International string festival
Guarneri fest
Open Balkan
20th - 23nd may 2025
Banja Koviljaca
We inform the competitors and colleagues that the first stage of the Guarneri Fest for Montenegro will be held from April 25-27 at the "Vida Matijan" Music School in Kotor, and for Bosnia and Herzegovina on May 10 and 11 at the "Vojin Komadina" Music School. in Zvornik.
The finale with the Chamber Orchestra is planned for May 22, 2025.
The official piano associate of Guarneri Fest is Prof. Nikola Damjan Djokic. - Contact
Fortune favors the brave and devoted!
There is a little time left for our dreams to come true. After twenty five years of devoted pedagogical work, over five hundered participants, countless etude and concerts, Guarneri Festival has reached light of the day.
The Guarneri fest is built of the experienced and enthusiastic people who are working hard to make better changes in the world of young string players. Our team is composed of professional musicians, experienced and internationally recognized pedagogues. The goal of Guarneri fest is to set up stable foundations for the international competition of violin, viola, cello and double bass of Balkan countries. We want to transform the knowledge and acquired experience into mutual benefit and enjoyment, to set up a tradition that respects and rewards the work of the students and their professors.
The Guarneri Festival will be held in the romatic area of Royal Banja Koviljaca. The young sring players will have a chance to perform in the famous royal hall of "Kur-salon" and newly build Educational and Trustic Center of Tršić, a birthplace of the greatest Serbian reformer Vuk Stefanović Karadžic. We will enjoy the nature wonders of river Drina and mountian Gučevo.
During the four days of the Guarneri Fest competition the young string players will be evaluated by the international jury, composed of eminent professors and artists from Russia-Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. The supervisor of the festival will be Vladimir Marković, artistic director of the Guarneri Fest.
The absolute winner of the Guarneri Fest will receive the award of performing as a soloist with the Subotica Symphony Orchestra, as well as a master-crafted instrument for permanent ownership from renowned maker Orcet Ilioski of North Macedonia, along with numerous other prizes from sponsors.
The idea of creating a Guarneri Fest
For more than 25 years, Banja Koviljaca has been a place for the development of young talents through masterclasses of eminent professors. The original creators of the Festival are Dr. Prof. Vladimir Marković, violinist and MA prof. Julijana Šulović, pianist, who wanted to enrich the cultural content of this wonderful region and give a new chance to future generations.
prof. dr. Vladimir Marković
Director
Vladimir Markovic gained his primary musical education in his birthplace, Pristina and continued at the School for Talents in Ćuprija, Serbia. At the age of 14, he has enrolled at the Academy of Music in Novi Sad with prof. Pavel Vernikov, and he has completed his further education at the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Music College (with prof. M. Glezarova) and Moscow Conservatory (with prof. S. Kravchenko). He obtained his master’s degree at the University of East Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (with prof. I. Jasvili) and he received his Ph.D.at the University of Slobomir (Bijeljina, BiH).
Vladimir Markovic is a winner of various musical competitions of the former Soviet Union and former Yugoslavia.
He has performed in Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Greece, Cyprus, Serbia and has collaborated with conductors such as Rudolf Barshai, Konstantin Krimets, Pavel Kogan.
He was also a concertmaster of the Chamber Orchestra Virtuosi di Kuhmo in Finland, Chamber Orchestra Sinfonietta Belgrade and Chamber Orchestra Royal Strings of St. George.
Vladimir Marković is actively engaged in educational activities and participates at the jury of the competitions in Serbia and abroad. He is the head of the String Department at the Music Academy of the University of East Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina and teaches at the Slobomir University in Bijeljina and at the “Mokranjac” School of Music in Belgrade.
mr prof. Julijana Šulović
Art Director and PR
Julijana Shulovic started playing the piano at the age of five at the “Josip Slavenski” Music School in Belgrade, where she completed her primary and secondary musical education with Prof. Dragana Trajic. She graduated at the Belgrade Music Art University with Prof. Igor Lazko and Prof. Jasmina Gavrilovic. She obtained her specialization and post graduate degree at the “P. I. Tchaikovsky” Conservatory in Moscow with prof Mihail Voskresensky.
She is the winner of several State Piano Competitions in former Yugoslavia and her concert career includes performances as a soloist and a chamber musician in prominent concert halls in the countries of former Yugoslavia, as well as in Russia, Estonia, Italy, Great Britain, Romania, Greece, etc.
Prof Shulovic recorded for radio and TV Belgrade, TV Novi Sad (Serbia) and Radio Skopje (FYR Macedonia). Her recorded materials include a CD with cellist Mileta Stankovic, DVDs titled “Favorite Violin Concertos for the Primary Music School” and “Sonatas for Violin and Piano” with the violinist Vladimir Markovic and a DVD performing baroque sonatas with several young violinists.
Mrs J. Shulovic was also the complete author of several TV music broadcasts (for Mozart’s and Brahms anniversaries), Belgrade Music Festival and TV interviews with Yuri Bashmet, Misha Maisky and Gidon Kremer.
Julijana Shulovic lectures at the East Sarajevo Music Academy and “S. Mokranjac” Music school in Belgrade.
Hosts of the Guarneri Fest
Ball hall "Kur-salon", Banja Koviljaca
The unique architectural building, the "Kur-salon" in Banja Koviljaca, was built during the reign of King Alexander I Karađorđević, in the early 1930s. Its beauty, gracefulness, and functionalityare far more famous and recognizable.
Today, "Kur-salon" is managed and maintained by the Special Hospital for Rehabilitation of Banja Koviljaca. The head of the Special Hospital is primaries, dr. Aleksandar Jokić. This elite medical institution for the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of children and adults is the most famous medical institution in Serbia and the region. More than 22,000 patients go through it annually.
In addition to treatment, the Special Hospital for Rehabilitation of Banja Koviljaca hosts a well-known art colony, and a documentary film festival dedicated to the famous movie director Saša Petrović.
Upcoming Guarneri fest will complement the cultural content of Banja Koviljaca and reintroduce classical music to the Ball hall "Kur-salon".
Hotel "Zlatni san" - Banja Koviljaca
Hotel is located in the center of Banja Koviljaca. It has 52 beds in comfortable rooms and suites. It is located close to the spa park and the Kur-salon ball room. It has housed students of Professor Vladimir Markovic's violin school for years.
Guarneri fest, opportunity to get new instruments!
The Open Balkan - Guarneri Fest will be a unique opportunity for different schools of violin, viola, cello and double bass to unite and set the new standards in working with young and talented musicians. The Guarneri Fest will be the place of meeting of music pedagogues, string professors, and luthiers.
During the Guarneri Fest, every candidate will have a chance to check and or even repair their instrument. The candidates will have an opportunity to try master instruments. The luthiers will present their work and string instruments accessories and offer a 20% discount for any purchased article during the Guarneri Fest.
