The American Zagreb Junior Tamburitzans (AZJT) was formed in 1957 and is celebrating its 69th anniversary in 2026. Through these 69 years, hundreds of children and young people have enjoyed learning traditional Croatian music, songs and dances. AZJT was formed in 1957, by a group of people who had been involved in a performing and dramatic group known as Slavulj, the Nightingales. Slavulj was founded by Joseph Gregorincich and operated from 1937 to about 1951. Slavulj began as a singing and drama club and within ten years, instruction included tambura and kolo. Slavulj provided a most diversified program ranging from plays to operettas to concerts and dance recitals and performed widely in the tri-state area. As romance within the group blossomed, resulting in several marriages, interest waned and the group was out of commission for a number of years. In 1957, some of the original members reorganized, changing the name to the American Zagreb Junior Tamburitzans. This new group provided instruction in singing, playing instruments, and dancing. The new American Zagreb Junior Tamburitzans was one of five tamburitza groups in the United States to organize the Croatian Fraternal Union Junior Cultural Federation in 1966. Through 69 years of existence and over 50 years of involvement with the CFU Junior Cultural Federation, AZJT have traveled widely including numerous trips to Croatia (1976, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1996, 2004, 2018, 2024), as well as throughout the United States and Canada. AZJT has hosted the CFU Festival in Cleveland four times (1971, 1979, 1983, 1989). Numerous AZJT alumni were selected and received scholarships to perform with the highly-acclaimed Duquesne University Tamburitzans. AZJT is committed to preserving and disseminating the culture of Croatia, through Tamburitza music, lyrics, “kolo” dances, and exquisite “nosnje” regional costumes. We currently have 42 students, ages 5 through 18 years. The mission of AZJT is to promote and perpetuate the Croatian heritage through education, presentation and preservation of Croatian music, song, dance, and costume. The first 69 years of American Zagreb Junior Tamburitzans has been successful and we look forward to continuing to build on this tradition for generations to come!