Rossi fest Belgrade

​ ​ Concert Kol Ha'Olam Kulo Jewish Community Belgrade 26. January 2018. ​ On the second day of the festival, a concert named Kol ha'olam kulo was held in the Concert Hall of the Jewish Community Belgrade. The participants of this concert were three choirs: Adi Youth Choir (Jerusalem), Choir Hashira (Novi Sad), and Barch Brother Choir (Belgrade). ​ Choir Hashira The Novi Sad Jewish Community Choir Hashira (the Hebrew word hashira means the song) was founded in 1993 and since then, it has been dedicated to cherishing Jewish synagogal and folklore music heritage. However, the choir performs almost every kind of choral music, singing in several languages (Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino, Serbian, Spanish...). It has won numerous awards at local and international festivals. Some of them are: two golden medals won at the choral competition in Ruma, a silver medal and the special award for the conductor Vesna Kesic Krsmanovic achieved in Slovakia, a bronze medal from Ohrid, two silver medals won in Italy and Greece, and the silver plaque earned at the Choir competition in Germany. ​ The Baruch Brothers Choir The Baruch Brothers Choir from Belgrade was established as the Serbian-Jewish Singers Society in 1879, to cherish and perform the cultural and artistic heritage and tradition of the Jewish people which lives in these parts. The Society changed its name in 1952 to the current name in commemoration of the three brothers from the progressive revolutionary Jewish family of Baruch, members of the resistance movement who were killed during the pogroms of the Nazi regime during the Second World War. Joshua Jacobson (Boston, USA), conductor and a renowned researcher in the field of Jewish music, has concluded that this choir is the oldest active Jewish choir in the world. From the year of its foundation until today, the choir has held numerous concerts and participated in many competitions and festivals in the former Yugoslavia (Yugoslav Choral Festivities in Nish, Mokranjac’s Days in Negotin, BEMUS, BELEF, Choirs among the Frescoes in Belgrade and others), as well as abroad (Israel, USA, France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Greece, the Netherlands, Hungary, Spain, UK and others). Among the most important performances of the choir, we would like to mention the concert in Carnegie Hall in 1978, as well as the attendance of our choir on numerous occasions at the most important Jewish choir festival Zimriya in Jerusalem. Our ensemble has gradually perfected its performance under the conductorship of the most eminent conductors and composers of our country (S. S. Mokranjac, J. Marinković, S. Hristić, B. Babić, B. Pašćan, A. S. Vujić, et al.), having gained under their guidance a high level of artistic interpretation and superb discipline in stage performance. The repertory of the choir consists of representative works of musical literature from both Jewish and Serbian composers, as well as all the most important works of the classical choir repertory of all styles and epochs and the works of modern composers. The Baruch Brothers Choir has been awarded two times for the cultural affirmation of its country by the presidency of Serbia, and in the past five years, the choir won many significant awards. The choir’s admirable success was largely achieved by the contribution of its conductor, Stefan Zekic, and the president, Branka Cvejic-Mezei. ​ The Adi Choir About Adi choir and their concert in Novi Sad, can be read here . ​ ​ 1/1

Jewish music from all around the world, concert of the choir Adi Synagogue of Novi Sad 25. January 2018. ​ Along with the Belgrade audience, the Novi Sad audience also had the chance to enjoy listening to one of the concerts from the Rossi Fest 2018 program - a concert of Adi Young Israeli Chor, named Jewish music from all around the world, held in a wonderful Synagogue of Novi Sad. ​ Adi , Young Israeli Choir The Adi Choir was founded in 2006 and has 24 young singers, who are graduates of children's choirs, music schools, and academies. Since 2009 the choir has been led by its conductor and musical director, Oded Shomrony, and is sponsored by The New Israeli Vocal Ensemble and its musical director, Yuval Ben-Ozer. The choir's repertoire includes a variety of styles ranging from Medieval music to contemporary pop music while performing a-cappella music stands at the top of their priority. The choir has participated in many projects with various choirs and orchestras from Israel and abroad. The choir performs in a subscription series of Orchestras and various a cappella programs at HaMishkan LeOmanuyot HaBama (Tel-Aviv Opera House), Abu Ghosh Festival, the Jerusalem Music Centre, the Tel Aviv Museum of the Arts, the Felicja Blumental Music Center and the Mormon University in Jerusalem. The choir has also taken part in the performances and recordings of The Music is the Thing with Yoni Rechter, Yehudit Ravitz, Rona Kenan, and Shlomi Shaban. In the summer of 2013, the choir was invited to Serbia to perform in Belgrade and to represent Israel in the Music Edict International Festival, held in Niš. ​ Oded Shomrony, Conductor of the Adi Choir Oded Shomrony studied piano, voice, and violin. He has earned his master's degree in conducting from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. Mr. Shomrony turned to conducting at the age of seventeen, serving as an assistant conductor at the International Opera Workshop in Tel Aviv. Since then, he has acted as a conductor of the Moran Singers ensemble and musical director of both, the Open Concert Project and the Thalamus vocal quartet. He is currently chief conductor of the Jerusalem Oratorio Choir, the musical director of the Choral Fantasy in Jerusalem Festival, and the baritone of the Thalamus quartet. Mr. Shomrony has conducted numerous orchestras, including the Israel Camerata Jerusalem and the Israel Chamber Orchestra, and as of 2004, he has been teaching (counterpoint, harmony, ear training, and choral conducting) at the Jerusalem Academy of Music. ​ ​ 1/1

​ ​ Opera L'incoronazione di Poppea , by Claudio Monteverdi National Theater in Belgrade, Stage Raša Plaović 28. january 2019. ​ The closing ceremony of the second edition of the Rossi Fest was marked by the performance of the famous opera of Claudio Monteverdi, The Coronation of Poppea (L'incoronazione di Poppea ), enriched by the synphonies of Salomone Rossi. The main roles were presented by members of the ensemble Baroque Vocal , led by Professor Claudius Eder and other Belgrade opera singers. Ballet dancers of ensemble Transition Dance Company were selected from the Institute for Artistic Art in Belgrade, and orchestra was New Trinity Baroque ensemble under the direction of Predrag Gosta who also prepared the performances for this opera production. ​ Conductor: Alberto Veronesi (Italy) Director: Aleksandar Nikolic Choreographer: Aleksandar Ilic Production: Rossi fest ​ Julie Grutzka - Poppea Larissa Botos - Nerone Florian Küppers - Seneca Christian Rohrbach - Ottone Shai Terry - Otavia Sonja Grevenbrock - Drusilla/Virtu Daniel Tilch - Lucano Radoslava Vorgic - Valetto/Fortuna Milica Lalošević - Amore ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ New Trinity Baroque: Katarina Đorđević, Ivana Zavišić and Dušica Blaženović, baroque violines; Gradimir Orbanović, baroque viola; Srđan Stanić, viola da gamba; Uroš Jovanović, violones; Darko Karajić, theorba; Milena Stanišić, renesansna harfa; Predrag Gosta, čembalo i orgulje; Boris Bunjac, percusions and guests from Germany: Solrun Wechner, čembalo i Sergio Bermudez, lauta Transition Dance Company sa Instituta za umetničku igru: Nenad Ivanković, Jovana Grujić, Luka Pejčinović, Nikola Pavlović, Anđelija Jovanović i Tijana Koprivica ​ 1/3 Alberto Veronesi, conductor Background: Born in Milan, Veronesi studied at the Conservatory of Verdi in Milan, after a successful degree in Piano, Orchestra composition and Direction. When he was a student he founded the Guido Cantelli orchestra. He performed in this Orchestra until 2000 with two great performances: at the Eastern Festival in Salisburgo (invited by Claudio Abbado) and on Santa Cecilia’s day at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino . Maestro Alberto Veronesi is an official artist at the Deutsche Gramophone and he conducted many researches in the repertoire of 800’ and beginning of 900’. He focused on Artists like Pietro Mascagni, Ruggero Leoncavallo, Giacomo Puccini and others. He performed and recorded also the fairly known operas in order to have the biggest audience and to give more visibility to a neglected repertoire. With the Deutsche Gramophone, Bellini and Romantic Opera Verismo Project in association with the Deutsche Gramophone This Project is dedicated to the Italian post-romantic repertoire. The project has started in 2006 with the performance of Edgar, the youngest work of Puccini, recorded in an extended version with Placido Domingo and appreciated from critics. The second album, Puccini Ritrovato , contains an original version, Deutsche Opera in Berlin, performed by Angela Gheorghiu and Roberta Alagna. Opera has been performed by Domingo, Lang Lang and the Orchestra of Bologna city Theatre. Orchestras and Opera houses/theatres: Wiener Philarmoniker , Opera Orchestra of New York , Carnegie Hall , New York, Avery Fischer Hall , Grand Theatre of Tianjin China, The Orchestra of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence, Orchestra of Theatre La Fenice in Venice, Deutsche Opera Orchestra Berlin , Theatre Monnae Orchestra Bruxelles, Orchestra of Santa Cecilia Academy in Rome, Philarmonic Theatre in Bologna, Orchestra of S.Carlo Theatre Naples, Philarmonic Orchestra of Bologna, Sicilian Symphonic Orchestra of Palermo , Salzburger Festspiele , Brooklyn Academy of Music, Spring Festival New York, Teatro alla Scala, Festival Puccini di Torre del Lago , Maggio Musicale Fiorentino , Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana di Palermo, Tel Aviv Opera, Theatre NHK Tokyo, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Shanghai Opera House, Opera Orchestra of New York ,Fondazione Teatro Petruzzelli di Bari … etc Aleksandar Nikolić, director Aleksandar Nikolić, is a stage director engaged in the Opera of the National Theater in Belgrade from the season 2009/10. for maintaining and reviving the current repertoire as a stage director, reviving director, acting coach. In addition to theatre directing at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, he also studied art history (Faculty of Philosophy, Belgrade), industrial design (Belgrade Polytechnic), piano and music theory (1992-2004.). Hi did his professional upgrading in Brescia (Italy), Hanover (Germany) and Thessaloniki (Greece). Aleksandar Nikolić is currently completing his PhD in Theater Directing Studies at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts (University of Belgrade). He started his professional carrier as a pianist, costume and set designer. From June 2015. Aleksandar Nikolić is engaged as professor (maitre de conferences) Belgrade Dance Institute for subjects Stage directing in opera and ballet , LibrettoAnatomy and Stage director’s analysis of the music text . He started his professional carrier as a pianist, costume and set designer. From December 2015. to February 2016. he was engaged in Royal Opera House Covent Garden as an assistant director(and later a director on duty) for Sir Richard Eyre’s production of La Traviata . From the season 2016/17 engaged in international masterclasses (Israel and Belgrade) for opera singers devoted to the interpretation of music and verbal text in the Italian and French opera repertoire. Don Giovanni (National Theatre in Sarajevo), Viva la mamma (National Theatre in Sarajevo), Don Giovanni (Kombank hall, Belgrade), Shakespeare: Sonnets (National Theatre in Belgrade, Serbia), Melancholic Dreams of Count Sava Vladislavich (National Theatre in Belgrade, Serbia), Le conevinienz e edinconevinienze teatrali (Croatian National Theatre in Rijeka, Croatia), Cavalleria rusticana (Serbian National Theatre in Novi Sad, Serbia), Il barbiere di Siviglia (Vrnjačka Banja Summer Festival, Serbia), Viva la mamma (Israeli Center of Exelence, Jerusalem, Israel), Pyramus and Thisbe (Israeli Center of Excellence, Jerusalem, Israel), La serva- padrona (National Theatre in Belgrade, Serbia), Fledermaus (Israeli Museum of Art, Tel Aviv), The castle of Bluebeard (Belgrade Philharmonic) , Carmina Burana (Sava center, Belgrade, Serbia) , Blasphemy in the Valley of St Florian (Balkan Dance Festival, Coproduction of Bosnia, Serbia, Slovenia), That Crazy Girl (Opera and Theatre Madlenianum in Belgrade, Serbia), The Last Dream of Milutin Milanković (Opera and Theatre Madlenianum in Belgrade, Serbia), Pierrotlunaire (Opera and Theatre Madlenianum in Belgrade, Serbia), The Mysterious Stranger / The Studies of a Wild Gees / The Days of the Paris Commune (Teatro Filodamatika, Rijeka, Croatia), Éloge de l'Amour / Tristan und Isolde (Teatro Filodamatika, Rijeka, Croatia), Bergman: Autumn Sonata (Yugoslav Drama Theater, Belgrade), Nella note densa… In the dark night… (National Theater, Belgrade), The Stolen Doll , Far Away From Home , Heroism and Humanism for Children , Grace (cycle of musicals for children- chamber scene, National Theater, Belgrade), Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, Woyzeck by Georg Büchner. Aleksandar Ilić, choreographer Aleksandar Ilić, MA is the first soloist of the ballet of the National Theater in Belgrade, choreographer, poet, and professor at the Belgrade Dance Institute. He was educated at Music School Isidor Bajić , Dobrila Novkov’s Ballet School La Sylphide and Ballet School Lujo Davičo . Aleksandar holds Bachelor in Communications and MA in choreography (scholarship holder of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia). Ballet Performances: Viva la vida! ; Lisbon Story ; Holiday of Love ; Ballad of the Vagabond Moon and Butler’s Broom ; Alice in Wonderland . Dance performances, installations and performances: Mila Foundation and Pets ; Behind the Mirror ; My Phobia - Pteronophobia ; Dance Theater Ladies ; Sava Sumanovic's Dance - Beračice ; Reminiscence ; Four Poems for Tađa ; After the Sonata ; Scandal in the Valley of Saint Florian . Performances for the children: Magical Beans ; A Legend About You . Opera: Melancholic Dreams of the Count Sava Vladisavic ; The Magic Flute ; Don Giovanni ; Maid Mistress ; White Rose ; Viva la Mamma . He is the author of books of poems Holiday of Hearts (1999-2010) and At the Presence of Whisper (2013). He is one of founders and president of Association of Professional Ballet Dancers, Choreographers and Ballet Teachers of Serbia and the founder of the Terpsihora Award. He is Editor-in-Chief of Stepart, a magazine for artistic dance. Awards: National Theater, City of Belgrade, Dimitrije Parlic Prize , Golden Badge of the Cultural Education Community of Serbia and Life Award Filip Višnjić . Ensamble Barock Vokal In 2010, Claudia Eder initiated the excellence program Barock Vokal – College for Early Music at the Mainz School of Music. Barock Vokal quickly established itself as a very successful continuing education program in cooperation with Villa Musica , a state foundation of Rhineland-Palatinate . The one-year program gives young opera and concert singers the opportunity to obtain in-depth experience with “historically informed performance practice”. Under the guidance of internationally renowned artists in residence, the participants master their interpretation skills, thus gaining stylistic confidence with works ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary music. During the various project phases, the young professionals can work with distinguished artists – for instance, Andreas Scholl, Konrad Junghänel, Ton Koopman, Wolfgang Katschner, Michael Hofstetter and Fabio Bonizzoni. The concerts are always highly esteemed by the press and public. A special highlight is a tour with Alfredo Bernardini and the European Union Baroque Orchestra. From November 2016 onwards, Barock Vokal will repeatedly welcome the Japanese conductor Masaaki Suzuki as an artist in residence. Apart from the artistic training, the singers are being encouraged to create a professional network offering them further engagements on the international concert circuit. Barock Vokal is frequently invited to well-known events such as the Schwetzingen SWR Festival , Kammeroper Schloss Rheinsberg , the festival Rhein Vokal , the Rheingau Musik Festival and to the opera houses of Frankfurt, Cologne and Wiesbaden as well as the Campo Santo in Rome. Orchestra New Trinity Baroque Hailed by the critics as “Atlanta’s most adventurous early music ensemble” (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution), New Trinity Baroque is recognized as one of the leading early music ensembles today. Founded by Predrag Gosta in London in 1998, NTB was initially established as an ensemble of international musicians, and they continue to maintain this presence through collaborations with U.S. and international artists: past soloists include soprano Evelyn Tubb, recorder player Marion Verbruggen, violinists Ingrid Matthews, Florian Deuter, Bojan Cicic and John Holloway, harpsichordist Steven Devine, and others. Each season, the ensemble presents over thirty concerts and educational events in Atlanta and other cities throughout the U.S. and in Europe, performing on period instruments of the 17th and 18th centuries. The group’s repertoire ranges from chamber to orchestral, from cantatas to operas, and its styles from Renaissance to Classical. New Trinity Baroque’s concerts are consistently highly praised. Performances from the past include several Southeastern U.S. and Southern Europe premieres, such as Monteverdi’s “Vespers ” of 1610, Handel’s “Gloria ”, Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio ”, Corelli’s Concerti Grossi , Vivaldi’s “L’Estro Armonico ” Concertos, Pergolesi’s “Stabat Mater ”, Mozart’s “Eine kleine Nachtmusik ” and Divertimenti for Strings , as well as operas such as Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas ", Monteverdi's "L'Orfeo " and "The Coronation of Poppea ", etc. NTB is also an active recording ensemble with almost a dozen CDs to its credit. NTB's members regularly present lectures, educational events and masterclasses. The ensemble was an Affiliate Ensemble at Georgia State University's School of Music since 2003, and the Ensemble-in-Residence at Oxford College of Emory University since 2004. The group is also the Ensemble-in-Residence at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta for over 10 years, which is its main performing venue. New Trinity Baroque has toured England, Finland, Sweden, Serbia and Croatia, appearing at festivals such as Korkyra Baroque , the Belgrade Early Music Festival, Sastamala Gregoriana festival in Finland and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, Sout Carolina. Ensemble Transitions Dance Company from the Institute for Artictic Dance The Institute of Artistic Dance is an organizational unit of the Faculty of Engineering Management, where classes of study programs from the artistic program are conducted. The institute was founded by a group of eminent scientists who have gained vocations at world famous universities in Europe and the United States, together with renowned artists from Serbia, with the goal of transmitting the most contemporary world methods achieved in the field of artistic play to future artists in Belgrade and Serbia. IUI Transitions Dance Company is a dance company created within the Institute of Artistic Arts for individuals with higher education in arts who have at least 180 ECTS points. At the same time IUI Transitions Dance Company is engaged in education and experimentation to find new forms of choreographic and play vocabulary, and the way of expressing thoughts that choreographers put as a task before the players. During the past academic years, master's workshops and guest lectures were held by numerous professors, choreographers, pedagogues, performers and ballet masters from around the world. The students of the Institute for Artistic Art were presented independently or in groups within numerous manifestations, festivals, concerts and performances, all over Serbia. The ensemble performed in many renowned halls, among which are the National Theater in Belgrade, the National Museum in Belgrade; Bitef theater; Theater Terazije; Ilija M. Kolarac Foundation.

​ The seventh edition of Rossi Fest January 27 - February 1, 2024. Belgrade ​ At the end of January, the Belgrade audience will be expecting the seventh edition of the international Rossi Fest, in which, from January 27 to February 1, 2024, various programs with excellent foreign and domestic artists will be held in the Jewish Cultural Center, Dorćol Platz and the Jewish Hall municipality of Belgrade. At the traditional and unique concert for this festival, Portraits and Memories, the composition Three Psalms for string orchestra by the composer David Cheski will be premiered on Saturday, January 27 in Dorćol Platz, starting at 7 p.m. ​ Portraits and Remembrance represent one of the main program elements of Rossi Fest, which annually commemorates World Holocaust Remembrance Day. In addition to the Jewish Chamber Orchestra with soloists Mina Mendelsohn, Ladislav Mezei and conductor Radan Jovanović, ballet soloists Tamara Pjević and Jakša Filipovac will perform under the direction of Ana Grigorović and set design by Dunja Kostić. ​ On Sunday, January 28, starting at 8 p.m., the Baroque Feast concert will be held in the Festive Hall of the Jewish Municipality of Belgrade in cooperation with the Belgrade Baroque Academy. This unique musical event will be presented to us by prestigious members of the New Trinity Baroque ensemble, soloists - lecturers, and students of the Belgrade Baroque Academy. The audience will have the opportunity to enjoy some of the most beautiful works of baroque composers, which will be performed on historically authentic instruments. ​ As part of the festival program is also dedicated to scientific research, Dr. Ivan Ćurković, a distinguished musicologist of the Academy of Music from Zagreb, will hold a lecture on the topic of War and Peace in the oratorios of George Frideric Handel , at the Jewish Cultural Center (Jevrejska 16), on January 30, starting at 18 hours. In the same space starting at 8 pm, the famous opera by Georg Friedrich Handel, Rinaldo will be performed for the first time in Belgrade. ​ This masterpiece is Handel's first opera for a London audience and represents one of the pinnacles of Baroque musical dramaturgy and art. Directed by Sreten Manojlović, under the direction of Predrag Gosta, the audience will be presented by the New Trinity Baroque ensemble and international soloists, participants of the Belgrade Baroque Academy, with a baroque orchestra on historical instruments. ​ On the occasion of the 145th anniversary of the founding of the Baruch Brothers Choir, the oldest Jewish choir in the world, the final evening of Rosi Fest will be a concert called Erev Shel Shoshanim (Evening of Roses) , after the name of one of the most beautiful love songs in the Hebrew language. The program is unique because it is inspired by love poetry written in the Hebrew language and by composers of Jewish origin. In the Atrium of the National Museum, on February 1 at 8 p.m., together with the Baruch Brothers Choir, the Jewish Chamber Orchestra, soloists Stefan Hadžić and Marko Živković, will perform under the direction of the festival director, Stefan Zekić. ​ The festival was organized in cooperation with the Belgrade Baroque Academy with the support of the Jewish Community of Belgrade and the Embassy of Israel. ​ Program 2024 ​ January 27, Saturday 19:00 Concert: Portraits and remembrance Three psalms for string orchestra David Ch eski Dorćol platz, Dobračina 59b ​ ​ January 28, Sunday 20:00 Baroque feast Concert by lecturers of the Baroque Academy Jewish Community of Belgrade, Kralja Petra 71a ​ January 30, Tuesday 18:00 Lecture by musicologist Ivan Ćurković (Zagreb Academy of Music): War and Peace in G. F. Handel's oratorios Jewish Cultural Center, Jevrejska 16 ​ 20:00 G. F. Handel, premiere of the opera Rinaldo Jewish Cultural Center, Jevrejska 16 ​ ​ January 31, Wednesday 20:00 G. F. Handel, reprise of the opera Rinaldo Synagogue, Novi Sad February 1, Thursday 20:00 Erev shel shoshanim (Evening Of Roses ) A concert marking the 145th anniversary of the founding of the Baruch Brothers Choir Atrium of the National Museum Portraits and remembrance Baroque banquet Lecture Opera Rinaldo Erev shel shoshanim Evning Of Roses

Opera: Bastien and Bastienne W. A. Mozart Sunday, January 24 National Theatre in Belgrade, Raša Plaović Stage, 19h ​ Rossi Fest is organizing a charity event for children and youth, in cooperation with the National Theatre in Belgrade – an opera performance of Bastien and Bastienne. This initiative aims to raise awareness of the importance of music in childhood education and also to enable children to express their creative potential. One of the shortest operas written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one-act singspiel Bastien and Bastienne, was composed when he was only 12 years old and it is one of Mozart’s earliest operas. It was commissioned from young Mozart by an eccentric Viennese physician dr Franz Mesmer in 1768. ​ Bastien and Bastienne, one of Mozart’s first operas, is ideal for introducing young audiences to the opera genre and therefore adapted into an interactive play for children. Bastien and Bastienne are engaged in love games created by Kolas, and to prove their mutual affection they even use social networks, which make them bond closer and drift apart simultaneously. Another participant in the game is also Kolina, who watches the play with the audience and reveals the secrets of opera to them. This libretto adaptation aims to make it contemporary for children and young people and introduce the opera genre to younger audiences with educational content through the character Kolina. ​ How will this love story end? Is the magic of Kolas strong enough to reconcile the lovers after a quarrel? Or, perhaps, magic is not necessary for true love? Director - Ana Grigorović Conductor - Stefan Zekić Scenograf - Jasna Saramandić Kostim - Katarina Grčić Nikolić Bastienne - Mina Gligorić Bastien - Siniša Radin Colas - Miloš Milojević Collina - Bojana Bambić Mrs First violin - Edit Makedonska Mrs Second violin - Snežana Dragićević Mr Viola - Mirko Crnojević Mr Cello - Siniša Jovanović Mrs Oboa - Marija Lazić Mrs Piano - Nada Matijević

Lecture by Prof. Ana Stefanović Tuesday, January 26th Online event, 19h ​ Psalm 137 in Baroque musical interpretations The theme of this lecture is baroque interpretations of Psalm 137 (By the rivers of Babylon ). It is the only psalm from the Book of Psalms that describes the exile and captivity of Jewish people in Babylon after the defeat of Jerusalem and the fall of the First Temple in the 6th century BC. The text of this psalm is attributed to King David and Prophet Jeremiah in different sources, and it is a regular part of the liturgy in both Jewish and Christian traditions. The complexity of its meaning, representing a communal lament, has been a source of inspiration for classical music composers since the Renaissance, until the 20th century. The musical setup of Psalm 137 by composer Salomone Rossi from his collection HaShirim asher li-Shlomo (1620/1623) will present a kind of historical and contextual axis for insight into psalm interpretations of composers before and after Rossi, namely, in the period of High Renaissance and middle and high Baroque period in Italy and also in France and northern Europe. Providing a historical lineage of musical setups of Psalm 137 enables us, on the one hand, to trace the changes in the form of the motet, which is a common musical form for psalms, and on the other hand, a kind of musical exegetical study, additional interpretative layer in musical fiber which illuminates the theological and philosophical implications of its meaning. ​ Prof. dr. Ana Stefanović Musicologist, Professor at the University of Arts, Faculty of Music (Department of Musicology), in Belgrade, and Associate Researcher at IreMus, Paris. She received her MA degree at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade and her Ph.D. in musicology at the University Paris IV Sorbonne. The main areas of her research are baroque opera, solo song, the relation between music and text, as well as questions of musical style and stylistic analysis. She is engaged in several international and national projects in musicology and is the author of a large number of studies and articles published in reviews for musicology and music theory, and in collected papers. She edited several issues of collected papers and organized several international conferences. She published the books: La musique comme métaphore. La relation de la musique et du texte dans l’opéra baroque français: de Lully à Rameau , Paris, L’Harmattan, 2006; Temporality and Narraivity in Music Drama , Beograd, FMU, 2017. She is also the author of the Anthology of Serbian Art Song I–VI, Belgrade, UKS, 2008–2014. ​

Since its first edition, Rossi Fest has included lectures (dedicated to the topics on the intercultural and interdisciplinary context of Salomone Rossi`s work, his time, contemporaries, and successors) in its program. This year, we will have the opportunity to hear two lectures on the topics: "Jewish Musicians in Belgrade Between the Two World Wars", by Maja Vasiljević and "Aron Marko Rothmüller, composer and opera singer of Jewish origin" lecture by Dora Lovrečić. ​ Lecture by Maja Vasiljević National Theater Museum January 29, 2023, at 6:00 p.m ​ Jewish Musicians in Belgrade Between the Two World Wars After research experience for her latest study Jewish Musicians in Belgrade: From the Balfour Declaration to the Holocaust (Jevrejski muzičari u Beogradu: Od Balfurove deklaracije do Holokausta, 2021), an author of this lecture will open a music map of the "Jewish" interwar Belgrade. In line with that, in the opening part of the lecture, a special focus will be put on the constant migration processes of Jews. Then, an overview of the presence of Belgrade Jews in all types of musical practices - classical, i.e. artistic, popular, liturgical, i.e. synagogue, and finally, folk practices, will be given. In the second part of the lecture, following the map of urban Belgrade, an overview of musical institutions founded by Jews will be mapped. Along with the leading music institution with a Jewish presence, special focus will be put on the Serbian-Jewish Singing Society, as one of the oldest Jewish choirs in the world. The lecturer will also dedicate attention to the extremely important and so far neglected, role of Jews in the history of popular music in Belgrade and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Therefore, the dance school of Rihard Rosenberg and the Music House "Harmony" led by Isak Armidi, one of the first music impresarios in our country at a time when musical life was planned ad hoc will be accessed. The final part of the lecture will be focused on the leading musicians of Jewish origin in the field of artistic and popular music and the evocation of leading concert performances by audio and visual examples. Maja Vasiljević (1980) holds a Ph.D. in sociology and a master's degree in musicology and works as a Research Associate at the History Department at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade. Since 2003, she has been engaged in music criticism on the Second Program of Radio Belgrade, in the programs Classics Please, Cultural Circles, and How to Listen to Music, and she also acted as an expert consultant for historical issues in the Cultural and Educational Program on the National Television of Serbia. She completed studies in musicology at the Department of Musicology, Faculty of Music, University of Arts in Belgrade in 2007 and sociology at the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade. Permanently interested in the relationship between Nazism and music, after her master's thesis Treatment of degenerate music in the Third Reich, she obtained her doctorate in sociology on the related topic of the relationship between musical practice and discourse on biopolitics by Michel Foucault and Holocaust studies. Since 2012, she has been the secretary of the scientific journal Limes plus for social sciences and humanities and Acta historiae medicinae. She is consistently interested in the music of "problematic" and "excluded", i.e. minorities - Jews, Czechs, Russians, and others, as well as musical practices and musicians in dramatic periods of great social changes in European history - the Great War, the Cold War, and the Second World War. So far, the topics of her works have been musical practices at the border of sociology, musicology, and history with an emphasis on the relationship between music and politics. Recently, she has been expanding his interdisciplinary research through the research of populism in the territory of the former Yugoslavia as a researcher on the Horizon 2020 inter-consortium project about the populist rebellion in Central and Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall. She was also part of the digitization projects of Jewish heritage in Vojvodina from the 18th to the 19th century. She is the author of two studies Jewish Musicians in Belgrade: From the Balfour Declaration to the Holocaust (Jevrejski muzičari u Beogradu: Od Balfurove deklaracije do Holokausta, 2021) and Film Music in the SFRY: Between Politics and Poetics (Filmska muzika u SFRJ: Između politike i poetike, 2016). Lecture by Dora Lovrečić National Theater Museum January 29, 2023, at 7:30 p.m ​ Aron Marko Rothmüller, composer and opera singer of Jewish origin In the writings on Croatian music of the 20th century, Aron Marko Rothmüller (1908–1993) is frequently mentioned due to his international renown as a baritone singer. Nevertheless, his distinguished reputation completely overshadowed his efforts as a composer, despite the fact that he composed throughout his whole life. Although only a few writers have written about Rothmüller's works, two circumstances are never overlooked: on one side the fact that he was a student of Alban Berg and on the other that he composed „Jewish music“. In this lecture, coordinates that are relevant for his opus will be illustrated through the analysis of his music works and writings about music. Dora Lovrečić was born in Rijeka in 1993. She graduated piano in 2018 at the Zagreb Music Academy under the mentorship of Dalibor Cikojević and Filip Fak. In the year 2021, she finished musicology studies at the same institution under the mentorship of Dalibor Davidović. Her master thesis represents the first monography on Aron Marko Rothmüller as a composer. Currently, she is immersed in and occupied with the musical life of the city of Rijeka – through archival research, critiques, playing in ensembles, and pedagogy. ​ ​ ​ ​

The premiere of the Opera Rinaldo Georg Friedrich Handel Belgrade, January 30, 2024, Jewish Cultural Center, 8:00 p.m Novi Sad, January 31, 2024, Synagogue, 8:00 p.m ​ ​ The seventh edition of Rossi Fest has the honor to announce the premiere of the famous baroque opera Rinaldo by George Frideric Handel, produced by the New Belgrade Opera, which will be held in Belgrade at the Jewish Cultural Center on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, as well as in synagogue in Novi Sad on Wednesday, January 31, 202 4. This masterpiece is H andel's first opera for a London audience and represents one of the pinnacles of Baroque musical dramaturgy and art. Under the direction of Sreten Manojlović, conducted by Predrag Gosta, the ensemble New Trinity Baroque, and international soloists, participants of the Belgrade Baroque Academy will present themselves with a baroque orchestra on historical instruments. The vocal soloists are participants of the 22nd Belgrade Baroque Academy, who, accompanied by a baroque orchestra on historical instruments, will perform this opera between January 22 and 29, with the support of mentors recognized in the world of early music - vocal coach and countertenor Nicholas Clapton from Great Britain, our conductor and harpsichordist Predrag Gosta, our acclaimed bass-baritone Sreten Manojlović, who will be the director of the show for this occasion. The orchestral accompaniment, under the direction of Predrag Gosta, is entrusted to the participants of the Baroque workshop for instrumentalists, led by violinist Adrian Butterfield from Great Britain, with the support of the great ensemble "New Trinity Baroque", which recently celebrated its 25th year. The realization of the opera was helped by the Vojvodina Association for Early Music, Studio for Early Music Belgrade, New Belgrade Opera, Musical Youth of Novi Sad, Italian Institute in Belgrade, and Rossi-fest. ​ Tickets for the concert can be purchased via GIGS Tix-a . ​ ​ Participants: New Trinity Baroque Ensemble Belgrade Baroque Academy Rinaldo: Lia ng Yu (South Africa/Germany), Sofia Romanova (Russia) Goffredo: Leo Zappitelli (Italy/Germany), Alina Sivitskaya (Bielorussia/Italy) Almirena: Silvija Radjen Kumar (Croatia), Ida Magarašević (Serbia/Hungary) Armida: Veronica Ruello (Russia/Switzerland), Anja Papa Peranović (Croatia) Argante: Aleksa Jevtić (Serbia/Austria) ​ Conductor: Predrag Gosta Stage d director: Sreten Manojlović ​ Vocal Coaching: Nicholas Clapton (UK) and Predrag Gosta (Serbia/Croatia/USA/UK) Baroque Strings/Orchestra: Adrian Butterfield (UK) Predrag Gosta, conductor and harpsichordist Conductor and harpsichordist PREDRAG GOSTA studied in Great Britain, America, Russia, and Serbia. He has collaborated with many renowned artists and ensembles specializing in Baroque music. He has conducted with famous orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra, the Russian National Orchestra, the National Philharmonic in Washington, and opera houses in Switzerland, Germany, Bulgaria, the USA, and Serbia. He has received numerous awards and honors, including the UMUS Award for Best Concert in 2017 (for the opera "L'Orfeo"). In addition to the New Trinity Baroque and the Belgrade Baroque Academy, he is the artistic director of the New Belgrade Opera and the Early Music Festival. He has recorded around 20 compact discs. Currently, he is completing research on 18th-century English opera as a doctoral candidate at the University of Oxford. Sreten Manojlović, bas-bariton He was born in Belgrade, and he gained his vocal education at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. His interest in early music initially developed through collaboration with the Belgrade Baroque Academy, further expanding through collaboration with early music centers such as the Royaumont Foundation, the Early Music Festival in Innsbruck, the Jardin des voix project of Les Arts Florissants ensemble, etc. His performances have taken him to stages of concert halls like the Paris Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, and Luxembourg Philharmonic, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Tonhalle in Zurich, the Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, the Barbican Centre in London, as well as theater stages such as Theater an der Wien, theaters in Lille, Compiegne, Nantes, Aachen, Wiesbaden, etc. Last season, he appeared as Figaro in "The Marriage of Figaro", Delone in Cesti's "Orontea" at the theater in Aachen, Polifemo in the opera of the same name by Porpora at the Theater an der Wien, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, and the theater in Wiesbaden, and Euthyphron in "The Stone of Wisdom" — an opera written by a group of composers including Mozart, at the Mozart Festival in Würzburg. At the Baroque Music Festival in Bayreuth, he performed as Lotario in Handel's opera "Flavio", and with Les Arts Florissants, he interpreted the role of Simon in Joseph Haydn's "The Seasons". With this production, he also presents himself as a director. New Trinity Baroque ensemble Hailed by the critics as “Atlanta’s most adventurous early music ensemble” (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution), NEW TRINITY BAROQUE is recognized as one of the leading early music ensembles today. Founded by Predrag Gosta in London in 1998, NTB was initially established as an ensemble of international musicians, and they continue to maintain this presence through collaborations with U.S. and international artists: past soloists include soprano Evelyn Tubb, recorder player Marion Verbruggen, violinists Ingrid Matthews, Florian Deuter, Bojan Cicic and John Holloway, harpsichordist Steven Devine, and others. Each season, the ensemble presents over thirty concerts and educational events in Atlanta and other cities throughout the U.S. and in Europe, performing on period instruments of the 17th and 18th centuries. The group’s repertoire ranges from chamber to orchestral, from cantatas to operas, and its styles from Renaissance to Classical. Belgrade Baroque academy It was founded in 2013. To date, it has organized twenty-two master workshops for the interpretation of 17th and 18th-century music, to educate young solo singers and instrumentalists in Belgrade under the mentorship of recognized foreign and domestic experts in the historical interpretation of Baroque music. In addition to harpsichordist, baritone, and conductor Predrag Gosta, who is the conceptual founder and artistic director of the Belgrade Baroque Academy, previous mentors have included soprano Evelyn Tubb (UK), countertenor Marijana Mijanović (Switzerland), baritone Christian Hilz (Germany), Baroque violinists Adrian Butterfield (UK), Florian Deuter (Germany), Ilia Korol (Austria), Bojan Čičić (UK), Simone Pirri (Italy), Christi Park (USA), Zoran Kostadinović, and Katarina Đorđević; Baroque violist William Bauer (USA), Baroque cellists and gambists André Laurent O'Neil (USA) and Srđan Stanić, lutenist Darko Karajić, cornettists Jeremy West (England) and David Brutti (Italy), Baroque trumpeter Siegfried Koch (Austria), flutists Rachel Brown (UK), Karolina Bäter (Germany), and Meila Tomé (Brazil), oboist Isabella Mercuri (Italy), and many others. Joining this academy is countertenor Nicholas Clapton (UK).

Concert: Portraits and Remembrance Three psalms for string orchestra Thursday, January 27th, 8 P.M. Dorćol platz 19h, Dobračina 59b ​ ​ Portraits and memories represent one of the basic program elements of Rossi Fest. The World Holocaust Remembrance Day, on January 27, will be marked this year with the composition "Three Psalms for Gudsk Orchestra" by the modern composer David Cesky. In addition to the Jewish Chamber Orchestra conducted by Radan Jovanović, ballet soloists Tamara Pjević and Jakša Filipovac will perform, directed by Ana Grigorović. Composer David Chesky unveils his most complex and moving work to date, Three Psalms for String Orchestra. This contemplative yet ultimately uplifting work details the discovery of an inner journey. The three psalms lead the listener from spiritual crisis and resignation to reconstruction and, finally, acceptance of the universal. The piece's ethereal momentum builds slowly as its expressive climax is captured with the greatest possible level of detail, intimacy, and accuracy. Three Psalms is a rewarding and emotionally profound listening experience that will delight modern music fans. The theme Portraits and memories refer to memories of suffering during the Second World War, and composers have the opportunity to contribute to world cultural heritage in the field of preserving the memory of the victims of the Holocaust, but also honoring those who opposed it. This concept aims to raise awareness of the necessity of promoting education, research, remembrance, and talk about the Holocaust at the highest artistic level by engaging young, talented artists of the most diverse profiles and nationalities, and in this segment, Rossi Fest particularly deepens one of its basic goals, which is in the development of the spirit of tolerance, mutual respect and trust. ​ ​ Performers: Jewish Chamber Orchestra conductor: Radan Jovanović ballet soloists: Tamara Pjević, Jakša Filipovac scenographer: Dunja Kostić director: Ana Grigorović ​ ​ Jevrejski kamerni orkestar Jevrejski kamerni orkestar osnovao je 2012. godine violončeista Ladislav Mezei, u saradnji sa B'nei B'rit ložom Srbije, a članovi orkestra su profesionalni muzičari jevrejskog porekla i njihovih prijatelji. Primarni cilj orkestra predstavljanje muzike jevrejskih kompozitora, kao i drugih kompozitora čija su dela inspirisana jevrejskim temama, a interpretacija orkestra povezana je sa tradicijom, kulturom i istorijom jevrejske zajednice u Srbiji. Radan Jovanović, dirigent Radan Jovanović (1990, Sremska Mitrovica) je pijanista i dirigent. Kao dirigent je sarađivao sa renomiranim simfonijskim ansamblima u Srbiji, kao što su Beogradska filharmonija i Simfonijski orkestar RTS. Kao dirigent i pijanista (solo, u okviru kamernih ansambala i kao klavirski saradnik) je nastupao širom Srbije, kao i u Italiji, Nemačkoj, Belgiji, Rumuniji, Bosni i Hercegovinii i Hrvatskoj. Takođe je dirigovao i drugim domaćim i inostranim ansamblima kao što su Kamerata Kronstadt (Brašov, Rumunija), Dubrovački simfonijski orkestar, Orkestar sto mladih (Italija), Ansambl za novu muziku Gradilište i Jevrejski kamerni orkestar (Beograd). Radio je i kao horovođa sa Horom Obilić AKUD Branko Krsmanović i Horom Braća Baruh . Završio je osnovne i master studije na FMU u Beogradu na Odseku za klavir u klasi Ninoslava Živkovića. Kasnije se usavršavao kao dirigent. Osnivač je, umetnički direktor i šef dirigent SO Beogradski simfoničari . Sa ovim ansamblom je ostvario brojna izvođenja instrumentalnih i vokalno-instrumentalnih dela, koja uključuju i završne koncerte pijanističkog takmičenja Memorijal Isidor Bajić u Novom Sadu i takmičenja za pevače Lazar Jovanović u Beogradu. U saradnji sa Beogradskim simfoničarima i Horom Obilić AKUD Branko Krsmanović je dirigovao beogradsku premijeru Rekvijema Mihaela Hajdna u Teatru Madlenianum (2018). Od 2023. godine radi kao umetnički saradnik (klavirska saradnja) na Fakultetu umetnosti Univerziteta u Prištini sa privremenim sedištem u Kosovskoj Mitrovici.

Concert: Portraits and Remembrance Thursday, January 27th, 8 P.M. Belgrade National Museum ​ At the festival's opening concert, on January 27, the works of the five finalists of the fifth Competition for young composers "Portraits and Memories" will be presented - on January 27th, commemorating World Holocaust Remembrance Day. The pieces from this year's edition of the competition are mostly inspired by the story and letters of Hilda Deich, which give a new perspective on the general social situation at her time and her experience in the Sajmište camp. By putting the spotlight on this topic, Rossi Fest continues its cultural mission and makes a significant contribution to the world's cultural heritage in the field of preserving the culture of memory. The finalists of the Competition, selected by the Artistic Committee of the Festival, come from four countries, and the fantastic Aratos Trio will perform their pieces in the Atrium of the National Museum in Belgrade. ​ PROGRAM: Gavin Sol Goodrich (SAD): Hilda and Mirjana’s Last Encounter Lazar Marić (Srbija): The cry of Hilda Dajč Zach Gulaboff Davis (SAD, Makedonija) : Unfurl Lazar Đorđević (Srbija): Letters from Semlin Braha Bdil (Izrael) : Metamorphosis on the Theme of Hava Nagila Performers: Aratos trio: Katarina Popović, violina Mihailo Samoran, klarinet Vanja Šćepanović, klavir Hilda Dajč - Jelena Puzić, glumica Režija – Ana Grigorović ​ 1/4 Aratos trio Aratos Trio was formed in 2014. by Katarina Popović (violin), Mihailo Samoran (clarinet) and Vanja Šćepanović (piano). As already individually accomplished professional musicians, trio members have enrolled in artistic doctoral studies at the Faculty of Music, University of Arts in Belgrade (Serbia) being gathered around the idea of promoting the clarinet trio as a full-fledged and, in a way, 'standard' chamber music ensemble, different but equal to the more traditional ensembles such as piano trio or string quartet. The trio has been engaged in the artistic research of clarinet trio repertoire with a special focus on music written in the late 20th and 21st centuries, especially music composed by Serbian authors. Their repertoire includes a number of pieces, including the most important early works written for clarinet trio by composers such as Bela Bartok, Igor Stravinsky, Aram Khachaturian, Gian Carlo Menotti, Darius Milhaud, Alexander Arutiunian, etc., some of which are considered to be the most significant pieces in chamber music history. Next to performing already existing pieces by Ivan Brkljačić, Vladimir Tošić, Milana Stojadinović Milić, Dragana Jovanović, Isidora Žebeljan, Ante Grgin (who dedicated his Trio for clarinet, violin, and piano to Aratos Trio) and other Serbian composers. Aratos Trio is investigating possibilities for the newest additions to the clarinet trio repertoire through collaboration with various contemporary composers. Since its inception, Aratos Trio has presented at least 15 clarinet trio pieces for the first time in front of a Serbian audience, thus positioning itself as a fresh and innovative ensemble on the Serbian classical music scene. The performances of the Aratos Trio were observed in concert podiums throughout Serbia and Italy. In August 2017, Aratos Trio participated at the International Music Festivals Nei Suoni dei Luoghi and Carniarmonie, both in Italy. Recognized as the best ensemble by the director of the festival and famous cellist, Mr. Enrico Bronzi, Aratos Trio was honored to close the Nei Suoni dei Luoghi Festival in Giuseppe Verdi Theatre in Trieste - Italy, in November 2018. Aratos Trio's projects are recognized and supported by SOKOJ and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia. Gavin Sol Goodrich - Hilda and Mirjana’s Last Encounter Gavin Sol Goodrich is a composer and concert pianist. Hailing from Washington State, his works have been performed by Ekmeles, International Contemporary Ensemble, and Vibraphone Project Inc. He graduated from Columbia University with honors with degrees in mathematics and music. Under the advisement of Georg Friedrich Haas, his senior thesis focused on writing 15th-century polyphony in microtonal systems. He is currently working in Spain on a Fulbright grant. Hilda and Mirjana’s Last Encounter I wrote this work when my mom was dying, after she lost her ability to speak, and all I could do was hold her hand in silence. This trio is my attempt at understanding Mirjana’s thoughts as she met Hilda for the last time, knowing she was meeting a dying loved one and doing her best to comfort her without words. This piece is me trying to glimpse into one of the saddest moments of a stranger’s life and attempting to see through my own grief by connecting with Mirjana’s wordless goodbye. Lazar Marić - The cry of Hilda Dajč Lazar Marić (2001) is a composition student at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade. He received his primary musical education at the "Stevan Hristić" music school in Kruševac. After that, he enrolled in the "Stevan Mokranjac" high school of music in Kraljevo in the instrumental department - majoring in piano. He graduates high school as the best student of his generation and he enrolls in composition studies at the Faculty of Music in the class of professor Dragan Latinčić. His pieces were performed at concerts and festivals, such as KoMA'17, KoMA'18, and FESTUM. The cry of Hilda Dajč The cry of Hilde Dajč is an instrumental piece inspired by Hilda Dajč letters in which she described the suffering of innocent civilians in a Nazi concentration camp. Through the sound of the clarinet, violin, and piano, as well as in complex compositional and technical procedures, all the suffering, perseverance, and personal struggle of a young Jewish woman are depicted. The description of the struggle of a young Jewish woman is reflected, both in terms of form, as well as on the harmonic-melodic level, which is the result of deep research into the sound possibilities of instruments. Zach Gulaboff Davis - Unfurl Described as “beautiful, lyrical” and brimming with “unexpected harmonic shifts,” the music of Macedonian-American composer Zach Gulaboff Davis centers on the expressive and dramatic possibilities of compositional narrative. A 2023 MacDowell Fellow, Zach maintains an active schedule as a composer and collaborator across the globe. Zach has partnered with a plethora of organizations and performers ranging from NASA’s Space Science Telescope Institute, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, to NYC’s Apotheosis Opera, and has completed residencies at the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, Atlantic Center, Brevard Institute, Bowdoin International Music Festival, and Canada’s Arcady Ensemble, most recently serving as the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation Creative Fellow for Composition at Millay Arts. Unfurl This work was penned as a homage, honoring the remembrance of World War II while providing a ray of hope and optimism for a brighter future. It is my dream that this work serves not only as a marker of the past but inspires some small spark of hope for a trajectory toward peace. As the work unfolds, listen for changes in texture and character, eventually returning to a climax reminiscent of the opening. Lazar Đorđević - Letters from Semlin Lazar Djordjevic was born in 1992 in Kragujevac. The compositions by Lazar Djordjevic were performed several times in the country and abroad. He was a participant in many festivals such as the International Review of Composers in Belgrade, Rossi fest, KOMA festival (for young authors), Festum, etc. For the composition Jednom sam negde čuo... for clarinet, accordion, and string quartet (2016) he received an international award for the best composition at the contest New Serbian Music for the Accordion at the International Festival of Accordions Eufonija. He is a prize-winner from the Stevan Hristic Foundation in 2015 and Josip Slavenski Foundation in 2017. He is the author of the first Serbian concerto for accordion and orchestra, which premiered in 2017. Lazar Đorđević is currently employed as an assistant at the Department of Music Theory at the Faculty of Music Arts in Belgrade. Letters from Semlin The piece Letters from Semlin for violin, clarinet, and piano was composed at the end of 2022 and is dedicated to the Aratos Trio and Rossi Fest. The main inspiration for the creation of the work was four letters written by Hilda Deich in December 1941. Letters assigned to friends Nada Novak and Mirjana Petrović are written evidence of the last months of the life of 20-year-old Hilda, who volunteered to work as a nurse in the camp at the Belgrade Sajmište. The musical narrative follows the content of the letters, therefore four larger units can be discerned when it comes to the musical form. The idea of ​​the piece is to present the courage and humanity of young Hilda Deich through musical means and to once again revive the memory of the innocent victims of the Holocaust. Brcaha Bdil - Metamorphosis on the Theme of Hava Nagila Composer, conductor, and pianist has a Master's degree in Music Education and Composition from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. Bracha was awarded the 2019-2020 ACUM Award, in Israel, won the first prize in the Wolf Durmashkin Composition Award, Germany (2018), and the first prize in the Yardena Alotin Composition Competition, Bar-Ilan University, Israel (2016). Her repertoire includes orchestral music, chamber, vocal and electronic music, as well as music for dance and theater. Metamorphosis of "Hava Nagila" (Let's Rejoice) The work seems to follow the caricature of the writings of Hilda Dajč, a Jewish girl, born in Belgrade, who perished in the Holocaust. Her first letter to her friend was optimistic as it was written the day before her exile to Sajmište camp, as well as the presentation of the melody "Hava Nagila" in a dance klezmer style. The following letters, which are addressed to various friends, contain impressions of the difficult camp life, and in accordance with their content - the music also becomes more expressive and dramatic and sometimes sounds like a kind of prayer. During the war, Hilda Dajč volunteered for nursing services on her own initiative, served as a nurse in the Jewish hospital in Belgrade, and despite the despair and anxiety - continued her activities in the camp as well. Metamorphosis of "Hava Nagila" - as a tribute to Dajč - strives to paint a portrait of memory interwoven with the hope, to perpetuate the Jewish-Hebrew heritage in an optimistic tone. Through the expressive variations, the dance melody alternately floats and rises and even signs the composition. Despite the many attempts at "final solutions" to the destruction of the Jewish nation – it is still alive, exists, and continues to draw its historical portrait.