Thanks to the love of music and enormous enthusiasm, the Budva City Music was born 120 years ago, when a story began that has grown into a city tradition and continues to this day.
The generations that came after the founders knew how to recognize, appreciate and preserve what a group of amateurs had started, and they did not allow the sound of trumpets, bombardinos, djènis, casas to be silenced...
The streets of Budva have somehow magically become accustomed to the thumping of the City Music and the sound that was interrupted only during the world wars, only for new generations to start socializing again through their love of brass music and the recognizable "sound of Budva".
The city music has become a trademark of the two and a half millennia-old city, and is the only amateur society that has managed to survive for more than a century, promoting the culture and Mediterranean spirit of Budva.
Members of the City Music Stanislava Rajković i Željko Vasović In an interview with "Vijesti", they point out that this year they are celebrating a significant anniversary - 120 years of existence.
“What is significant about this orchestra is that it has been operating continuously and that they only interrupted their work during the two world wars. The enthusiasm of the musicians from the beginning of the century has remained the same today. Back in 1886, the Croatian Cultural and Artistic Society Sloga was founded in Budva, which consisted of several sections: drama, recitation, choir and violin. A few years later, in 1894, within the same society, an unusual mixed tamburitza choir was founded, consisting of five girls. The first conductor of the tamburitza choir, which had 21 members, was Rudi Razbovski"The 'bleh' music section was founded in 1906, and Razbovski became the first bandmaster. He gathered about fifteen young men whom he patiently taught notes and how to play wind instruments," says Rajković.
Vasović recalls that in 1908, the Budva chronicler Pavo Mikula wrote - "twelve young men from Budva, dressed alike, walked through the city for the first time playing brass instruments."
"Under the leadership of the bandmaster Razbovski, the band performed until 1914, when it was suspended due to wartime circumstances. The Budva City Band resumed its work in 1920, and a Budva hairdresser and musician was appointed as the bandmaster." Anton - Tony ScutariThe salary for his work was provided by the budget of the Budva Municipality, which our fellow citizen, Dr., writes about in his book, Contribution on the Development of Tourism in Budva between the Two Wars (1918-1941). Miroslav Luketić. The band then had 17 members and performed at all significant events in Budva between the two wars. The band stopped working again in 1941 due to war circumstances. Throughout the Italian occupation, the people of Budva hid musical instruments and thus preserved them. Some of these instruments have been preserved to this day. After the war, a third state and a third beginning were established - in 1951. The school and rehearsals with old and new musicians were organized and led by Vjekoslav Luiđi JurićAfter a short time, he was succeeded by the Kotor composer and musician Tripo Thomas, and already in 1955 with the first post-war uniforms and a new chaplain Ljubo Urban who will lead the Budva City Music for 33 years and leave an indelible mark in the history of this society," emphasizes Vasović.
Recipients of the Order of Brotherhood and Unity and the November Award
He adds that by decree of the President of the SFRY Josip Broz Tito, Budva City Music was awarded the Order of Brotherhood and Unity with a silver wreath, and in 1976 it also received the November Award of the City of Budva.
"Pavel Velvet, a music professor from Poland, became the new conductor of the City Music in 1988. His arrival changed the musical experience and repertoire of the orchestra. In addition to traditional marches and marches, the repertoire was supplemented with popular melodies, jazz, polkas and waltzes. Joint concerts with the music of Kotor and Tivat followed, as well as significant guest appearances abroad, among which participation in the Battaglia delle arance festival in Ivrea, Italy, and the celebration of Russia Day in St. Petersburg, where the City Music was a guest as the only amateur orchestra, "said Vasović.
The story of the City Music, according to Rajković, continues in October 2006, when he takes over the baton. Ana Brajak Molčanov, while in 2009 Pavel Aksamit returned to lead the orchestra.
"After his departure in 2012, the music was left without a conductor. To everyone's satisfaction, in 2014, Professor Radovan PapovicHowever, at the end of the year, the music was again left without a conductor until February 2016, when the musicians were led by a professor as a conductor. Momir PetričevićIn June of the same year, the orchestra celebrated its 110th anniversary. The jubilee was celebrated with an exhibition at the Stefan Mitrov Ljubiša Memorial House, entitled The Duration of Past Times as a Collector's and Author's Work of a Distinguished Colleague The Battle of Svitlice"A ceremonial parade of seven guest orchestras was organized," says Rajković.
As he adds, in October 2016 he will take over the position of the headmaster. Sasa Mandic from Đenovići, a big fan of brass music.
“Under his leadership, the concert repertoire was innovated and the City Music began to perform revue repertoire. The orchestra performs 20th century evergreens from various musical genres. After his sudden death in January 2018, the orchestra arranged cooperation with the current conductor, clarinet professor, Milutin Barbula. The repertoire introduced by Mandić is now being perfected and the range of musical genres is expanding. From marches, polkas, waltzes, we have come to a repertoire that includes pop, rock, film music, metal... In addition to local festivals, celebrations of national and local holidays, the City Music performs in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Sarajevo, Stolac, Tirana, Ljubljana, Montana - Bulgaria, Banja Luka, Makarska, Lovran, Opatija, Vienna, Izmit. The City Music is the first orchestra to perform on the territory of Asia. The tradition continues with the same enthusiasm. New generations of young people come, who return to the orchestra after completing their studies. They are welcomed by new young generations, and thus the City Music maintains continuity that maintains and inherits the culture of their city", emphasizes Rajković.
A documentary is also being prepared in the jubilee year
According to Stanislava Rajković, the celebration of 120 years of the existence and work of the City Orchestra will mark the entire year of 2026.
"We are planning various activities and our team has been working hard on it since September. We plan to write a monograph, organize a photo exhibition covering the period from the founding of the orchestra to the present day. In cooperation with locals and institutions of cultural importance, as well as the Archives, we have come across extremely valuable data about the orchestra since its very founding. We focused mostly on the period up to 1950, because data from more recent times is easier to obtain. Preparations are underway for the filming of a documentary film in cooperation with an eminent production company," Rajković emphasized.
As he adds, they will begin the musical part of the celebration in the spring, starting with a ceremonial parade where they will host colleagues from neighboring cities and abroad, and ending with concerts planned on the stage in front of the walls of the Old Town.
"We have reserved September just for us, so we will delight our fellow citizens with a special concert at an extremely attractive location, which we will not reveal yet, and at the ceremonial Academy we will give importance to all colleagues, former members, partners...", emphasized Rajković.
She especially thanked the Municipality of Budva, emphasizing that the budget for supporting the jubilee celebration was planned at 70 thousand euros. “I would like to highlight the exceptional cooperation with the President of the Municipality of Budva, Nikola Jovanović, who from the very beginning showed exceptional understanding for our orchestra and provided us with selfless support for our further work.”
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