The male vocal group "Kanon" from Kragujevac, which last night was on the crowded square between the churches of St. Luke and St. Nikole in Kotor, opened the Choir Festival "U jedinstvu, pjesmo srcu", founded in 2021 with the intention of reviving the choral tradition of small vocal ensembles. The band's repertoire includes parts of Serbian greats Mokranjac, Ristić, Konjović, Isidore Žebeljan, and the choice of songs for the festival in Kotor, judging by the long-lasting applause of the audience, was a real hit. The works of Kedro, Pokrajčić, Nešić, Konjović, Mokranjec, Badurin, Dimić, Kjerluf, Preradović were arranged, up to the song "Srbija" by Đura Jakšić, for an encore at the end of the performance. There was also gospel, old town, Macedonian, Dalmatian music, undisguised emotions from the stage and from the audience... Until now, "Kanon" had several concerts, participated in festivals in Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and now here in Montenegro. The ensemble is led by Đorđe Catić, a theory teacher at the Music School "Dr. Miloje Milojević" in Kragovic, and with rich experience as a chorister, he now leads "Kanon".

"The tradition of choral singing in Kotor is well-known. It is successfully continued by new generations, and the Serbian Singing Society (SPD) "Jedinstvo" as the flagship of musical art, this year, with the significant support of the city and the "Vida Matjan" Music School, is organizing three nights of the Choir Festival "In unity with a song in the heart". This year, guests from Kragujevac, Bar and Trieste, the city where traces of the important Bokelje in the history of the cultural achievements of that Italian center have been preserved, will participate with our choir, the Serbian singing society "Jedinstvo", said host Dušan Davidović at the beginning of the program.

Those present were then greeted by the vice-president of the Serbian Singing Society "Jedinstvo" (1839) Kotor, Petar Bukilica. "Venerable fathers, respected representatives of the local government, Mr. President of the Kotor Municipal Assembly, Mr. Director of the Kotor Tourism Organization, dear guests, respected audience, I am honored to be able to greet you all tonight on behalf of the Serbian Singing Society "Jedinstvo" and to welcome you to the fourth consecutive international choir festival "U jedinstvu pejesmo srcu". For four years in a row, our Society has organized the festival in the last week of June. Every year, we have tried to expand a little wider than this region of ours. number of choirs that will participate in our festival This year, as you heard, we succeeded. So, in addition to the male vocal group "Kanon" from Kragujevac and the Choir "Zima" from Bar, we are pleased that our guests at this year's festival are the Choir of the Church of Saint Spyridon the Wonderworker from Trieste, a city that for centuries was linked to Kotor by strong and unbreakable ties due to the extremely rich and influential Bokel colony that lived in that city. That choir was founded two years before SPD "Jedinstvo". Our Society's ties with them are perhaps even stronger because, in the beginning, all sheet music used by our choir, from which it sang, was sent from Trieste. Therefore, the first liturgy in three voices, which was sung from 1839, since our foundation, and later the second liturgy in four voices, which was sung from 1840, were sent from Trieste. The composer of those liturgies was the conductor of the Trieste choir, the famous Siniko. Therefore, as in previous years, we will do our best to be good hosts to our guests, to make them feel comfortable in our city and to bring back good memories from Kotor", said Bukilica, thanking everyone who helped make the festival a reality this year, above all the Municipality of Kotor and the Municipal Secretariat for Culture, Sports and Social Activities, the School for Primary and Secondary Music Education "Vida Matjan", the Serbian Orthodox Church Municipality of Kotor, volunteers and donors.

The choir festival "Unity with song in the heart" continues tonight at 8 p.m. in the Church of St. Nicholas. The host, the Serbian Singing Society (SPD) "Jedinstvo" (1839) Kotor and the Choir of the Church of St. Spyridon the Miracle Worker from Trieste.
On Sunday, June 28, at 9:30 p.m. on Trg Sv. Luke, at the closing of the festival, the Choir "Zima" from Bar will perform.
The organizers of the festival are SPD "Jedinstvo" Kotor and the Serbian Orthodox Church Municipality of Kotor, with the support of the Municipality of Kotor and ŠOSMO "Vida Matjan".

(SPDJ Kotor)