The choir continues the tradition of the Academic Choir in Ljubljana, which was founded by France Marolt in 1926 as a male ensemble. Between 1938 and 1939, Marolt also led the Women’s Academic Choir. Due to Italian occupation during WW2, there was a cultural silence from 1941 onwards. After the cultural silence, the choir was reactivated in 1946, this time as a mixed ensemble under the name Academic Choir Tone Tomšič.

The choir has always been led by renowned choirmasters such as: France Marolt, Radovan Gobec, Janez Bole, Lojze Lebič, Igor Lavrič, Marko Munih, Jože Fürst, Jernej Habjanič, Stojan Kuret, Urša Lah, Sebastjan Vrhovnik and Jerica Bukovec. From October 2021 onwards, the choir is led by Rahela Durič Barić.

Since its inception, the Academic choir Tone Tomšič has been one of the most important guides of Slovene choral singing, not only in performance and technical aspects but also in terms of its program orientation. The choir’s repertoire consists of compositions from all historical musical periods, and the ensemble pays special attention to contemporary choral literature. The Academic Choir Tone Tomšič encourages the creation of new compositions by both young and established Slovene composers by commissions and organizing open application competitions. With the first performances of new choral pieces, the choir is increasing recognition of Slovene choral creativity at home and abroad. The choir gives concerts all over Slovenia, participates in performances of vocal-instrumental projects, records for the archives of Radio-Television Slovenia, and collaborates with foreign conductors at choir conducting seminars, concerts, and festivals. For achievements and merits at the national level, Academic Choir Tone Tomšič has received the highest state decoration- the Golden Badge of Freedom of the Republic of Slovenia in 1996, the Plaque of the Capital City of Ljubljana in 2000, and in the Golden Badge of the Public Fund for Cultural Activities of the Republic of Slovenia in 2003.

The choir confirms its quality with resounding performances at many festivals and competitions at home and abroad. The greatest international successes of Academic Choir Tone Tomšič are victories at the prestigious Grand Prix competitions (Tours: 1980 led by Jože Fürst, 1984 led by Jernej Habjanič and 1999 led by Stojan Kuret; Gorica and Varna: 2001 led by Stojan Kuret; Varna: 2007 led by Urša Lah, Arezzo: 2012 led by Sebastjan Vrhovnik). The choir also won 1st prize at the European Grand Prix 2002 in Arezzo led by Stojan Kuret and in 2008 in Debrecen led by Urša Lah.

The Academic Choir Tone Tomšič has competed successfully in recent years and earned awards and special recognitions at competitions in Rimini, Vic, Gorizia, and Maribor. In 2019, the choir revived the complete vocal-instrumental story Fauvel ’86 by Lojze Lebič for the first time in thirty years.

The Academic Choir Tone Tomšič has competed successfully in recent years and earned awards and special recognitions at competitions in Rimini, Vic, Gorizia, Maribor, Spittal an der Drau, and Varna. Under the direction of Rahela Durič Barić, the ensemble won a gold plaque at the 27th national choral competition Naša pesem in 2022. In the 2022/23 season, under her artistic leadership, the choir performed Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana in Reinhard Summerer’s arrangement, alongside guest artists, in the Gallus Hall of Cankarjev dom. The choir also successfully participated in the international choral competition in Spittal an der Drau, Austria, where it won first prize in the folk song category, second prize in the category of art music, and a special award for the performance of a contemporary composition.

At the 28th national choral competition Naša pesem in 2024, the choir achieved an absolute first place and received a special award for its performance of Gallus’s composition Tu ne cede malis.

The choir’s most notable achievements from the past five seasons are:

2023/24 Season

• Performance of the Advent concert series From the Depths of Silence, Sound.
• Securing the absolute 1st place and a special award for the performance of Gallus’s composition Tu ne cede malis at the 28th national choral competition Naša pesem 2024 in Maribor.
• Performance of the annual concert by APZ Tone Tomšič: Contrasts of Passion.
• Performance of the concert Contrasts at the summer festival in St. Paul in Lavant Valley.
• Achieving 5th place in the mixed choirs category, along with special awards for the best performance of the mandatory Bulgarian piece and best stage presence at the 42nd International Choir Competition “Prof. Georgi Dimitrov” in Varna.

2022/23 Season

• Organization of the composer competition The Gifts of Tradition.
• Performance of the annual concert by APZ Tone Tomšič: Carmina Burana.
• Winning 1st place in the folk song category, 2nd place in the art song category, and a special award for the best performance of a contemporary piece at the 57th International Choir Competition in Spittal an der Drau.

2021/22 Season

• Performance of the concert Memories commemorating the 80th anniversary of the last concert by the Academic Choir before the cultural silence (Grand Hall of GH Union, Ljubljana; December 2021), in collaboration with the MPZ Lipa zelenela je … and the AFS France Marolt.
• Performance of the recital In the Young Birches, Silent Spring featuring Slovenian poetry, with repeat performances (Grand Hall of GH Union, Ljubljana; Škofja Loka; February 2022), in collaboration with Gregor Čušin.
• Securing overall 5th place and a gold plaque at the 27th national choral competition Naša pesem (Maribor, May 28–29, 2021).
• Performance of the annual concert by APZ Tone Tomšič: The Oppressed and Their Dreams (Slovenian Philharmonic, Ljubljana; May 2022).
• Organization of the composer competition The Gifts of Tradition.
• Performance of the concert tour Across the Border to the Homeland (Trieste, Italy; Nova Gorica; September 2022).

2020/21 Season

• Performance of the annual concert by APZ Tone Tomšič Five to One Hundred, celebrating the choir’s 95th anniversary (Slovenian Philharmonic; May 2021), in collaboration with cellist Katarina Kozjek and organist Tomaž Sevšek.
• Performance of the concert cycle Llibre Vermell | Fin’amor (Ljubljana, Žiri, Mekinje; May–July 2021), in collaboration with instrumentalists Janez Jocif, Franci Krevh, Izidor Erazem Grafenauer, Marjanca Jocif, Una Košir, and Tilen Udovič, choreographer Barbara Kanc, and set designer Agata Pavlovec.
• Performance in the concert cycle Plečnik & A Cappella (Parish Church of St. Cyril and Methodius, September 2021).
• Organization of the composer competition Tradition of Youth.

2019/20 Season

• Performance in the concert cycle Drama Acoustics (SNG Drama – Ljubljana; November 2019).
• Performance of the concert cycle Our Christmas Tree (Novo mesto; Slovenian Philharmonic, Ljubljana; December 2018), in collaboration with the Slovenian Percussion Project.
• Performance of the annual concert by APZ Tone Tomšič as part of the #OpenforCulture campaign (Open-air Cinema of the Slovenian Cinematheque at the Metelkova Museum Platform, Ljubljana; July 2020).