Bravura stars Made in Montenegro

After the concert of Tamara Rađenović, a Montenegrin soprano who has been conquering prestigious halls all over the world in recent years, the music program of the 33rd City Theater brought to its audience the other most important representatives of the new generation of Montenegrin musicians, for whom the gift opened the door to a great international career - violinist Luka Perazić, his sister, pianist Đina Perazić and cellist Kosta Popović.

With a bravura concert in the Church of Santa Maria, where we heard their exciting, inspired, fresh and exceptional performance of their top works - Sonata for Cello and Piano Op. 69 no.3 A major Beethoven, Sonata for violin and piano, A major C. Franck, Sonata for solo violin op.27 no.2, E. Ysaye, and Hungarian Rhapsody op.68 D. Popper, these young musicians they fully justified the festival title of their performance, "Stars Made in Montenegro".

Luka Perazić (2001) had his first performance with an orchestra at the age of 12, his first solo concert at the age of fifteen, and already in 2017 he was a participant in the renowned Verbier Festival in Switzerland, as a member of the Verbier Junior Festival Orchestra. In the same year, he started attending the Whitgift School in London, as a winner of a two-year scholarship at the Whitgift International Music Competition, in the class of Professor Ivo Stankov, as well as Junior Guilhall (GuildhallSchool of Music & Drama).

From this autumn, Luka Perazić will start his studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, as their scholarship holder, and his sister, Đina (1997), just had her graduation concert at the Music Academy in Munich (Hochschule für Musik und Theater München). , and is already a well-known pianist's name on the regional and European classical music scene.

"This concert at the Gradu Theater means a lot to us, because renowned musicians have always performed here, and it was an honor for us to present ourselves at such a festival. This was our first concert in Budva, the audience received us wonderfully, and we hope to be invited again. And our father, cellist Igor Perazić, played many times at the Gradu Teatr, in this same area of ​​the Santa Maria Church. We have wonderful memories from our childhood of those festival concerts of his, that's why it was a great and special pleasure for us that we were also participants of the City Theater", say Luka and Đina Perazić.

For Luka, who has already had a notable series of performances, the title of the concert in Budva "Stars Made in Montenegro" is only metaphorical.

"You shouldn't have a big ego, no matter what profession you're in, especially not in art. We will try to learn and do the best we can, and I think that is the most important thing. Thinking about whether you are a star or not, or trying to be treated by the public as a star, can only burden the artist".

Đina Perazić graduated from the academy in Munich with a degree in art and pedagogy (the academy trusted her by hiring her as an accompanist at the prestigious "Jugend Musiziert" competition, and she is currently employed as a piano teacher at the Music School "Adpianum" in Munich), she had a great number of notable performances, and was a participant of the prestigious "Klavierfestival" four years in a row, but she also does not think of herself as a star.

"I'm not in those relationships, and I don't know what it actually means to be a star. If that epithet means the most gifted and respected creators and virtuosos in the profession, then maybe one day we will be, among many other stars, because Montenegro has extremely talented musicians. Of course, on the condition that we continue to work and study seriously, because in classical music one learns for the whole life", she says.

Cellist Kosta Popović (2000) has also achieved great success in recent years, winner of a large number of awards at national and international competitions (he improved his skills at seminars of well-known pedagogues such as Aleksandar Rudin, Viktor Uzur, Rafael Valtiš, and at chamber music workshops with professor Peter Estwood , Tatjana Prelevic, Dmitri Prokofiev, Eva Faith, Reinhard Armleder).

He collaborated with prominent conductors such as Daniel Glineur and Anton Martinov, and since 2017, like Luka Perazić, he is a scholar of the Whitgift School and the prestigious Junior Guildhall School in London. From September of this year, he will continue his artistic training as a scholar at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, in the class of Professor Louise Hopkins.

"I am very happy about the concert, the audience was great, and it seems to me that we all had some additional inspiration for this performance. Maybe the title 'Star' is a little too strong, but in time, I hope I will have that feeling, and being a star for me means when the professional public appreciates you as a virtuoso", says Popović, emphasizing the importance of the London scholarship.

"First of all, it is important for us that in London the market is so big that there are places where young artists can perform in front of the audience every night, and a lot of things happen, precisely because that city is the center of both European and world art. Everyone who is engaged in any artistic creation can be involved in various events important for their commitment and profession, and young people like Luka and I can hear many incredible musicians who come from all countries of the world, who are the best in their instruments, which in itself is a great experience and a great school".

Popović performed at the Richmond upon Thames Performing Arts Festival, "Montenegrin culture symphony" (an artistic evening of artists living in London), on London stages such as Cadogan Hall, Milton Court, Charlton House, St. Mary Abbot Church, is also the winner of the Tim Posner special prize at the Whitgift String Competition, and in November 2018 he was a finalist in the prestigious Lutin Prize 2019 competition in London.

At the concert in Budva, he performed accompanied by his mother, pianist Nataša Popović, and as he says, his harshest critic is his father, professor Mladen Popović, in whose class he started learning cello at the age of six at the "Vasa Pavić" music school in Podgorica. .

"Everyone can applaud in the audience and be delighted, but if my father is also present, and if he doesn't see that I played well, it means that I wasn't that great after all. And I am grateful to him for that, very strict criticism, which directs me and which has been precious to me all these years", says Popović, emphasizing that the rare occasions when he can perform with his mother are a great joy for him.

Podgorica - London - Munich

Đina and her brother Luka point out that they would like to perform together more, and that the concert at the Gradu Theater was a wonderful opportunity for that, because their obligations during the year are big, and life on the routes Podgorica - London and Podgorica - Munich, despite the great opportunity to study and advance in the most prestigious academies, is not so easy and simple.

"In the West, a lot of playing is practiced, and young musicians really have great chances, because people there are very supportive of classical music, which is a significant part of their culture, and at the highest level. However, it is not easy to leave home, we would like to be here more often, but this is an exceptional opportunity that we have been given and that we must use to the best of our ability", emphasize Luka and Đina Perazić.

Another system of working and experiencing classical music

Pianist Nataša Popović says that through Luka and Đina Perazić, and her son, she sees Montenegrin students who went abroad for education, and realizes how much it means to them.

"There is a different system of working and experiencing classical music there, and I had the opportunity to meet those London professors, and to see how much they try their best to get the best out of those children. Even if they conclude that someone has the smallest percentage of gift, they help him develop it, and support him to achieve success. I also think that our students, who have acquired knowledge in prestigious schools abroad, should return here and raise Montenegrin culture to a higher level", says Popović, emphasizing that he sees his son Kosta more and more as an artist, even when they play together he tries harder and harder to be on his level.