Participants Universitas Cantat 2017
Academic Choir of Students' Cultural Center of University Niš, Serbia
Conductor: Zoran Stanisavljević
Academic Choir of Students' Cultural Center of University Niš, Serbia
http://choirbranko.rs
The Academic Choir of the University of Niš Student Cultural Centre was founded in 1972, on the initiative of the conductor Radojica Milosavljević - Ice. For many years, the choir has successfully performed all over Serbia, former Yugoslavia and Europe, under the leadership of Milorad Veljković, MA and Slobodan Dejanović, MA. From 1999 to 2012, the artistic director and conductor of the Choir was Dr Suzana Kostić who passed the baton to Zoran Stanisavljević, MA, associate professor at the Faculty of Arts in Niš, in November 2012. During its years of existence, many singers and conductors have left their personal mark on the choir. There have been about 2,800 singers during these years and all of them and their teamwork are contributed to the long and successful tradition of the Academic Choir.
The Choir showcased its skills by participating in numerous prestigious festivals in Serbia and abroad (the Netherlands, Germany, Greece, Macedonia, France, Ukraine, Russia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Italy, Austria, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey, Poland) and by winning numerous awards, including:
- Grand Prix at the International Festival “Chernomorski Sounds”, Balchik (Bulgaria, 2016)
- Award for The Best Mixed Choir at the International Festival “Chernomorski Sounds”, Balchik (Bulgaria, 2016).
- First Award "Vojislav Ilić" for The Best Big Choir at the Festival “Choirs Among Frescoes”, Belgrade, 2013.
- Honourable Mentions for Virtuosity in Performing the Composition and Overall Impression, 7th MFK “Golden Fairy”, Prijedor (Serbia, 2007).
- Grand Prix at the International Festival “Sound of Moscow” in Moscow, (Russia, 2004).
- Grand Prix at the International Festival of Yalta (Ukraine, 2003).
- Two gold medals and prizes at the International Youth Festival in Made (the Netherlands, 1987).
The Academic Choir has recorded two LPs, several television projects and four CDs.
Zoran Stanisavljević, MA, (1972) obtained a BA degree in Conducting in 2001 at the Faculty of Arts in Priština in the class of Prof. Jovan Šajnovć, and obtained a Master's degree in 2006 at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade in the class of Prof. Jovan Šajnović and Prof. Darinka Matić-Marović. He worked as Assistant Conductor of the Academic Choir of the University of Niš Student Cultural Centre between 1999 and 2004. In 2004 he founded the Female Choir of the Student Cultural Centre in Niš. With these ensembles he performed in Serbia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, Belarus, Spain and Italy. During the 2002/3 season, he was engaged as the assistant conductor of the Niš Symphony Orchestra. He has performed with the Symphony Orchestra of the Serbian Army "Stanislav Binički" - Belgrade, Orchestra of the Faculty of Arts in Niš, Chamber Orchestra of SKC Niš, Chamber Orchestra "Amoroso" - Leskovac, Chamber Orchestra "Impression" - Niš, Chamber Orchestra "New music" - Niš and Chamber Orchestra "Imperio", as one of the founders, in 2010. With the Female Choir of the University of Niš Student Cultural Centre he has won numerous awards and prizes, such as: the gold medal in the category of female choirs at the International Choir Competition in Bijeljina (Serbia, 2007), Award for the Best Program at the International Choral Festival in Niš (2008), first prize in the category of female choirs at the International Choir Competition in Maribor (Slovenia, 2011). He was elected the vocal pedagogue at the Euro Choir Choral Week of the European Association of Choirs in Niš, 2010. He has collaborated with the National Theater in Niš, and participated with the Female Choir in several film projects. He was a member of the Arts Council of the International Choral Festival in Niš in the period 2004-2010. Since 2012, he is conductor and artistic director of the Academic Choir of the University of Niš Student Cultural Centre. With this ensemble he has won two prestigious awards –"Vojislav Ilić" First Prize in the category “Best Big Choir” and “Best Conductor” at the Festival "Choirs Among Frescoes" in Belgrade in 2013, and the Grand Prix at the International Festival of Choirs "Chernomorski Sounds" in Balchik, (Bulgaria, 2016). Furthermore, the jury of the "Chernomorski Sounds" Festival awarded him the prize for the best conductor of the festival and the prize for the best mixed choir of the festival. In the framework of international projects he has achieved successful cooperation with the Choir "24" of York (UK) and the Choir of the New Bulgarian University, Sofia (IPA project). With the latter ensemble he has performed in Vienna (Austria, 2013), Pernik (Bulgaria, 2013), Tetovo (Macedonia, 2014), Prijedor (Serbia, 2014), Poznan (Poland, 2015). Since 2012 he has been involved with Niš Symphony Orchestra as a visiting conductor. He works as Associate Professor at the Faculty of Arts in Niš and teaches subjects such as Performing Choral Scores and Knowledge of Musical Instruments. He is head of the Department of Music in the Faculty of Art, University of Niš.
University of Niš, Serbia
