The 63rd Music Forum of the Croatian Society of Composers was officially opened on Friday at the Osijek Cultural Centre. The forum was inaugurated by a concert by Osijek’s Brevis Vocal Ensemble under the baton of Antoaneta Radočaj-Jerković, held in the Franjo Krežma Hall.
Brevis presented a programme previously performed at the Vienna Musikverein, featuring works composed specifically for the ensemble. The composers of the performed pieces were present at the concert. Almost all the works performed were commissioned, either for the opening of the Franjo Krežma Hall or for the ensemble’s anniversary concert held in Vienna on 5 July. The only exceptions were the last two works by Boris Papandopulo.
Antoaneta Radočaj-Jerković is the conductor of Brevis and a representative of Osijek Mayor Ivan Radić. The forum lasts three festival days, from 23 to 25 October, and the audience can look forward to seven concert programmes featuring contemporary Croatian music, premieres and various musical forms, alongside discussions and educational content.
On the first day, the audience had the opportunity to listen to guitarist Krešimir Bedek, who performed a solo programme of works by Croatian composers. The first evening was scheduled to conclude with a performance by saxophonist Lovro Merčep accompanied by electronics. Saturday brings a concert by tubist Krunoslav Babić and pianist Mija Elezović, followed by a performance by the Cantus Ensemble, with the evening concluding with a programme of audiovisual compositions. The finale of the forum on Sunday is reserved for Zagreb Philharmonic Brass, with the programme taking place at the Osijek Cultural Centre on Saturday and Sunday.
Tibor Szirovicza is marking ten years in the role of artistic director of the Music Forum this year, and the event has been held in Osijek for the sixth year. As a new feature this year, a symposium was held at the Academy of Music in Zagreb, where students from Zagreb and Osijek had the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the works performed at the Forum through analyses and meetings with performers, composers and conductors. Around forty to fifty participants gathered at the symposium, and the secretary-general of the Croatian Society of Composers is Antun Tomislav Šaban.
