Marko Kovač, the first classical music composer from Eastern Herzegovina, has been awarded the City of Belgrade’s “Despot Stefan Lazarević” prize for musical creation for the past year.
His awarded piece, Hilandar, Bells and Prayers for Piano and Symphony Orchestra, was commissioned by the Hilandar Monastery.
The work premiered last September in the Grand Hall of the Kolarac Foundation, performed by the RTS Symphony Orchestra under the baton of maestro Dejan Savić, with Kovač himself as soloist.
The “Despot Stefan Lazarević” award is presented annually by the City Assembly of Belgrade for the most outstanding achievement in the capital in various fields of art and science.
Kovač is the youngest composer to receive this prestigious honor. Previous laureates include renowned academics such as Dejan Despić, Vlastimir Trajković, and Ivan Jevtić.
Born in 1990 in Trebinje, Kovač completed elementary music school in his hometown. He attended the “Vasa Pavić” Music High School in Podgorica, majoring in piano under Professor Anka Asanović.
He earned both his undergraduate and master’s degrees in composition at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade under the mentorship of academician Isidora Žebeljan.
The awarded composition Hilandar, Bells and Prayers will also serve as his final doctoral artistic project.
Kovač’s works have been performed at festivals across 11 countries in Europe and Asia.
He currently works in Belgrade as a music producer for the RTS Symphony Orchestra, RTS Choir, Belgrade Philharmonic, and the television program I Love Classical Music.
Source: RTRS
