6 Questions for Nana Forte
An Interview
In this interview, Slovenian composer Nana Forte gives us an insight into her work.
What was your first composition?
My first composition was a youth choir piece titled Jadro (“The Sail”), set to a text by M. Lermontov. I wrote it during my first year at the music gymnasium, when I was fifteen. At that time, I was attending composition lessons with the composer Ambrož Čopi, who opened the door for me to the world of choral writing. That same year the piece earned an award at a national choral composition competition, which gave me the inspiration and courage to continue composing.
Which other composers inspire you?
It’s always a tough question, because composers from many periods inspire me in different ways. Rather than list a few names, I’d like to highlight three works that had a profound impact on me during my high school years – De Profundis by the Swedish composer Ingvar Lidholm, Mass for Double Choir by the Swiss composer Frank Martin, and Ajdna – Music about Time by the Slovenian composer Lojze Lebič, written for recorders, soloists, mixed choir, percussion, and synthesizer. These pieces truly shaped my path in choral composition.
Nana Forte
Stabat Mater
CV 7.459/00
What has been your most emotionally charged musical experience to date?
In 2024 I composed the compulsory work for the International Choir Competition Gallus – Maribor. During the award ceremony, all eight competing choirs gathered in the concert hall and performed my piece under the baton of Rasmus Krigström, conductor of the winning choir Zero8. I was invited to sit on the stage and watch the hall—filled with singers from around the globe—sing my work in Slovenian. It was a moment I’ll never forget.
Where do you prefer to compose?
I always compose in my home study. I live with my family in a wooden house perched on a hill overlooking the woods, and the window in my room offers a stunning panoramic view of the landscape. It’s where I find the peace and quiet I need to capture my feelings and ideas.
What are you working on at the moment?
I’m currently working on a new commission for Chorwerk Ruhr – a 12-minute choral piece planned to premiere in February 2026. Simultaneously, I’m concentrating on a youth opera commissioned by the Slovenian National Theatre Opera and Ballet Maribor, scheduled to premiere in the 2026/27 season.
When you’re not composing or making music, then…
… I teach music at the Faculty of Education, University of Maribor. Outside of work, I cherish spending as much time as possible with my daughter. I love cooking, going on long walks with our dog, and practising yoga and meditation, which keep me balanced and focused.
Nana Forte (1981) is a Slovenian composer whose music ranges from choral and vocal-instrumental to orchestral and stage works. She studied composition in Ljubljana, Dresden, and Berlin, and is widely recognized for her distinctive musical language in choral writing, performed internationally by leading ensembles and conductors. Numerous commissions from renowned choirs such as the Bavarian Radio Choir and the Swedish Radio Choir reflect the artistic quality of her work. She teaches music subjects at the Faculty of Education, University of Maribor.
© Stan Engebretson
Contemporary Choral Music – Recommended by Jan Schumacher
It’s no secret that Eastern Europe has produced a wealth of high-quality choral music. Our newly published works are real discoveries – very different sacred choral works for concert and worship by composers of the younger generation. I invite you to get to know this wonderful music!
Jan Schumacher
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