Slovenian Arts Council Had a Varied Program Year in 2014 Jeff Martinka, UWM SAC President

I am pleased to report that the UWM Slovenian Arts Council (SAC) had a strong and varied year in 2014. In February our Slovenian Day of Culture event at Meyer’s Restaurant attracted 38 for a program of poetry, song, and culture quiz, all included active audience participation. In March and September, we offered two four-part SLO language classes at Hales Corners Library, with Milly Mursec instructing about 10 students in each class. In April, we hosted the Ansambel Navihanke from Slovenia for a lively show at the Polish Cultural Center which attracted an audience of 210. In September, the Council was pleased to support the creation and premiere of a new play called Identita. The work was written by Slovenian/ Italian/ American Louise Zamparutti, who focused on the Slovenian minority in northeastern Italy and the play was performed at Windfall Theatre in Milwaukee. More than 500 attended the performances, which featured a UWM SAC Slovenian-theme lobby table. Finally, in October, we offered a SAC Member Slovenian cultural sampler event at the UWM Golda Meir Library, where cultural performances and presentations by Louise Zaparutti, Dean Emmons and Rebecca Littman were offered to 40 members and guests. Thank YOU if you joined us in 2014. Please help us to promote our future events–our impact is only as strong as our ability to reach out to the Milwaukee community!

NEWSLETTER OF THE UWM SLOVENIAN ARTS COUNCIL

Spring Issue: April 2015 Editor: Helen E. Frohna

SLOVENIAN ARTS PROGRAM

Slovenian Language Class—-Spring 2015

Instruction in Slovenian language, sponsored by the UWM Slovenian Arts Program’s Frank and Mary Ermenc Memorial Fund, will resume this spring in April. The dates are Monday evening 4/6, 4/13, 4/20, and 4/27. Come join us!

The class will meet from 6:30 pm until 8:00 pm in Hales Corners Library’s lower level Hunt Room. The Library is located at South 116th Street and West Janesville Road. (5885 S. 116th Street, Hales Corners)

We are using the Slovenian Language Manual (Učbenik slovenskega jezika), vol 1, authored by Milena Gobetz and Breda Lončar. This textbook was published by Slovenian Research Center of America, Inc. and was available for many years. It is no longer published and copies are no longer available. If anyone has a copy and is willing to donate it to the Slovenian language class, please contact instructor Milly Mursec at LTMursec925@yahoo.com or write her at 5511 West Jerelyn Place, Milwaukee, WI 53219 or call Dolores Ivanchich at 414-529-2918.

Milly Mursec/Instructor

Page 2 SLOVENIAN ARTS PROGRAM

Day of Culture—-February 8, 2015

Denise P. Bartlett

The UWM-Slovenian Arts Council presented a program on February 8, 2015, recognizing the

Republic of Slovenia's National Day of Culture, also known as Francé Prešeren Day, a national

holiday on each February 8 in Slovenia since 1948. Forty-six people attended the Sunday Brunch at

the Cork 'n Cleaver restaurant on Milwaukee's south side. Featured were local, Slovenian musicians

- Eric Ash playing the violin and Phillip Bregant on the cello. Their musical program consisted of a

selection of classical pieces followed by Slovenian folk songs. The

young men are very talented and both are pursuing teaching careers

in music education. Eric attends UW- Milwaukee and Phillip attends

UW - Whitewater. Additionally, Slovenian Arts Council member, Milly

Mursec , read selections of Francé Prešeren’s poetry, the attendees

enjoyed singing both the American and Slovenian anthems, and

concluded with the beautiful song, Slovenia. The guests also

participated in a timed, Slovenian, trivia game and the top winners

received Slovenian-themed prizes. All agreed that it was a very pleas-

ant afternoon consisting of good food and drink, a renewed

appreciation for Slovenian arts and culture, and recognition of the

beautiful music of our local Slovenian musicians.

*Eric Ash performed his Senior Recital on March 7 at UW-Milwaukee's Recital Hall.

*Phillip Bregant will be performing his Senior Recital on April 11 at UW-Whitewater.

Prešeren Awards in Slovenia

This year the two Grand Prešeren Awards, the most prestigious recognition for lifetime

artistic achievement in Slovenia, were conferred to Miki Muster, the pioneer of Slovene

comic strips and cartoons, and to the poet and long-time book editor and

publicist, Andrej Brvar.

The Prešeren Fund also presented the annual awards for important individual artistic achievements.

Composer and jazz saxophonist Jure Pukl for his internationally praised, original jazz compositions.

Actress Pia Zemljič for her role of “Pia” in the theatre play, Zapiranje ljubezni (The Closing of Love).

Painter Marko Jakše for his exhibition, Rožnati dim (Pink Fog).

Poet, journalist, editor, and translator Marjan Strojan for his translation of Geoffrey Chaucer’s, The Canterbury Tales.

Modern dance and choreography duo, Rosana Hribar and Gregor Luštek, for their duet, Štirinajst (Fourteen) and

Korak v dvoje po Pii in Pinu. (A Step Together After Pia and Pino)

Composer Vito Žuraj for his outstanding international achievements and his composition, Changover.

Page 3 Spring Issue: April 2015

Ljubljana’s Peter Krečič to Speak on Plečnik at UWM Jeff Martinka

The UWM Slovenian Arts Council will be hosting a free lecture by Dr. Peter Krečič on Friday, September 25, as part of the UWM Architectural Lecture series. Born in 1947 in Ljubljana, Krečič, is an expert on the works and legacy of Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik. His presentation will be illustrated by extensive slides of Plečnik’s works, including buildings, bridges, and public spaces in Ljubjlana, Prague, and Vienna. In addition to the lecture itself, there will be a discussion session with the audience, a display of Plečnik’s work in a nearby gallery, and a reception with the presenter. Jože Plečnik had a huge impact on the modern identity of Slovenia’s capital, including his work on the Triple Bridge, the University Library, and the Ljubljana public market. His unique designs are associated with the Vienna Succession architectural style, a type of Art Nouveau.

A Slovenian art historian and critic, Krečič has been the curator in the Ljubljana Museum of Architecture since 1973, and served as its director since 1978. He authored a comprehensive, illustrated text on Slovenia’s most famous architect, titled Plečnik: The Complete Works. Krečič was a guest lecturer at the Department of Landscape Architecture of Biotechnical Faculty in Ljubljana from 1988 to 1998, and since 1998 has been a guest teacher at the Faculty of Architecture and Faculty of Design in Ljubljana. Finally, since 2004, he has been a professor at the University of Koper. Krečič has lectured extensively abroad, including in Europe (University of Lund, Sweden, AA School of Architecture, London, Faculty of Architecture, Warsaw, Faculty of Architecture,Sarajevo, and Faculty of Architecture, Belgrade). In the U.S., he has delivered talks at UCLA, Catholic University - Washington, Virginia Tech, Princeton University, and Minnesota State University. After his presentation in Milwaukee, Krečič will be offering a September 28 lecture in Minneapolis, organized by our friends at the Twin Cities Slovenians and hosted by the University of Minnesota’s School of Design. The Jože Plečnik events will be held at the UWM School of Architecture and Urban Planning at 2131 E. Hartford Avenue (at Maryland Avenue, ½ block west of the Golda Meir Library). While there is ample parking at UWM, especially on a Friday late afternoon/evening, if there are sufficient pre-registrations (>20), the Slovenian Arts Council can provide bus transportation from St. John the Evangelist Church in Greenfield to UWM. To register for the bus transportation, contact SAC member Virginia Strukel at 414-543-6566 to reserve your seat.

Page 4 SLOVENIAN ARTS PROGRAM

Najlepša hvala

Thank you to our Friends of the Slovenian Arts Program for your generous donations. In addition to the Frank and Mary Ermenc Memorial Fund, your financial support and attendance at events hosted by the U.W.M. Slovenian Arts Council will help perpetuate

Slovenian fine arts programming in the Milwaukee area.

FRIENDS OF THE U.W.M. SLOVENIAN ARTS PROGRAM

FOR THE YEAR—2015

John Ash, Robert & Denise Bartlett, Christina Carroll, Craig & Helen Frohna,

Patricia Gorence, John Bach, Dolores Ivanchich, Barbara Martinka, Jeff Martinka,

Milly Mursec, Judy Price, Nancy Reese, Jackie Smith, Virginia Strukel,

Josephine Vidmar, and Ed & Diane Zore.

FRIENDS OF THE U.W.M. SLOVENIAN ARTS PROGRAM

2015 Membership Drive

To become a “Friend of the U.W.M. Slovenian Arts Program” or to renew your annual Friend’s membership for 2015, please send your membership donation along with this form to:

Christina M. Carroll SAC Treasurer 444 East Warnimont Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53207 E-mail inquiries: mcarroll5@wi.rr.com

__ $25 Single Contribution __ $35 Couple Contribution __Additional Contribution of $______

$_______ TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED FOR 2015

Please make checks payable to: U.W.M. Foundation—Slovenian Arts Program.

All contributions are tax deductible.

Name: _________________ __________________________

Address: ______________________________________________

City, State, Zip: _____________________________________________

E-mail Address: ______________________________________________

OCTOBER FRIENDS’ EVENT

Virginia Kmet Strukel

This year our Fall Friends’ event was held on October 25, 2014, at UWM’s Golda Meir Library. What a privilege to have Dean Scott Emmons of the Peck School of the

Arts address us. We were so proud when he mentioned that our scholarship recipient, Eric Ash, was UW-Milwaukee’s nominee for the Gaarder Award and that he is also the

President of UWM College National Association for Music Education (CNAME).

Rebecca Littman, UWM- Music Librarian, informed us about the Slovenian music collection in the music library. Did you know that UWM has the largest collection of

Slovenian music outside of Ljubljana? Dr. Peter Watson Boone and Rebecca Littman went to Slovenia to pick the music; Dr. Boone then brought over Zoran Krstulovic, the Deputy Director of the National and University Library of Ljubljana, to catalogue the

music. All this was made possible from the Frank and Mary Ermenc Fund.

Performances by local Slovenian-Americans, Eric Ash and Phillip Bregant were

outstanding. What a joy to see and hear these talented musicians play with such emotion and enthusiasm. Thanks also to both of them for playing at the Slovene Cultural Day on February 8. As a special treat, the two played several familiar

Slovenian folk tunes that had the audience singing along.

Louise Zamparutti, playwright of Identita and a PhD student in English at UWM,

gave a review of her creation of the play from Slovenian family stories. Louise was also

a recipient of the UWM Performance grant.

Page 5 Spring Issue: April 2015

In Memory of Mary A. Zortz

Fritz, Frank

Gasparich, Joseph & Anna

Geisel, John & Diane

Kais, Michael & Mary Kay

Kuharski, Sharon Fritz

Mussa, Mark & Rosemarie

Pequara, Mr. & Mrs. John

Ryterske, Kate

Ryterske, Thomas & Donna

Scott, Jayne Wilkins

Smotz, Jane

Zilles, Richard & Rosalie

In Memory of Art Kastner

Borkenhagen, Kristine & Steve

DONATIONS

Return Service Requested

Dated Material

UWM Foundation

Slovenian Arts Program

1440 East North Avenue

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Non-Profit

Organization

U.S. Postage

PAID

Permit No. 4279

Milwaukee, WI

Websites to keep you informed:

www.slovenianartsprogram.org

www.sua43.org

www.triglavpark.com

www.funoleers.org

www.wisconsinpolkaboosters.com

MISSION STATEMENT

The purpose of

the Slovenian

Arts Council is to

plan and imple-

ment programs

of Slovenian

arts,

artifacts, dance, literature, music,

and theatre that preserve the ethnic

heritage in collaboration with the

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Peck School of the Arts.

Wishing all our friends a very

Happy Easter!

Veselo Veliko

noč!