Category: Announcements

Our dear young singers, respected parents, and mentors!

As we officially closed the applications for our collective 10th anniversary International Children’s Singing Festival Brežice on June 1st, 2026, we were overwhelmed with incredible emotions. Our hearts are bursting with gratitude because you shared your dreams and love for music with us in such numbers that all previous records have been broken! We received an amazing 211 applications from wonderful singers aged 6 to 17, coming from 7 different countries. Thank you for every note sent, for every smile, and for the immense trust you have shown us on this festive jubilee.

Currently, with great care and respect for each of you, we are conducting the technical review of applications, which will run until June 10th. Right after that comes the most beautiful part – the live meeting! The live auditions will take place on Sunday, June 14th, 2026, in the warm embrace of the Brežice Cultural Centre (Trg Jožeta Toporišiča 3, 8250 Brežice). Because we want every child to feel welcome and to avoid long waiting times, you will be invited to the audition at a pre-scheduled hour. Therefore, we kindly ask you to regularly check your email inboxes over the coming days, including your SPAM folder, so you don’t miss your invitation.

Please, do not let fear or nervousness heavy your hearts before the audition! Our jury is already eagerly waiting for you with open arms, warm smiles, and the sole desire to help you shine. An audition with us is not an exam; it is a celebration of your courage, joy, and talent!

It is true that the jury will face an incredibly difficult task, as they can select only 60 semifinalists from the live and subsequent online auditions to perform at the two beautiful semifinal evenings (August 21st and 22nd, 2026). The results of both auditions will be sent to your application email addresses no later than June 25th, 2026.

Important information regarding song selection and backup tracks:

• The Timestamp Rule: Each of the 60 selected candidates will perform at the audition with the song they applied with or the one listed as a backup. The single song that is definitively chosen and performed during the audition will also be the one they perform at the festival itself, should they pass the audition successfully. Since every application carries a unique timestamp, the person who applied earlier has priority if songs are duplicated or triplicated. If someone who was first with a specific song does not pass the audition or decides not to participate, the song belongs to the person who applied second with it, and so on.
• Why don’t we announce duplicate songs in advance? The reason is simple and, above all, well-intentioned. We do not want to discourage or stress a candidate who applied third with the same song, as we do not yet know if the first two might change their minds or if they will pass the audition successfully. So stay calm and believe in your performance!
• A warm tip from the organizers: For those who did not submit a backup song during application, we advise you to prepare one just in case. Keep the backing track (instrumental) saved on your mobile phone so that, if requested by the jury, you can quickly email it to the address we will provide at the audition. Please do not send backup tracks in advance. Thank you for your understanding.

Dear young artists, step onto the stage with confidence and from the heart. We already believe in you and cannot wait to embrace you with music.

Good luck to everyone!

We invite all young singers (aged 6 to 17) to join us at the jubilee 10th International Children’s Singing Festival Brežice 2026!

You can read the full call for applications, including detailed terms of participation, age categories, and important dates (auditions, semi-finals, and finals) at the link below. At the bottom of the page, you will find the button to access the electronic application form.

The application deadline is June 1st, 2026.

👉 READ THE CALL FOR APPLICATIONS AND APPLY HERE

Now that almost all local and regional TV stations have already broadcast the show of the 9th International Children’s Singing Festival Brežice 2025, we can finally publish it on our YouTube channel and share it with you with the greatest joy and pride!

Wonderful singers – this is your show, your moment, and your greatest reward for all the effort, perseverance, and heartfelt dedication you have invested.

Our sincere thanks go to you, your parents, and your mentors, who have trusted us for so many years and shared with us your priceless talent. Without your support and commitment, the festival could not have grown into what it is today – a place where young voices connect, create, and inspire.

The organizers are proud of every individual who stepped onto the stage and of every note that resonated in the hall. Each performance was a story in itself – a story of courage, dreams, and friendship.

Thanks also to all the viewers, listeners, and supporters who, with your presence, applause, and kind words, gave the festival broadcast additional strength. Brežice has once again proven to be a town of music, youth, and international connection.

Let this recording on our YouTube channel be both a memory of the wonderful moments we created together and an invitation to meet again next year – stronger, more united, and even more musical.

The list of individual performances is included in the video description, but for everyone who would like to share only their own performance, we are publishing it here as well:

00:07:16 – EVITA JEZERNIK ŠIRCA – USPAVANKA ZA EVO

00:11:37 – SOFIA ANA ŠIMONKA – IN THE STARS

00:16:20 – BARBARA ĆUBELA – NOĆ JE PUNA LJUBAVI

00:21:34 – ALISE KUZNECOVA – JE VEUX

00:25:52 – LUANA ŠPELIĆ – NEVER ENOUGH

00:30:15 – NACE JENC – HABANERA (CARMEN)

00:33:08 – NUŠA BEUC – PRISLUHNI MI

00:36:32 – TAJA EPŠEK – GIRL ON FIRE

00:40:16 – GLORIA B. PAJK – POPULAR

00:44:40 – KLARA ŠIMAG – SIMPLY THE BEST

00:49:33 – AMELI DINARINA-ŠIMIĆ – HYMNE A L’AMOUR

00:54:20 – OLIVIA CHERNOVA – THE CODE

00:57:58 – MARTA BOGDANOVIĆ – TALKING TO THE MOON

01:02:20 – ELEN ANTONČIČ – HOW FAR I’LL GO

01:05:50 – EVA ZORKO – OLJKE, ROŽMARIN IN SOL

01:11:44 – ETEL BARŠI I PAL BARŠI (DUO BEEP) – SHALLOW

01:16:13 – GAŠPER ORAŽEM – SOMEONE YOU LOVED

01:20:08 – MAJ MARN – PERFECT

01:25:09 – ZOJA MLINARIČ – LOVE ON THE BRAIN

01:30:00 – ELLEN BOGOVIĆ – WASTED LOVE

01:33:30 – TAJA AUSEC – THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL

01:38:56 – OD5 KVARTET – WHEN THE PARTY’S OVER

01:43:09 – KAROLINA GENORIO – VOILÀ

01:46:57 – HANA GRUBIČ – RUN TO YOU

01:52:01 – NATALIJA JOVANOVIC – I HAVE NOTHING

01:56:54 – KATARINA MIKULEC – MY MIND

02:01:31 – ALEKSEJ IVAČIČ KOLAR – ODPRI OČI

You can share the recording of an individual performance by right‑clicking and copying the time‑code link next to the performer.

Dear parents, mentors, and young singers!

The organizers are also eagerly awaiting the TV broadcast of the 9th International Children’s Singing Festival Brežice, so we’ve decided to release our documentary recordings of all the semifinal performances in advance. These were filmed on August 22 and 23, 2025, at the Youth Center Brežice.
These are documentary videos recorded for the festival organizers’ archive.

Semifinal – Part 1 (Youth Center Brežice, Friday, August 23, 2025):

Contents (click on the timestamp):
00:06:33 – EVITA JEZERNIK ŠIRCA, 6 let, Žalec, Slovenija, 01 – USPAVANKA ZA EVO (Andrej Šifrer)
00:10:58 – IZA SLAPNIK, 8 let, Sevnica, Slovenija, 02 – ZA BOŽIČ KOT OTROK (Eva Boto)
00:15:10 – BARBARA ĆUBELA, 9 let, Zagreb, Hrvaška, 03 – NOĆ JE PUNA LJUBAVI (CAN YOU FEEL – Elton John)
00:19:46 – GLORIJA DROPULIĆ, 9 let, Zagreb, Hrvaška, 04 – HALO (Beyonce)
00:24:19 – TIA AVBAR, 10 let, Trebnje, Slovenija, 05 – PUSTITE NAM TA SVET (Vlado Kreslin)
00:28:16 – PETAR MOHAČ, 10 let, Bedekovčina, Hrvaška, 06 – KAO MOJA MATI (Zdravko Čolić)
00:32:54 – LAURA ZOUFALIK, 11 let, Sveta Nedelja, Hrvaška, 08 – TAMO GDJE JE SVE PO MOM (Jinx)
00:37:45 – ELIN SIPOS OČIĆ, 11 let, Zagreb, Hrvaška, 09 – NO ONE (Alicia Keys)
00:42:47 – NACE JENC, 11 let, Kamnik, Slovenija, 10 – HABANERA (CARMEN) (André Kostelanetz · NY Philharmonic Orch.)
00:45:49 – TAJA EPŠEK, 12 let, Črneče, Slovenija, 11 – GIRL ON FIRE (Alicia Keys)
00:49:28 – GLORIA B. PAJK, 12 let, Celje, Slovenija, 12 – POPULAR (Kristin Chenoweth)
00:53:51 – KLARA ŠIMAG, 12 let, Sveti Križ Začretje, Hrvaška, 13 – SIMPLY THE BEST (Tina Turner)
00:58:37 – ELEN ANTONČIČ, 13 let, Šentjernej, Slovenija, 14 – HOW FAR I’LL GO (Auli’i Cravalho)
01:02:10 – EMMA HORVAT, 13 let, Samobor, Hrvaška, 15 – SKYFALL (Adele)
01:07:37 – DORIJA MARTINEC, 13 let, Kalinovica, Hrvaška, 16 – YOU KNOW I’M NO GOOD (Amy Winehouse)
01:12:26 – EVA LAMPRET, 13 let, Videm pri Ptuju, Slovenija, 17 – NI ONA – RETRO (Nina Pušlar)
01:17:20 – EVA ZORKO, 13 let, Artiče, Slovenija, 18 – OLJKE, ROŽMARIN IN SOL (Marko Vozelj)
01:22:40 – MIA IŠTVANIĆ, 13 let, Zagreb, Hrvaška, 19 – DARNIERE DANSE (Indila)
01:27:25 – NIKA PEJČINOVIĆ, 14 let, Karlovac, Hrvaška, 20 – CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT (Elton John)
01:31:50 – LUCIJA KOREN, 15 let, Brestanica, Slovenija, 21 – ONE AND ONLY (Adele)
01:36:31 – NIKA IVIČ, 15 let, Pilštanj, Slovenija, 22 – MAMA MIA (Abba)
01:40:47 – MAJ MARN, 15 let, Trebnje, Slovenija, 23 – PERFECT (Ed Sheeran)
01:45:56 – ZOJA MLINARIČ, 15 let, Voličina, Slovenija, 24 – LOVE ON THE BRAIN (Rihanna)
01:50:31 – ELLEN BOGOVIĆ, 15 let, Klanjec, Hrvaška, 25 – WASTED LOVE (JJ)
01:54:23 – JOVANA BORKO, 16 let, Krško, Slovenija, 26 – ONCE UPON A DECEMBER (Liz Callaway)
01:58:02 – MARKO PILJEK MARIĆ, 16 let, Zabok, Hrvaška, 27 – FAIRYTALE (Alexander Rybak)
02:01:49 – TEA LENCUR, 16 let, Donja Zdenčina, Hrvaška, 28 – SAMO PRIČAJ (Zdravko Čolić)
02:06:32 – HANA GRUBIČ, 17 let, Brestanica, Slovenija, 29 – RUN TO YOU (Whitney Houston)
02:11:37 – ALEKSEJ IVAČIČ KOLAR, 17 let, Podčetrtek, Slovenija, 32 – ODPRI OČI (PolarAce – Aleksej Ivačič Kolar)

Semifinal – Part 2 (Youth Center Brežice, Saturday, August 23, 2025):

Contents (click on the timestamp):
00:00:30 – ZOJA KRASNIK, 7 let, Slovenj Gradec, Slovenija, 01 – LETIM (Nastja Gabor)
00:04:19 – SOFIA ANA ŠIMONKA, 8 let, Ljubljana, Slovenija, 02 – IN THE STARS (Benson Boone)
00:08:48 – SARA RUPREHT, 8 let, Kotlje, Slovenija, 03 – MAJ (Rok Piletič)
00:12:58 – ALISE KUZNECOVA, 9 let, Marupe, Latvija, 04 – JE VEUX (Zaz)
00:16:47 – TIMEJA JEZERNIK ŠIRCA, 9 let, Žalec, Slovenija, 05 – KAM MOJA POT PONESE ME (HOW FAR…) (Vila Exena)
00:20:18 – ŠANAJA ROPRET, 10 let, Šenčur, Slovenija, 06 – TOPLE OČI (Nina Pušlar)
00:24:42 – JANEZ FERFOLJA, 10 let, Koper, Slovenija, 07 – ČAS VRTI SE NAPREJ (Janez Ferfolja)
00:28:31 – ASJA GAZIVODA, 11 let, Podgorica, Črna Gora, 08 – NEKA SE ČUJE DRUGARSTVA GLAS (Asja Gazivoda)
00:31:55 – EVELYN RENDIĆ, 11 let, Kozina, Slovenija, 09 – MY HEART WILL GO ON (Celine Dion)
00:36:12 – LUANA ŠPELIĆ, 11 let, Rijeka, Hrvaška, 10 – NEVER ENOUGH (THE GREATEST SHOWMAN) (Loren Allred)
00:40:16 – NUŠA BEUC, 12 let, Velenje, Slovenija, 11 – PRISLUHNI MI (Darja Švajger)
00:43:38 – TARA BAUER, 12 let, Izola, Slovenija, 12 – LA NOIA (Angelina Mango)
00:47:30 – VIKTORIJA POLUPANOVA, 12 let, Riga, Latvija, 13 – COLORBLIND (Glee Cast)
00:50:43 – NIKOLINA KATAVIĆ, 12 let, Dugo Selo, Hrvaška, 14 – AVE MARIA (Beyonce)
00:55:11 – AMELI DINARINA-ŠIMIĆ, 12 let, Sinj, Hrvaška, 15 – HYMNE A L’AMOUR (Edit Piaf / Céline Dion)
00:59:41 – OLIVIA CHERNOVA, 13 let, Riga, Latvija, 16 – THE CODE (Nemo)
01:03:27 – MARTA BOGDANOVIĆ, 13 let, Šibenik, Hrvaška, 17 – TALKING TO THE MOON (Bruno Mars)
01:07:50 – PETRA GRUBELNIK, 13 let, Sladki Vrh, Slovenija, 18 – LASTOVKA (Elda Viler)
01:12:34 – ETEL BARŠI I PAL BARŠI, 13 let, Punat, Hrvaška, 19 – SHALLOW (Lady Gaga in Bradley Cooper)
01:18:28 – GAŠPER ORAŽEM, 14 let, Pobegi, Slovenija, 20 – SOMEONE YOU LOVED (Lewis Capaldi)
01:22:16 – NEVEN PAVLETIČ, 14 let, Prepuž, Slovenija, 21 – YOU RAISE ME UP (Josh Groban)
01:26:36 – ZOJA FARIČ, 14 let, Dolenjske Toplice, Slovenija, 22 – IT’S OH SO QUIET (Björk)
01:31:04 – EMA GALIĆ, 14 let, Split, Hrvaška, 23 – YOU DON’T OWN ME (Lesley Gore)
01:34:33 – LUCE JAKUS, 14 let, Split, Hrvaška, 24 – BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS (Leann Rimes)
01:38:27 – PIA KRALJ, 15 let, Apače, Slovenija, 25 – HURT (Christina Aguilera)
01:43:17 – JULIJA GJEREK, 15 let, Kamnik, Slovenija, 26 – OD VIŠINE SE ZVRTI (Vlado Kreslin)
01:47:45 – TAJA AUSEC, 16 let, Dutovlje, Slovenija, 27 – THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL (Whitney Houston)
01:53:31 – OD5 KVARTET, 16 let, Ptuj, Slovenija, 28 – WHEN THE PARTY’S OVER (Billie Eilish)
01:58:00 – KAROLINA GENORIO, 17 let, Ivančna Gorica, Slovenija, 29 – VOILÀ (Barbara Pravi)
02:01:43 – NATALIJA JOVANOVIC, 17 let, Beograd, Srbija, 30 – I HAVE NOTHING (Whitney Houston)
02:06:37 – BRIANNA-SELINA JÃGER, 17 let, Moravče, Slovenija, 31 – RISE LIKE A PHOENIX (Conchita Wurst)
02:10:36 – KATARINA MIKULEC, 17 let, Zadar, Hrvaška, 32 – MY MIND (Yebba)

The contents are also listed in the video description on YouTube.

Documentary video – Semifinal Part 1:

Documentary video – Semifinal Part 2:

Winner of the 9th International Children’s Singing Festival Brežice is Ameli Dinarina-Šimić, a 12-year-old singer from Sinj, Croatia!

Award recipients selected by the professional jury, age group 6–9 years

Barbara Ćubela	Hrvaška	1st place
Alise Kuznecova	Latvija	2nd place
Sofia Ana Šimonka	Slovenija	3rd place

Award recipients selected by the professional jury, age group 10–13 years

Ameli Dinarina-Šimić	Hrvaška	1st place
Nace Jenc	Slovenija	2nd place
Luana Špelić	Hrvaška	3rd place

Award recipients selected by the professional jury, age group 14–17 years

Karolina Genorio	Slovenija	1st place
Taja Ausec	Slovenija	2nd place
Natalija Jovanovic	Srbija	3rd place

Award recipients selected by the audience:

Evita Jezernik Širca	Slovenija	1st place
Sofia Ana Šimonka	Slovenija	2nd place
Barbara Ćubela	Hrvaška	3rd place

Finalists of the 9th International Children’s Singing Festival Brežice:

Semifinalists of the 9th International Children’s Singing Festival Brežice:

We are publishing the list of performers for the grand finale of the 9th International Children’s Singing Festival Brežice, on Sunday, August 24, 2025, in the magical courtyard of Brežice Castle:

We are publishing the list of the first group of finalists, selected by the expert jury and the audience during the first part of the semi-finals of the 9th International Children’s Singing Festival Brežice 2025.

1st age group: from 6 to 9 years old

Alise Kuznecova	Latvija
Sofia Ana Šimonka	Slovenija

2nd age group from 10 to 13 years old

Ameli Dinarina-Šimić	Hrvaška
Nuša Beuc	Slovenija
Luana Špelić	Hrvaška
Etel Barši I Pal Barši	Hrvaška
Marta Bogdanović	Hrvaška
Olivia Chernova	Latvija

3rd age group from 14 to 17 years old

Karolina Genorio	Slovenija
Natalija Jovanovic	Srbija
Taja Ausec	Slovenija
Katarina Mikulec	Hrvaška
Od5 Kvartet	Slovenija
Gašper Oražem	Slovenija

13 singers have qualified for the final from the first part of the semi-finals of MOPF Brežice.

All those who did not make it to the final, please know that you share an excellent 4th place with the other participants of the 9th International Children’s Singing Festival Brežice 2025.

We are publishing the list of the first group of finalists, selected by the expert jury and the audience during the first part of the semi-finals of the 9th International Children’s Singing Festival Brežice 2025.

1st age group: from 6 to 9 years old

Evita Jezernik Širca	Slovenija
Barbara Ćubela	Hrvaška

2nd age group from 10 to 13 years old

Nace Jenc	Slovenija
Eva Zorko	Slovenija
Klara Šimag	Hrvaška
Elen Antončič	Slovenija
Taja Epšek	Slovenija
Gloria B. Pajk	Slovenija

3rd age group from 14 to 17 years old

Ellen Bogović	Hrvaška
Hana Grubič	Slovenija
Aleksej Ivačič Kolar	Slovenija
Zoja Mlinarič	Slovenija
Maj Marn	Slovenija

13 singers have qualified for the final from the first part of the semi-finals of MOPF Brežice.

All those who did not make it to the final, please know that you share an excellent 4th place with the other participants of the 9th International Children’s Singing Festival Brežice 2025.

We are publishing the list of performers for the second part of the semifinal on Saturday, August 23, 2025, at the Youth Center Brežice hall:

We are publishing the list of performers for the first part of the semifinal on Friday, August 22, 2025, at the Youth Center Brežice hall: