Doc. Milan Kolena, ArtD.

Slovakia

Milan Kolena began his musical education at the Žilina Conservatory, where he studied piano, singing, and choral conducting. He later earned a degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Performing Arts (VSMU) in Bratislava, under the guidance of Prof. Peter Hradil, and continued his studies in sacred music at VSMU. He furthered his expertise in Gregorian Chant under Prof. J. Kohlhaufl at the University for Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, where he authored the first professional Slovak publication on Gregorian chant, “Súčasné smery v interpretácii gregorianskeho choralu” (Current Directions in the Interpretation of Gregorian Chant). Kolena is deeply involved in the interpretation of Gregorian chant, collaborating with Prof. Dr. F.K. Prassl from Graz and Prof. Dr. J.B. Goschl from Munich. He began his professional career as an assistant with the Chlapčenský Zbor (Boys' Choir) in Bratislava and later became the conductor of the Spevácky Zbor Bratislavských Učiteľov (Bratislava Teachers’ Choir). Currently, he serves as the conductor of Schola Gregoriana Bratislavensis. In addition to his conducting work, Kolena is a faculty member at VSMU, where he teaches choir conducting and Gregorian chant. Since 1998, he has been the Art Director of several prestigious festivals, including the International Sacred Music Choir Festival Námestovské Hudobné Slávnosti, Musica Sacra in Bratislava, Slovakia Cantat, and the Festival of Advent and Christmas Music in Bratislava. An active jury member at national and international choral competitions across Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, and Slovakia, Kolena is also a sought-after leader of workshops and seminars on vocal polyphony, Gregorian chant, and Slovak contemporary music. From 2004 to 2006, he and Schola Gregoriana Bratislavensis recorded three CDs of Bratislava Antiphons for the Slovak National Library.