Ninth Annual Musical Edict - An International Festival of Sacred Music
With the blessing and in the presence of His Eminence, Metropolitan Arsenije of Niš, the 9th Annual Musical Edict - International Festival of Sacred Choral Music began on Sunday, June 8, 2025, in the Svetosavski Dom - St. Sava Center in Niš, filled to capacity with an enthusiastic audience.
The festival, which is held biennially, once again began on the Feast of Pentecost—the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles—which is also the patronal feast of the Cathedral in Niš. The festival was officially opened by His Eminence Arsenije, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Niš.
On the first evening of the festival, the following groups performed: Collegium Musicum, the choir of the Faculty of Music Arts from Belgrade, conducted by Professor Dragan Jovanović; the Branko Children’s and Youth Choir of the Niš Church Singing Society, conducted by Jovana Mikić; the Bogorodichin - Theotokian Choir from Zurich led by Olivera Sekulić Barac; and the Bass Profundo Vocal Group, made up of Vladimir Miller and Mikhail Kruglov, accompanied by pianist Mikhail Buzin from Russia. Together with the mixed choir Branko of the Niš Church Singing Society, which performed the Russian composition, The Twelve Robbers, and the Serbian piece, Tamo Daleko.
Also present at the festival’s opening were His Grace Bishop Nektarios of Britain and Ireland, clergy and monastics from various dioceses, Mr. Luka Gašević, Deputy Mayor of Niš, Prof. Dr. Igor Novaković, President of the Niš City Assembly as well as many other representatives of both military and civil authorities.
This year’s festival brought together seventeen choirs from nine countries: Russian Federation, Romania, Lebanon, Armenia, Switzerland, Poland, United States, North Macedonia and Serbia. Concerts were held every evening at 7:30 PM in the complex of the Cathedral Church in Niš. The organizers of the festival are the Orthodox Diocese of Niš, the Cathedral Church in Niš, and the Branko Niš Church Singing Society, whose initiative in 2009 led to the founding of the festival. Since its inception, the festival has promoted sacred choral music and encouraged cultural dialogue among nations. Musical Edict has so far hosted nearly one hundred ensembles from all over the world, fostering friendships and building new bridges between cultures. A distinctive feature of the festival is its openness to all Christian confessions, as its message draws from the spirit of the Edict of Milan: “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord” (Psalm 15:6). The Musical Edict in Niš is not merely a musical event but a spiritual and cultural celebration that brings the city to life through unity, prayer, and art.
On the second evening of the festival, June 9, 2025, beginning at 7:30 PM in the Cathedral Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles in Niš, the following groups performed before a large audience: the Women’s Academic Choir of the Student Cultural Center from Niš; the Forte Quartet from Niš; the EduCantus Choir from Niš; and the Saint Elijah Church Choir of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, USA, directed by conductor George Milosh. The evening concluded with a performance by the Varslavia Choir from Warsaw. The second evening was also a great success. The choirs’ masterful performances evoked tremendous enthusiasm from the audience.
On the third evening, the following groups performed: the Youth Choir of the Serbian Church Singing Society from Pančevo, conductor Borjana Stražmešterov; the Tronos Psalter Choir of the Romanian Patriarchate from Bucharest; conductor Archdeacon Mihail Bucă; the Nativity of Christ Choir from Skopje; conductor Andreja Naunov; and Ribale Wehbe from Beirut, Lebanon, performing solo accompanied by the Tronos Choir and the male voices of the Branko Choir of the Niš Church Singing Society.
On the final evening of the festival, June 11, 2025, the following choirs performed: the Metropolitan Nicolae Colan Choir of the Theological Seminary from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, led by conducted by Adam Antonios Pavel; the Branko Leskovac Church Choir, conductor Miroljub Cvetković; the Yerevan State Chamber Choir from Armenia, under the direction of Kristina Voskanian; and the Mixed Choir of the Niš Church, the Branko Singing Society, conducted by Mrs. Sara Cincarević.
The closing segment of the festival, with the blessing of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije, took place on June 12, 2025, at the Saint Sava Temple in Belgrade, beginning with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, wherein the St. Elijah Church Choir of Aliquippa rendered responses to the Divine Liturgy, alternately with the host choir of the St. Sava Temple.
The closing concert segment of the festival was also held at the Saint Sava Temple in Belgrade, featuring performances by: the Children’s and Youth Choir of the Branko Church Singing Society, conductor Jovana Mikić; the Metropolitan Nicolae Colan Choir of the Theological Seminary from Cluj-Napoca; conductor Adam Antonios Pavel; the Yerevan State Chamber Choir; conductor Kristina Voskanian; and Ribale Wehbe from Lebanon, accompanied by male singers from the Mixed Choir of the Branko Singing Society.
Source: Diocese of Niš
The festival, which is held biennially, once again began on the Feast of Pentecost—the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles—which is also the patronal feast of the Cathedral in Niš. The festival was officially opened by His Eminence Arsenije, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Niš.
On the first evening of the festival, the following groups performed: Collegium Musicum, the choir of the Faculty of Music Arts from Belgrade, conducted by Professor Dragan Jovanović; the Branko Children’s and Youth Choir of the Niš Church Singing Society, conducted by Jovana Mikić; the Bogorodichin - Theotokian Choir from Zurich led by Olivera Sekulić Barac; and the Bass Profundo Vocal Group, made up of Vladimir Miller and Mikhail Kruglov, accompanied by pianist Mikhail Buzin from Russia. Together with the mixed choir Branko of the Niš Church Singing Society, which performed the Russian composition, The Twelve Robbers, and the Serbian piece, Tamo Daleko.
Also present at the festival’s opening were His Grace Bishop Nektarios of Britain and Ireland, clergy and monastics from various dioceses, Mr. Luka Gašević, Deputy Mayor of Niš, Prof. Dr. Igor Novaković, President of the Niš City Assembly as well as many other representatives of both military and civil authorities.
This year’s festival brought together seventeen choirs from nine countries: Russian Federation, Romania, Lebanon, Armenia, Switzerland, Poland, United States, North Macedonia and Serbia. Concerts were held every evening at 7:30 PM in the complex of the Cathedral Church in Niš. The organizers of the festival are the Orthodox Diocese of Niš, the Cathedral Church in Niš, and the Branko Niš Church Singing Society, whose initiative in 2009 led to the founding of the festival. Since its inception, the festival has promoted sacred choral music and encouraged cultural dialogue among nations. Musical Edict has so far hosted nearly one hundred ensembles from all over the world, fostering friendships and building new bridges between cultures. A distinctive feature of the festival is its openness to all Christian confessions, as its message draws from the spirit of the Edict of Milan: “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord” (Psalm 15:6). The Musical Edict in Niš is not merely a musical event but a spiritual and cultural celebration that brings the city to life through unity, prayer, and art.
On the second evening of the festival, June 9, 2025, beginning at 7:30 PM in the Cathedral Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles in Niš, the following groups performed before a large audience: the Women’s Academic Choir of the Student Cultural Center from Niš; the Forte Quartet from Niš; the EduCantus Choir from Niš; and the Saint Elijah Church Choir of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, USA, directed by conductor George Milosh. The evening concluded with a performance by the Varslavia Choir from Warsaw. The second evening was also a great success. The choirs’ masterful performances evoked tremendous enthusiasm from the audience.
On the third evening, the following groups performed: the Youth Choir of the Serbian Church Singing Society from Pančevo, conductor Borjana Stražmešterov; the Tronos Psalter Choir of the Romanian Patriarchate from Bucharest; conductor Archdeacon Mihail Bucă; the Nativity of Christ Choir from Skopje; conductor Andreja Naunov; and Ribale Wehbe from Beirut, Lebanon, performing solo accompanied by the Tronos Choir and the male voices of the Branko Choir of the Niš Church Singing Society.
On the final evening of the festival, June 11, 2025, the following choirs performed: the Metropolitan Nicolae Colan Choir of the Theological Seminary from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, led by conducted by Adam Antonios Pavel; the Branko Leskovac Church Choir, conductor Miroljub Cvetković; the Yerevan State Chamber Choir from Armenia, under the direction of Kristina Voskanian; and the Mixed Choir of the Niš Church, the Branko Singing Society, conducted by Mrs. Sara Cincarević.
The closing segment of the festival, with the blessing of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije, took place on June 12, 2025, at the Saint Sava Temple in Belgrade, beginning with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, wherein the St. Elijah Church Choir of Aliquippa rendered responses to the Divine Liturgy, alternately with the host choir of the St. Sava Temple.
The closing concert segment of the festival was also held at the Saint Sava Temple in Belgrade, featuring performances by: the Children’s and Youth Choir of the Branko Church Singing Society, conductor Jovana Mikić; the Metropolitan Nicolae Colan Choir of the Theological Seminary from Cluj-Napoca; conductor Adam Antonios Pavel; the Yerevan State Chamber Choir; conductor Kristina Voskanian; and Ribale Wehbe from Lebanon, accompanied by male singers from the Mixed Choir of the Branko Singing Society.
Source: Diocese of Niš
