First presentation of Slovenian ethno music at Womex

This year The Slovenian Music Information Centre – SIGIC participated for the first time in the World Music Expo – the most important international fair of world music. The fair, which focuses on the promotion of world music and ethno music of all cultures, is hosted by a different country each year. This year's Womex was held for the third (and last) time in Copenhagen, Denmark; next year it will take place in Greece and in 2013 in Great Britain.

For this year's 17th Womex, SIGIC presented Slovenian ethno music to the global music market. The Slovenian stand offered albums of Slovenian artists and production houses as well as the new compilation: Etno: Glasbene poti – podolgem in počez / Music Routes – Highways and Byways, Slovenia 2011, which offers a comprehensive overview of the Slovenian production of »world music«. We were pleased to see that the interest in Slovenian music greatly exceeded our expectations. Many journalists and producers expressed interest in learning more about Slovenian music and would like to present it to their home audience and at festivals.

At the Forum exhibition area in the centre of Copenhagen, which comprises almost 5000 square meters, music enthusiasts could visit more than 250 stands. They could choose from a number of daytime events, such as conferences, concerts, award ceremonies and film projections, where the organizers presented the current state of world music and its role in the changing music industry. In the evenings concerts were held in the Concert Hall (Koncerthuset), which has four studios and is also the official hall of the Danish National Symphonic Orchestra.

The central Slovenian event at Womex took place on Thursday, 27 October, when together with Austrian and Swiss colleagues we invited all the professional participants of the fair to a Wine & Dine reception. The reception attracted numerous visitors, who could also taste the many Slovenian culinary specialities. The Slovenian ambassador in Denmark, Mr. Bogdan Benko, also attended the event and expressed his support for the promotion of Slovenain music in Denmark and elsewhere in the world. Womex was thus an excellent starting point as it offered many opportunities for the promotion of Slovenian music in the world.