THE HISTORY OF THE ORCHESTRA

The beginnings of OML go back to 1974, when a small number of mandolinists was organized into a group on the initiative of Slavko Kokalj and under the patronage of the ZB NOV (Veterans of the World War II Association). The number of members grew over the years and has settled on around twenty musicians. Many members, some are still active today, came from the tamburitsa ensemble Bisernica, founded by Slavko Kokalj at the nearby Vito Kraigher Primary School and led by him for many years. Young tamburitsa players were taught to play the mandolin in the mandolin preparatory school by Milan Kontarček. The orchestra has in the past thirty years not only gained in number but has also been newly formed in the manner of true mandolin orchestras. It consists of five sections: first mandolins, second mandolins, mandolas, guitars and double basses. As it was not possible, until only a few years ago, to learn to play the mandolin at a music school, the orchestra members had to improve their playing abilities at mandolin seminars abroad.

In the first years Slavko Kokalj himself led the orchestra, holding the mandolin in his hands, eventually the need for a conductor arose. So far there have been five: Slavica Drev (1982-1993), Milan Kontarček (1987-1991), Tine Golež (1991-1993), Dušan Nedović (1993-2003) and Andrej Zupan since 2003. The turning point for the orchestra came with the arrival of the philharmonic musician Dušan Nedović. Under his baton the orchestra transformed itself completely, not only in repertoire and style, but also technically and thus reached a new level of amateur creativity. Partisan or folk songs of the earlier repertoire were eventually replaced by treasured classical music pieces, film music and more sophisticated arrangements of Slovenian and foreign traditional tunes. The greatest achievements of the orchestra are the numerous and consecutive gold awards and prizes won at the Meeting of Tamburitsa and Mandolin Players of Slovenia and victories won at two international mandolin competitions: Falkenstein, Germany, in 2000 and Imotski, Croatia, in 2005.

The orchestra has so far published two CDs on the occasions of the silver jubilee and the thirtieth anniversary (recordings). Each year the orchestra presents itself on two premiere concerts in Ljubljana, on numerous appearances at different occasions and on independent concerts at home and abroad, particularly in Italy, Austria and Croatia (two consecutive invitations to the Summer Festival in Rovinj). Many renowned Slovenian classical and pop musicians did their share as soloists with the orchestra: Anja Bukovec, Oto Pestner, Nuša Derenda, Vesna Zornik, Elda Viler and many others; the orchestra itself was invited to record a CD with Adi Smolar and Gušti. Since 1999 the orchestra members occasionally perform with Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra and the Opera and Ballet Orchestra of Ljubljana. Numerous articles about the orchestra and broadcasts of concerts are proof enough of its growing public recognition in the world of amateur music.