The female vocal ensemble “Kušlec” comes from a small town named Konjščina located 50km from the Croatian capital. Konjščina has a long history of choral singing that had died down for a while and was renewed in the recent decades. “Kušlec” exists since 2005 as a section of Konjščina’s cultural society (“KUD Konjščina”). It currently consists of 8 members. They perform various types of music, such as classical pieces, folk music, popular choral music etc. They have performed at numerous events all over Croatia, as well as at international choral competitions which have brought them several silver and gold medals . They are especially proud of their participation in the European Choir Games in Goethenburg, the Anton Bruckner Competition in Linz and the Lege Artis Competition in Tuzla. Being the best ensemble of the Krapina-Zagorje County in their category, for several years they were given the opportunity to represent it at the national choir meeting, where they were once awarded the title of Croatia’s best vocal ensemble in the category for popular choral music.

The ensemble’s conductor is Irena Kušec-Kovinčić, who graduated the Vocal Academy under the mentorship of prof. Branko Starc and has conducted several successful choirs since then. Apart from leading the “Kušlec” ensemble, she is currently also the conductor of Konjščina’s mixed and children choirs.