Fifteen ensembles of young American Croatians arrived in Zagreb accompanied by the CFU national president and the leadership of the CFU Junior Cultural Federation. The festival, held under the high patronage of Croatian Government and organised by the CHF, was staged at Zagreb’s Vatroslav Lisinski concert hall from July 5th to 7th.
Fifteen ensembles of young American Croatians arrived in Zagreb accompanied by the CFU national president and the leadership of the CFU Junior Cultural Federation. The festival, held under the high patronage of Croatian Government and organised by the CHF, was staged at Zagreb’s Vatroslav Lisinski concert hall from July 5th to 7th.
The CHF welcome concert at Vatroslav Lisinski concert hall on July 5th was opened by the Croatian Radio & Television (HRT) Tamburitza Orchestra, conducted by maestro Siniša Leopold, followed by performances by the Dr Ivan Ivančan Folklore Ensemble of Zagreb, the Croatian Navy’s Sveti Juraj vocal band and soloists Đani Stipanič and Renata Sabljak. The honour of opening the three-day Annual CFU Junior Tamburitza Festival, back in the homeland for the first time in nine years, fell to the HRT Tamburitza Orchestra, the only professional orchestra of its kind in the world. The Croatian/English bilingual programme was MC’ed by the very entertaining Frano Ridjan. The event also featured a wonderful humanitarian gesture on the part of the CFU—a cheque for 25 thousand dollars presented to the Children’s Hospital in Zagreb.
Representing Speaker of Croatian Parliament Josip Leko was Member of Parliament Ivo Jelušić, president of the CHF Board of Directors, who declared the Festival open July 6th. Croatian Government was represented by the head of the State Office for Croatians Abroad Daria Krstičević. Croatian Heritage Foundation director Marin Knezović welcomed the participants on behalf of the host and chief organiser of the event. Donald Weakley, president of the CFU Junior Cultural Federation, and Vesna Kusin, deputy to Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić, were also there to welcome everyone. We also heard the greeting message of CFU national president Bernard M. Luketich, celebrating his 35th successful year at the helm of the CFU. Donald Weakley also presented the honorary festival conductor Katarina Lukačević. On hand to offer a blessing for the festival participants was Gospić and Senj Bishop Monsignor Mile Bogović.
This was followed by a joint performance by all the participating ensembles conducted by Katarina Lukačević. Festival programme leader Ivan Begg was presented by CFU national secretary and long-time treasurer Edward W. Pazo. Awards and commendations were presented to the ensembles and the most creative participants of this year’s festival. A special award was presented to CFU president Bernard M. Luketich to mark his many years at the head of the CFU and innovative contributions to the development of the fraternal social movement among Croatian emigrants in America.
Along with the three-day stay in the Croatian capital, many of the groups also planned a two-week tourist trip across Croatia to get to know its natural, historic and cultural points of interest and some joint performances and meetings with local folklore groups.
The organiser wished a sincere welcome to Croatia and its capital to CFU president Bernard Luketich, CFI Junior Cultural Federation president Donald Weakley, the chief conductor of this year’s festival Katarina Lukacevich, all leading CFU members on hand, the young dancers and tamburitza players, their parents and the artistic directors of the American Croatian Waukegan Tamburitzans (Waukegan, Illinois), St. George Junior Tamburitzans (Cokeburg, Pennsylvania), Sacred Heart Junior Tamburitzans (McKeesport, Pennsylvania), Milwaukee Croatian Tamburitzans (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), Rankin Junior Tamburitzans (Rankin, Pennsylvania), Okolitza Junior Tamburitzans (Pueblo, Colorado), Croatian Junior Tamburitzans (St. Louis, Missouri), American Zagreb Junior Tamburitzans (Cleveland, Ohio), Jadran Junior Tamburitzans (Aliquippa, Pennsylvania), Happy Hearts Junior Tamburitzans (Youngstown, Ohio), Cleveland Junior Tamburitzans (Cleveland, Ohio), Sv. Lovro Junior Tamburitzans (Steelton, Pennsylvania), Hrvatski Tanac Junior Tamburitzans (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), Hoosier Strings Junior Tamburitzans (Merrillville, Indiana) from the USA and the Parish Folklore Group Jadran (Toronto, Ontario) from Canada.
The festival closed with a tamburitzan Sunday mass July 7th, celebrated at Zagreb’s cathedral by Assistant Bishop of Zagreb Monsignor Mijo Gorski. The mass was concelebrated by Fra’ Josip Bebić, head of the office of the Croatian Conference of Bishops and the Bishop’s Conference of Bosnia-Herzegovina for the Croatian faithful abroad, Monsignor Stjepan Biletić and Monsignor Josip Gjuran, both of whom have worked among the emigrant communities for many years, and American priest Father Pierre M. Falkenhan.
At the mass Fra’ Bebić noted the enormous contribution Croatian pastors and pastoral associates have made, far from the homeland, in preserving the Catholic faith, Croatian language and culture.
A picnic was held at Martin Breg in Dugo Selo for the CFU members, hosts and guests where the socialising continued to the song and dance of the tamburitzans.
Text: Vesna Kukavica; Foto: Ratko Mavar