Always Alive as at the Moment of Creation
SEVIQC BREŽICE

Seviqc Brežice is an abbreviation of the newly-coined phrase Semper Viva Quam Creata – roughly translated as Always alive as at the moment of creation.

In the summer of 1982, we organized international master classes for early music. This program soon grew into the Radovljica Early Music Festival. In 1997, the project was moved to Brežice ans renamed Festival Brežice. The following year, the event was expanded to include a number of historic locations across Slovenia. In 2003, we changed the name to the Festival Brežice Group, and in 2007 to Seviqc Brežice.

Seviqc Brežice, one of the country’s most important cultural events, is synonymous with early music in Slovenia. We invite the most renowned artists in the field, giving special attention to fostering younger talent through education and to developing professional and informed criticism as well as cultural tourism. The programme is geared toward the practice of historically-inspired performance with events taking place exclusively in locations of historical significance in Slovenia.

Seviqc Brežice is comprised of three separate festivals in Slovenia: Festival Brežice, Klasikaa Dolenjska and Klasikaa Slovenija. In 2007, a total of fifty concerts were given at twenty-eight historic locations in sixteen Slovenia municipalities. The project also incorporated three additional festivals in Italy (from Pisa and Trieste).

We view membership in the project as the contribution our institute makes toward forging new relationships with European producers of cultural events. We have developed new models for sponsorship and are a highly-regarded member of the Réseau européen de musique anciene – REMA (European Early Music Network). We are a non-governmental organisation with a special status in terms of financing from state and municipal governments. At Seviqc Brežice, there is a special emphasis given to making the early music experience available to the wider public.

The following are our principle objectives: to maintain an international programme featuring high-quality artistry in historic settings; to built the positive reputation of Slovenia on the international cultural and tourist map; to connect Slovenian artists with the international scene; to support and promote young talent; to facilitate the break-through of Slovenian composers in Europe and beyond; to encourage the development of tourism and build an effective cultural infrastructure; to stimulate and promote cross-cultural dialogue and musical exchange of European and non-European cultures; to develop innovation and creativity; to provide better access and encourage greater participation in cultural activities; and finally to make a substantial contribution to Slovenian and European culture.

Klemen Ramovš,
Ljubljana, 29.11.2007
(za / for: Play Slovenia, Discover the Musical Cultures of Slovenia, MIDEM 2008)