important opportunity to present Slovenian creativity and musical excellence internationally. The festival, organised by Minz International Cultural Projects of Berlin under the auspices of the European Commission and the Berlin Senate, attracts a large international audience every year as well as prominent representatives of political and cultural life, which is why inclusion in the festival programme is also an outstanding promotion for Slovenia.
Home preview in Slovenske Konjice
Before leaving for Berlin, the orchestra will premiere the same repertoire for home audiences at a concert at theSlovenske Konjice Cultural Centre, 11 August 2026 at 8 pm.
The sixth year of the POK26 camp: exploring the “Power of the Word” with Leopold I.
Immediately after returning from Berlin, the orchestra's activities continue on home ground. From17 to 24 August 2026the6th Summer Orchestra Camp (POK26)will take place. This traditional educational and artistic camp, where the Slovenian Youth Orchestra opens its doors wide, offers young instrumentalists and singers a unique platform where, through intensive work with established mentors, they go beyond the confines of school and learn how a large symphonic ensemble works.
This year's camp has a conceptual common thread,“The Power of the Word”, and its main guest will be the popular rapper and lyricistLeopold I.The synergy between symphonic sound and critical rap poetry will offer an entirely new perspective on the possibilities of musical expression, and all the arrangements for this unique collaboration have been written by the composer Matija Krečič.
Final concert at the Slovenian Philharmonic
The result of an intensive week at the POK26 camp, where the orchestra will also be joined by a youth choir, will be a concert on 23 August 2026 at 7.30 pm at the Slovenian Philharmonic.
Applications for this year's Summer Orchestra Camp are well under way, and the organisers report that some instrumental sections are already completely full, which testifies to the outstanding reputation the project enjoys among young musicians throughout Slovenia.
17–24 Aug, Ljubljana: POK26 information and applications:
https://smo.ngo/poletni-orkestrski-kamp/
23 Aug, Ljubljana: POK26 Moč besede – Slovenian Youth Orchestra and Leopold I.
https://filharmonija.si/koncert/moc-besede/
11 Aug, Slovenske Konjice: Symphonic Spectacle concert – Slovenian Youth Orchestra and Lauri Porra
https://www.eventim.si/artist/simfonicni-spektakel/
13 August, Berlin: Young Euro Classic – Slovenian Youth Orchestra and Lauri Porra
https://young-euro-classic.de/en/konzerte-detailseite/slovenian-youth-orchestra-42
