THE 800TH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE AUTOCEPHALY OF
THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
1219-2019
BOSTON
PERFORMERS
George N. Koldzic, Artistic Director
Milica Vlajkovic, Singing Director
Established in 1999, the Boston-based group of folk enthusiasts has quickly became known for its original choreographies, elaborate costumes, polished style, and attention to detail. Founded and directed by George N. Koldzic, formerly a soloist with the Krsmanovich National folk Dance Ensemble in Belgrade, Grachantisa is proudly celebrating their 20th anniversary this year.
Madlen Stokic Vasiljevic, violine
Milos Nikolic, clarinet and kaval
Maja Mihic, piano
Trio “Pokret” is an innovative, creative music ensemble, founded in 2010 in Belgrade, Serbia. The main focus of the trio is the music of the 21st century and the constant search for new sounds, new meanings and ways of interpretation. The name of the trio is a serbian word for “movement” or “motion” and it signifies a constant intention to motivate authors to write new music for the ensemble. The performing activities of the trio and collaboration with many composers have brought trio Pokret into the very center of the Serbian contemporary music scene. The trio has performed at several important festivals in Serbia, to mention but a few: The International Review of Composers in Belgade, NIMUS (Niš music festival), Tisin cvet (music festival in Novi Kneževac) etc. They have performed in Rome, Narni, Ascoli (Italy), Munich (Germany), Paris (France) and in many neighbouring countries: Macedonia, Slovenia, Croatia. By constant comissioning of new works, and under the patronage of SOKOJ (Serbian music authors' organization), trio Pokret has enriched the modern serbian chamber music literature.
The members of the trio are renowned musicians with independent solo careers in different fields. Madlen Stokić Vasiljević holds the DMA title in violin performance. She is active as solo and chamber musician, and has performed throughout Europe (Italy, United Kingdom, Austria, Czech Republic…) She is an assistant professor at Belgrade Faculty of Music and is considered as one of the most acknowledged representatives of younger generation of violinists who work and perform in the country. Miloš Nikolić, clarinet is very active in different fields of music: he holds the DMA title in clarinet performance, he is engaged in the field of traditional serbian music, and has special interest in early byzantine music. He is a professor of traditional music and traditional instruments such as kaval or pipehorn. Maja Mihić, piano, also bears the DMA title in performance as well as numerous prizes in piano competitions. She enjoys a varied career as a solo and chamber musician (piano duo, trio, duo with cello etc.) and is recognized for her subtle performances of the french impressionism. Each of the members brings individual energy to the trio, making each performance a uniqe experience. Together, they create inspiring program each season, and they have been awarded the “Concert of the year” prize for their original multimedia concert in Belgrade. In 2019 Trio Pokret received prestigious award “Aleksandar Pavlovic”, for promoting Serbian contemporary music abroad.
The Serbian Singing Society “Lira” was established in 2018. That same year, the choir joined the Serbian Singing Federation. In its first months of existence, the choir has distinguished itself by preparing an artistically demanding liturgical and cultural program for the celebration of the centennial of the end of the First World War and the flying of the Serbian Flag at the White House. “Lira” serves as the liturgical choir of St. Luke Serbian Orthodox Church and also has regular concert performances both in the Serbian Church and in the Pan Orthodox community. Its director is Popadija Jelena Vranic and the first president is Colleen Bizic.
Katarina Radivojević is a Serbian award-winning actress with a career in film, television and theatre. She was born on March 29, 1979, in Belgrade, Serbia. Radivojević holds master degree in acting from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, University of Arts in Belgrade.
Radivojević started her acting career as a child at the age of eleven in the film Policajac sa Petlovog brda (The Policeman from the Rooster Hill, 1992), but her film career began in earnest a decade later with the film Lavirint (Labyrinth, 2002). Her first leading role was in the film Zona Zamfirova (2002), the most-watched film in the Balkan region. That same year, she won a 2003 FIPRESCI Award for best leading actress in a film Zona Zamfirova. Radivojević also starred in a title role in film Čarlston za Ognjenku (Charleston and Vendetta, 2008), the most expensive movie production to date in Serbia.
Radivojević has starred in numerous films and TV series in Serbia and Southeast Europe and her film and television credits include the hits Pljačka trećeg rajha (The Robbery of the Third Reich, 2004), Die Last, Die Better (Greek-German co-production, 2004), Potera za Srećkom (The Happy One, 2005), S.O.S. (Save Our Souls, 2005), Ljubav i mržnja (Love and Hate, 2007-2008), Morfiy (Morphine, Russian film, 2008), Čarlston za Ognjenku (Charleston and Vendetta, 2008), Sva ta ravnica (All That Fields, 2009), Najbolje godine (The Best Years, Croatian TV series, 2009-2011), Urgentni centar (ER, Serbian version of an American medical drama television series, 2014), Ubice mog oca (My Father's Killers, 2016) etc.
Radivojević has also starred in numerous theater productions. Her stage work includes plays in Belgrade at the National Theater, the Cult Theater, and the Madlenianum Theater. Katarina had starring roles in Comedians, The Two Gentleman of Verona, The Sweet Lips of Youth, The Taming of the Shrew, and The Lady from Maxim. In 2009 Radivojević made her American debut in the play Painkillers in New York, and the Weeping Game was her second Off Broadway show preformed in 2010. In 2016 she performed in the play Skin of honey in Macha Teater in Los Angeles.
In 2018 Radivojević served as Jury member of the 46th FEST – International Film Festival in Belgrade.
She is living in New York City and working in Consulate General of Republic of Serbia as cultural activity coordinator.
Srdjan Maksimovic is a second-year full-time Ph.D. student at Fordham University, in NYC where he specializes in Bible, Christianity in Antiquity, and the International Politics of Migration.
Srdjan was born in Belgrade, Serbia in 1992. As a 2012 Valedictorian graduate from a Serbian Orthodox Seminary in Republika Srpska, he received his Bachelor's degree in Theology from the Saint Sava School of Theology in Libertyville, IL in 2016.
Srdjan continued his education by pursuing a Master of Theology through the Boston Theological Institute at the Greek Orthodox School of Theology and Harvard Divinity School, which he completed in 2018 with the highest distinction of 4.0 GPA. He successfully defended his thesis 'The Incident at Antioch in Galatians 2: A Multifaceted Biblical Narrative', under Dr. Brad Braxton (Harvard University), Dr. Bruce Beck (HCHC), and Fr. George Dragas (HCHC).
Srdjan is currently a New Testament Teaching Assistant at Fordham University; editor and translator for Public Orthodoxy, the blog of the Orthodox Christian Studies Center, as well as an active chanter at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Parish in New York City. He has recently taken on significant positions within the Orthodox Christian Fellowship, the Pan-Orthodox Ministries on Homelessness, and is working closely with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
This past summer, Srdjan spent at the Sorbonne University in Paris, improving his French. Currently, he is studying German, Coptic, Aramaic, and Syriac languages, which will help him establish and defend his Ph.D. Dissertation on the relationship between the Biblical narrative of Jesus Christ himself as a migrant in Egypt and the contemporary problem of refugees and mass migrations.
Besides Theology, Srdjan develops micro-hydropower plant projects related to renewable energy (i.e., nature-friendly and fish-friendly hydropower plants) as an active response to environmentally harmful energy sourcing. His motto implies information, formation, and transformation.
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