GAL GEORGE GJURIN – #Gal 25 - Gala concert celebrating 25 years of artistic excellence

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One of Slovenian-Canadian most prolific musicians, singers, authors, and multi-instrumentalists will celebrate 25 years of a rich artistic journey in the 2026/2027 season.

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Gal George Gjurin has released 25 original albums and published more than 600 original musical, audiovisual and literary works up to date. As an award-winning music producerand co-author, he has been credited on over 50 albums in Slovenia and Canada, including 10 albums by one of the most notable Slovenian singer-songwriters Vlado Kreslin. He has also contributed to more than 100 charity concerts supporting socially disadvantaged children and families, rare diseases, aid for firefighters, various medical expeditions to Africa and victims of natural disasters among others.

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As a special vocal guest, Gal’s sister, Severa Gjurin, will grace the stage—his longtime musical companion with whom he has shared a creative journey from early childhood to the present day. Their duets and intimate acoustic performances are celebrated for their warmth, seamless vocal interplay, and heartfelt musical honesty.

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The male vocal and songwriting voice of the evening will be co-embodied by Will Gillespie, an award-winning artist recognized in Toronto in 2025 and hailing from the northern Ontario mining town of Timmins. A singer-songwriter whose sensibility drifts somewhere between Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits, Gillespie captivates with his singular blend of socially observant humor and evocative storytelling—painting stark portraits of immigrants during the Canadian northern gold rush, and of a Canada that once felt closer to a frozen, unforgiving frontier than the modern G7 nation it is today.

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From Fort Erie near Niagara Falls comes Brandon Ruch, an exceptionally versatile young guitarist, vocalist, and studio producer. Already marked by his originality and refined musical taste, he joined Gjurin as a special guest on his 2025 Canadian tour, leaving a strong impression with his nuanced musicianship.

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Representing a new generation of compelling voices, Tadej Kraševec from Krško will also take the stage. With Gjurin as producer, he is currently shaping his debut solo album—an artistic collaboration that promises to introduce a distinctive new presence to the Slovenian music scene.

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Adding further vocal richness to the evening is Anja Oraže, an outstanding singer with a uniquely expressive vocal timbre, hailing from Sele/Zell-Pfarre in Austrian Carinthia. She works closely with Gjurin on his project Ljubke ljudske - Lovely Traditionals, devoted to the musicological exploration, reinterpretation and international promotion of old Slovenian & European folk music heritage.

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Gjurin’s concerts at Cankar Centre with various projects date back to 2005, and his body of work has always been marked by sincerity, dedication, commitment to experimentation, and a constant search for new forms of expression. Gal’s 25 years of creation are not merely an anniversary, but a celebration of the musical art itself.

LINEUP:

Gal George Gjurin – vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, bugarria, mandocello, piano, harmonica, flugelhorn, saxophones (Canada/Slovenia)
Severa Gjurin – vocals (Slovenia/Canada)
Will Gillespie – vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, banjo, harmonica (Canada)
Metod Banko – vocals (Slovenia)
Leon Žunec – acoustic and electric guitars, bratsch, banjo, alto sax (Slovenia)
Erin Okrainec – fiddle (Canada)
4Strings Quartet – Aleksander Rogina (violin), Viviana Rogina (violin), Petar Njegovan (viola/Croatia), Valentin Rogina (cello) (Slovenia)
Brandon Ruch – electric guitar (Canada)
Niko Kostanjevec – keys, drums, percussion (Slovenia)
Tadej Kraševec – vocals, acoustic guitar (Slovenia)
Janja Brlec – zither, vocals (Slovenia)
Anja Oraže – vocals (Austria)
Susan Robinson – scenography (Canada)
Zachary Porter Itāhokow – sound, AV production (Canada)​

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“A musical genius who plays over 100 instruments and is widely praised on both sides of the pond.” – by Mrs. Monika Černe, Slovenske Novice, magazine article, 25 October 2021, Slovenia, EU