A concert marking the 10th anniversary of “Rock Symphony” will be held tonight at Banski Dvor, starting at 8 p.m., the same venue where their first performance took place in 2014.
What began as a personal project by a group of Banja Luka rock and classical music enthusiasts planning to hold just one concert has now evolved into a regionally recognized musical endeavor with numerous performances across the region. The symphony has collaborated with musicians like Dejan Cukić, Marko Šelić Marčelo, Dr. Nele Karajlić, Dejan Najdanović Najda, and many others.
Tonight’s concert will feature local guests like Stefan Nikić (“Balkan Express”), “Roksići” (the children’s choir of the Rock Symphony Music Atelier), Milan Sikimić (“Fusion Railroad”), and “Baba Džeks Tribe.” Former members of “Rock Symphony” will also join to celebrate the anniversary.
Guitarist and founder Dragan Moconja says this concert is a testament to the musicians’ maturity and experience acquired over the past ten years of “Rock Symphony.”
“We’ve prepared an entirely new repertoire for this anniversary concert that is both musically and technically challenging, to showcase the maturity we’ve achieved over the years. Memories of the beginnings of ‘Rock Symphony’ are filled with pride, as it was an extraordinary undertaking, especially at the time, and I believe that ‘Rock Symphony’ has always been something greater than ourselves. The project has continuously evolved, and the musicians enjoy the artistic freedom this project provides,” said Moconja.
The “Rock Symphony” project includes a classical rock setup—drums, bass, guitar, and vocals—but also features a full ensemble of around forty musicians, ranging from strings and brass to percussion, keyboards, and backing vocals. Conductor Dušan Vere Urošević, who has directed the group’s sound for years, recalls that his initial encounter with drummer Dražen Kopuz, with his black outfit and green hair, was intimidating, though Kopuz turned out to be anything but frightening.
“In all honesty, I was a little taken aback when I first met Dražen Kopuz, dressed in all black with green hair. But, as it turned out, he was the opposite of intimidating. Behind us are hundreds of hours of rehearsals and dozens of concerts, creating a repertoire we could play for six hours without pause. It wasn’t easy, as it was a challenge not to be swept up by the energy of those 40 talented musicians but instead stay focused, guide them, and bring my own touch to their performance,” said Urošević.
One of the vocalists, Vanja Cvijanović, described “Rock Symphony” as pure energy and an incredible thrill on stage, with so many musicians playing as one. Concertmaster Lidija Pejaković calls it pure musical magic—a group of young people channeling their love and energy into creating something new and harmoniously blending their temperaments, tastes, and ideas.
Over a decade, “Rock Symphony” has built a rich repertoire of songs across genres, from hard rock and metal to film scores, electro-pop, and hip-hop, performed with a symphony orchestra in an authentic and captivating manner.
Atelier
One of the offshoots of “Rock Symphony” is its music atelier, where Dražen and Kristina Moconja, Vanja Cvijanović, Stefan Nikić, and Duško Cikota run a music school for young music lovers. According to Moconja, this educational work is a way of creating a future and guiding children in the right direction.
“The Rock Symphony Music Atelier is relatively young, but we can confidently say that the future of these young people will be on a better level,” said Moconja.
Source: Glas Srpske
