Page 10 - Glasbenopedagoški zbornik Akademije za glasbo v Ljubljani / The Journal of Music Education of the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, leto 10, zvezek 21 / Year 10, Issue 21, 2014
P. 10
O VREMŠAK (1930–2004)
Rudolf.16 Furthermore, Samo Vremšak and Branko Rajšter were mentioned as conductors
of the choir for Mozart’s Requiem (KV 626), which they performed in the same season.17
Although the vocal ensemble was no longer active the next season, Vremšak worked for
the Philharmonic as a concert singer and archivist until the beginning of 1978.18 In
February of the same year he left this position by mutual agreement and took over the
professorship at the Academy of Music, for which he had long prepared. In fact, after the
completion of his habilitation procedure, the University in Ljubljana offered him the title
of docent for the following subjects: harmony, contrapunct, solfeggio, instrumentation
and general bass. Initially, he worked as a professor of solfeggio, but he later gave lectures
also on music theory subjects and solo singing as a non-core subject. He worked as a
professor from 1988 until he retired in 1995 and then lectured part-time. Vremšak was
known as an extremely dedicated pedagogue with an aptitude for discovering
exceptionally talented students, who had to meet his high standards. One of his students
wrote about him that “…he was a very interesting personality, a good critic, he was witty,
often restless and stormy, a remarkable and very sophisticated conversation partner.”19 He
was notorious for his exactitude and conscientiousness and he expected nothing less from
his students; however, he was stingy with praise. Most of the time he would express his
approval or praise as if to say:” So–so…good enough.” The students who attended his
solo singing and vocal technique classes will always remember that. Often they were in
awe of him, as he expected a good prior knowledge from the students of solfeggio,
harmony and contrapunct. Nevertheless, over time it was generally stated that “Samèi”, as
he was secretly nicknamed (a nickname coined by his friend Hubert Bergant), was actually
a good-natured and good-hearted man. He showed a more personal attitude toward
students during individual tutoring in general bass, when he often took time to engage in
conversations about a variety of music topics or generously advised the students about
their future professional path.20
After the war Ciril Vremšak reassembled the “Lira” choir. In 1948 his son joined their
ranks and stayed as a singer until the 80th anniversary choir concert in 1962. In the same
year Ciril Vremšak had to abandon conductorship due to poor health, and handed over the
reins to his son. In the early years of Samo’s leadership, young singers prevailed in the
choir, which allowed the conductor to pursue and ultimately achieve more ambitious
goals. The choir made progress by way of a carefully combined repertoire and continuous
vocal training and education. One of the most faithful followers of the “Lira” choir,
composer Bla Arniè, encouraged Samo to aim higher and to start attending national and
international competitions. After careful consideration, Samo enrolled the choir in the
international contest in Arezzo and won an enviable second place. Vremšak considered it
the choir’s greatest success, although the choir notched up many important awards in the
following years, such as in the Naša pesem contest in Maribor (“Lira” was awarded three
silver and a bronze plaquette) and in the radio contest Naši zbori pred mikrofonom
16 Accesible at Koncertni list Slovenske filharmonije. Slovenska filharmonija, 1975/1976. Printed concert
programme http://www.dlib.si/?URN=URN:NBN:SI:DOC-NNJD3L5Y (last visited Nov. 9, 2014).
17 Accesible at Koncertni list Slovenske filharmonije. Slovenska filharmonija, 1975/1976. Printed concert
programme http://www.dlib.si/?URN=URN:NBN:SI:DOC-OEC8EDGE (last visited Nov. 9, 2014).
18 Documentation relating to this period of Vremšak’s work at the Slovenian Philharmonic is very deficient.
19 Andrej Misson, »In memoriam Samo Vremšak (1930–2004)«, Naši zbori (2005), 55(1), p. 13.
20 Cp. Veronika Šarec, »Orgelski opus Sama Vremšaka«, Kamniški zbornik (2006), l. XVIII, pp. 74–75.
10
Rudolf.16 Furthermore, Samo Vremšak and Branko Rajšter were mentioned as conductors
of the choir for Mozart’s Requiem (KV 626), which they performed in the same season.17
Although the vocal ensemble was no longer active the next season, Vremšak worked for
the Philharmonic as a concert singer and archivist until the beginning of 1978.18 In
February of the same year he left this position by mutual agreement and took over the
professorship at the Academy of Music, for which he had long prepared. In fact, after the
completion of his habilitation procedure, the University in Ljubljana offered him the title
of docent for the following subjects: harmony, contrapunct, solfeggio, instrumentation
and general bass. Initially, he worked as a professor of solfeggio, but he later gave lectures
also on music theory subjects and solo singing as a non-core subject. He worked as a
professor from 1988 until he retired in 1995 and then lectured part-time. Vremšak was
known as an extremely dedicated pedagogue with an aptitude for discovering
exceptionally talented students, who had to meet his high standards. One of his students
wrote about him that “…he was a very interesting personality, a good critic, he was witty,
often restless and stormy, a remarkable and very sophisticated conversation partner.”19 He
was notorious for his exactitude and conscientiousness and he expected nothing less from
his students; however, he was stingy with praise. Most of the time he would express his
approval or praise as if to say:” So–so…good enough.” The students who attended his
solo singing and vocal technique classes will always remember that. Often they were in
awe of him, as he expected a good prior knowledge from the students of solfeggio,
harmony and contrapunct. Nevertheless, over time it was generally stated that “Samèi”, as
he was secretly nicknamed (a nickname coined by his friend Hubert Bergant), was actually
a good-natured and good-hearted man. He showed a more personal attitude toward
students during individual tutoring in general bass, when he often took time to engage in
conversations about a variety of music topics or generously advised the students about
their future professional path.20
After the war Ciril Vremšak reassembled the “Lira” choir. In 1948 his son joined their
ranks and stayed as a singer until the 80th anniversary choir concert in 1962. In the same
year Ciril Vremšak had to abandon conductorship due to poor health, and handed over the
reins to his son. In the early years of Samo’s leadership, young singers prevailed in the
choir, which allowed the conductor to pursue and ultimately achieve more ambitious
goals. The choir made progress by way of a carefully combined repertoire and continuous
vocal training and education. One of the most faithful followers of the “Lira” choir,
composer Bla Arniè, encouraged Samo to aim higher and to start attending national and
international competitions. After careful consideration, Samo enrolled the choir in the
international contest in Arezzo and won an enviable second place. Vremšak considered it
the choir’s greatest success, although the choir notched up many important awards in the
following years, such as in the Naša pesem contest in Maribor (“Lira” was awarded three
silver and a bronze plaquette) and in the radio contest Naši zbori pred mikrofonom
16 Accesible at Koncertni list Slovenske filharmonije. Slovenska filharmonija, 1975/1976. Printed concert
programme http://www.dlib.si/?URN=URN:NBN:SI:DOC-NNJD3L5Y (last visited Nov. 9, 2014).
17 Accesible at Koncertni list Slovenske filharmonije. Slovenska filharmonija, 1975/1976. Printed concert
programme http://www.dlib.si/?URN=URN:NBN:SI:DOC-OEC8EDGE (last visited Nov. 9, 2014).
18 Documentation relating to this period of Vremšak’s work at the Slovenian Philharmonic is very deficient.
19 Andrej Misson, »In memoriam Samo Vremšak (1930–2004)«, Naši zbori (2005), 55(1), p. 13.
20 Cp. Veronika Šarec, »Orgelski opus Sama Vremšaka«, Kamniški zbornik (2006), l. XVIII, pp. 74–75.
10
