Young musicians for our only planet
The Slovenian National Youth Orchestra was an ambassador of Samo1planet, part of the Care4Climate project – with five concerts for the climate in Ptuj, Ljubljana and on RTV Slovenija.
“We want to live in a world attuned to caring for the environment, the climate and nature!”— the commitment of the Slovenian National Youth Orchestra
Music as the loudest call to act for the planet
Samo1planet (Only1planet) is an initiative of the integrated project LIFE IP CARE4CLIMATE, which uses awareness-raising, education and training to change habits and support the measures that help Slovenia reach its greenhouse-gas reduction targets.
The members of the Slovenian National Youth Orchestra (SMO) – young musicians from all over Slovenia – were the initiative’s ambassadors. In 2020 and 2021, with conductor Živa Ploj Peršuh and arranger Matija Krečič, they spoke to audiences on stages in Ptuj and Ljubljana and in a televised concert for World Earth Day – through music, poetry and one clear message: we only have one planet.
Five stages
Everything we did as Samo1planet ambassadors – in the order it happened.
Under the stars at the market
City Market, Ptuj · Days of Poetry and Wine 2020
On the eve of the Days of Poetry and Wine festival, SMO played under the stars at Ptuj’s renovated city market. Orchestral works by Shostakovich and Bizet were woven together with poetry by Stanka Hrastelj, Petra Kolmančič, Aleš Šteger, Patrizia Cavalli and John Burnside – the orchestra’s first concert as a Samo1planet ambassador.
- Dominik Bagola · Balladero
- Jadranka Juras
- Emkej
- Conductor Živa Ploj Peršuh
Photo: Matej Pušnik
Pop, rap and classics on the big stage
Congress Square, Ljubljana · 68th Ljubljana Festival
On the big stage of Congress Square SMO brought classics together with pop and rap: Larsson, Nielsen, Gershwin, Bizet, Shostakovich and Ronson next to original songs by Balladero and Emkej arranged by Matija Krečič – with soloists from the orchestra and the clear message of Samo1planet.
- Dominik Bagola · Balladero
- Jadranka Juras
- Emkej
- Conductor Živa Ploj Peršuh
- Larsson
- Nielsen
- Gershwin
- Bizet
- Šostakovič
- Ronson
- arr. M. Krečič, T. Kukovič
For World Earth Day
Televised concert · 75 minutes
SMO’s concert for World Earth Day was the Care4Climate project’s strongest appeal to the wider public: raise awareness and act for our planet. Živa Ploj Peršuh and friends with an orchestra of young musicians aged 12 to 22 – the full recording is in the RTV Slovenija archive.
Katalena, symphonic
City Market, Ptuj · Days of Poetry and Wine 2021
For Katalena’s 20th anniversary SMO brought the band’s songs to Ptuj’s market square in symphonic arrangements by Matija Krečič, with verses by poets Alen Bešić, Patrick Cotter, Marko Pogačar and Tom Vebr woven into the music.
- Katalena
- Conductor Živa Ploj Peršuh
- Arrangements Matija Krečič
- Shod
- Nore gobe
- Zagovor
- Inferno
- Ko bo fantič na vojsko šel
- Mrzle so njive
- Pehtina pesem
- Jutro / Mojčina pesem
- Križ kraž
- Enci benci
- Zvezda
- (Rad imel bi) Jabuko
Photo: Matej Pušnik
Katalena and SMO
Congress Square, Ljubljana · 69th Ljubljana Festival
The high point of the ambassadorship: Slovenian folk heritage with youthful energy. Music by D. Bučar, P. Ramovš, B. Narat and T. Mihelič Syed, arranged by M. Krečič, rang out on Congress Square in a joint concert of the orchestra and Katalena – two ensembles that share openness and playfulness.
- Katalena
- Conductor Živa Ploj Peršuh
- Arrangements Matija Krečič
Lead photo: Darja Štravs Tisu
Made together with our partners
- Samo1planet · LIFE IP CARE4CLIMATE
- Festival Ljubljana
- City of Ljubljana
- Days of Poetry and Wine
- RTV Slovenija
- Triple Bridge
- Things I Miss
- ART BSA
- EFNYO
- Ministry of Culture
LIFE IP CARE4CLIMATE (LIFE17 IPC/SI/000007) is an integrated project co-financed by the European Union’s LIFE programme, the Climate Change Fund and the project partners. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the European Commission.
