Conductors
The St. Sava Choir currently has two conductors and 2 assistant conductors on staff.
Concert Conductor – Janez Govednik
A Short Musical Biography
Janez Govednik, recipient of numerous scholarships and grants, obtained his B.A. in Conducting after studying in Moscow from 1971-1976 with N.I. Kvitko, S.G. Deliciev and O.M. Ogarkov. In 1982, he studied in Vienna with Professor Karl Osterreicher and then received his Masters Degree in Conducting in 1983 at the St.Petersburg Conservatory, where he studied with Professor A.S.Dmitriev.
From 1976 to 1980, Mr. Govednik served as Conductor at the Moscow Conservatory’s Opera Studio. From 1981 to 1988 he was Conductor at the Belgrade Opera House, and from November 1988 he was Conductor at the National Theatre (Opera and Ballet) in Novi Sad. During the years 1979-1993, he also was a conductor/teacher at the Conservatory of Music in Belgrade, teaching conducting, orchestra, chamber music, pedagogy and sight-reading. In the 1986/87 seasons, he served as Assistant Conductor at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.
Beside his engagements as a guest conductor, lecturer, and adjudicator for international conductors competitions in Europe, Janez Govednik performed many concerts in the USA with choirs and also served as Music Director of the North York Concert Orchestra and Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra at Wilfrid Laurier University (Faculty of Music) in Waterloo, Ontario, where in addition to leading the orchestra, he taught conducting classes (advanced orchestral conducting). He has also served as a conductor at the Kincardine Summer Music Festivals and a guest conductor for the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra, Brampton Symphony Orchestra, Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra and Oakville Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Govednik has also conducted the Windsor Symphony and led orchestras at The Atlantic Festival of Youth Orchestras in Halifax and the Canadian Youth Orchestra Festival in Ottawa.
Over the years, Govednik`s has built a career based on his extraordinary versatility. He conducted symphonic music, operas, ballets, choral works, musicals and music for children. He recorded often for Radio and TV. Along with his work with professional groups, Govednik worked with conservatory, youth and community orchestras and ensembles as a guest conductor and was a teacher, lecturer and adjudicator for different competitions and festivals.
Janez has held the position of Concert Conductor since July 2005 and his main role with our choir is to teach us all the music we sing (liturgical and secular); to prepare us for all special events such as concerts or special Liturgical feast days and events; and to conduct us in all formal concerts that the choir participates in.
Church Conductor – John Lukich
A Short Musical Biography
John Jovan Lukich was born in Toronto some 58 years ago. He spent all of his youth in Toronto. During his youth, he attended the St. Sava Church in Toronto. He went to Sunday School as a little boy, served in the altar during Holy Liturgy, danced with the Oplenac folklore group for many years, played cello in the Church Tamburitza Orchestra, sang in the junior choir, and finally joined the St. Sava Choir at the age of 15. During this general period, he, along with Milan Sanader, his brother Michael, and Miles Obradovich, formed Lika Orchestra who entertained guests at many church and choir functions, and do so to this day. John took formal accordion lessons for approximately 10 years which provided the musical foundation for things to come.
As time progressed, John became more involved in the choir, and the community. He took active roles in the choir executive, including being President in 1980, and stood with the choir during the lean years taking on the role of assistant director (and director when there was no permanent director). He also spent 4 years on the Church Executive Board as a member, and as Financial Secretary.
During the years 2001 – 2008, John was assistant church conductor filling in as required and became the defacto church conductor in 2005. He was officially given the position Church Conductor at a choir annual meeting held on February 10, 2008 and continues in this role today. He has sought out and taught two assistant church conductors who help out with the Liturgical duties as required.
In 2009 he put out a solo CD with a little help from his friends and often has a number of musical projects on the go…more information can be found at http://www.johnlukich.com/
Assistant Church Conductors – Marina Milivojevic-Daoust and Milos Kostich