Guests 2023
Ubuntu Guitarfest 2023 Guests
Roman Viazovskiy was born in 1974 in Donetsk, Ukraine. He studied guitar with Viktor Kriwenko and Walerij Iwko and conducting with Ludmila Popowa and Vladimir Viazovskiy in Donetsk. In 1995 he received a scholarship from the President of Ukraine for outstanding artistic achievements. After graduating in 1996, he began his postgraduate studies with Prof. Reinbert Evers at the Music Academy in Detmold, Munster Campus. He completed his studies at the Cologne Music Academy, Aachen Campus with Prof. Tadashi Sasaki.
Roman Viazovskiy has won prizes in numerous national and international competitions. Concert commitments have led him to almost every European country, to the Near East, the USA, South America, to Japan, China, Thailand and to the most important guitar festivals. As a soloist he has played in renowned concert halls, including the National Philharmonic of the Ukraine in Kiev, the Bunka Kaikan Recital Hall and Hakuju Concert Hall in Tokio, Taiwan’s National Theater and National Concert Hall in Taipei, the Claude-Champagne Hall in Montreal and the Concertgebouw in Brugges. In March 2007, he had his debut at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall of the Moscow Philharmonic.
Roman Viazovskiy has received many international awards, and he is fellow of the GWK, Münster/Westfalia. He has taken part in numerous radio and television broadcasts in the Ukraine, Germany, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Hungary and Japan. 2001 saw the release of his debut CD, “Fatum”, in 2006 his CD “Sonatas”, in 2011 “Zeitenwanderer/Wanderer in Time” and 2021 his album “VIAMARIN” was published.
Roman Viazovskiy is initiator and artistic director of the Heinsberg International Guitar Festival & Competition (www.guitar-festival.com).
Roman Viazovskiy has received a plethora of national and international awards:
– 1993. International Guitar Contest Zory, Poland (1. Prize)
– 1994. International Guitar Contest Tychy, Poland (2. Prize)
– 1997. International Guitar Contest Weikersheim, Germany (1. Prize)
– 1997. International Guitar Contest of Tredrez-Locquemau, France (2. Prize)
– 1997. GWK Young Artists Award, Muenster, Germany
– 1998. Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe, Germany (1. Prize)
– 1999. 42. Tokyo International Guitar Contest, Japan (1. Prize)
– 2000. Music Promotion Competition Aachen, Germany (1. Prize)
– 2001 -34. International Guitar Contest “Michele Pittaluga” Alessandria, Italy (2. Prize)
– 2002. 18. International Guitar Contest “Andres Segovia” Almunecar, Spain (2. Prize)
– 2003. 8. International Guitar Contest “Guitar Forum Wien”, Austria (1. Prize)
– 2003. 5. International Guitar Contest Sernancelhe, Portugal (1. Prize)
– 2004. 22. International Guitar Contest “Guitar Foundation of America” Montreal, Canada (2. Prize)
As a winner of 2013 Guitar Foundation of America Competition and more than 20 other prestigious contests around the globe, Russian guitarist Anton
Baranov has established himself as one of the leading guitarists of today.
His performances in a number of distinguished halls such as Carnegie Hall in New York, Mariinsky Concert Hall in St. Petersburg, Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, Centenario Hall in Beijing have been described by musical critics as “pure magic” (Cleveland Classical), and “manages to paint beautiful sound pictures of rich depth and color with his guitar.” (The Guitar). Besides his concert activity Anton Baranov gives masterclasses at McGill University in Montreal, South Vietnam Conservatory in Ho Chi Minh City, Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in Tallinn and other institutions.
Baranov’s recordings include one album for Naxos Classical and a CD for Contrastes Records. Naxos release of Latin American Guitar Sonatas received American Classical Records Guide award as one of the best albums of 2014. His Contrastes Records album consists of Spanish guitar music and it’s on the market since August 2014. The most recent recording ‘White Nights serenades’ released in August of 2019 by ‘Fleur de son classics’ and distributed worldwide by Naxos of America.
Anton Baranov was born in 1984 and started playing guitar at the age of ten. He completed his musical education at the oldest and most famous Russian school of music, the Saint-Petersburg State Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in 2010. Mr. Baranov has been a D’Addario artist since 2013.
The Hungarian guitarist-composer Dávid Pavlovits began to play the guitar at the age of 17. He played the guitar only three years when he has won a prize at an international guitar competition (Zory, Poland). Two years later he won 1st prize at Europe’s oldest guitar competition, at the Esztergom Guitar Festival. The leading Polish daily newspaper, the “Gazeta” described him as a personality “close to a genius”. He was the first Hungarian guitarist to give a solo recital in the Carnegie Hall of New York. His compositions are part of examination program of Trinity College, London, and played worldwide. He has composed electronic music for media like Sony Pictures Television, AXN TV channel, and film music for Hungarian and Iranian movie productions. He attended the guitar and composition class of the Franz Liszt Conservatory in Szeged. The most important influence during his studies in Hungary he received from the professor Ede Roth. He graduated at the Darmstadt Academy of Music in guitar with distinction, later he has also graduated the Gutenberg University in Mainz and the Musikhochschule in Munich. He took classes with the following masters: Tilman Hoppstock, Olaf Van Gonnissen, Walter Schumacher, (guitar), Lajos Huszár, Karl-Wieland Kurz (composition), Grigory Gruzman (piano) He has attended Leo Brouwer’s master classes which played an important role in his compositional development. He has collaborated for with the composer György Kurtág.
Since 1993 he has been a laureate at several music competitions, such as in Zory, Poland (distinction), the 13. Esztergom International Guitar Competition (1st prize), the Budapest Music Contest (2nd prize), International Guitar Competition of Crete, Greece (2nd prize) and the Viareggio Competition of Composers (distinction). He received the “Zoltán Kodály” Stipend for composers in 1999.
He has been teaching guitar, music theory and music history since 2001. Until 2003, his music seminars at the German Department presented topics like Ludwig van Beethoven’s piano and orchestral music and the musical background of Thomas Mann’s Dr Faustus. Recently he is head of guitar department at the Faculty of Music of the University of Szeged. He is currently one of the most successful guitar teachers in Hungary. Since 2010 this department has been the most successful one in Hungary, training a great number of young artists and competition winners.
Since 1994 he has taken solo concert tours, radio and TV broadcasts in over 30 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America and the USA, recitals in important cultural centres like Los Angeles, Washington D.C, New York, Montréal, Puerto Rico, Rome, Jerusalem, Frankfurt, Geneva, Paris, Cairo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Vienna, Bucharest, Minsk, Moscow, Belgrade, Warsaw or Budapest. His Concerto for guitar and ensemble was premiered 2018 by Grammy-award winner William Kanengiser, conducted by David Pavlovits. The work was performed in Hong Kong and Shanghai as well. His compositions are played worldwide, his Preludes are part of the examination program of Trinity College, London. His 11 Amethystes for guitar edited by the publisher Ricordi & Co. (the editor of Verdi’s operas) is played throughout Europe. The Fingerprints are miniatures inspired by Hungarian folk music. The musical language of his compositions contains often polytonal and polyrhythmic elements. His Stormbird Sonata (edited by Doberman-Yppan/Canada) was inspired by the Zu poem of the Babylonian mythology. Since 2015 he has composed a great number of works for guitar orchestra, which are played in several countries like New Zeeland, Slovenia, Germany and Korea. He has published several pedagogical works like the Flying Studies and Abrakadabra studies for children.
After his successful recital in 2005 at the Carnegie Hall in New York, he has performed there a second time in 2008 with the UMZE contemporary ensemble. He has been holding master classes worldwide in Hungarian, English, German, French, Russian, Turkish, Italian and Spanish languages. He is also regularly invited to juries of international music competitions.
Radoš Malidžan is a prominent Montenegrin classical guitarist. He started his music education when he was ten, played his first recital already at the age of 12, giving since then numerous classical guitar concerts in Montenegro, as well as throughout Europe, and performed and recorded for major national broadcasting networks such as RTV Montenegro, RTV Serbia, and other – RTV Vijesti, RTV Atlas, RTV Elmag…
His recent performances include concerts given at the most prestigious music festivals in Montenegro, such as A Tempo Festival, December Culture Days, Guitar Summer Fest, Podgorica Culture Summer, Bar Guitar Fest, Herceg Novi – Music Days Festival, as well as concerts at concert series and international festivals in Norway (Oslo, Bergen, Kristiansand, Sarpsborg – Gitarkonsertserien), Romania (Terra Siculorum Festival), Serbia (Guitar Art Festival), Germany, Bosnia, Denmark…
Radoš is also devoting his energy to ensemble playing, having lately concert tours with Norwegian guitarist Petter Richter, Norwegian soprano Silje Aker Johnsen, Montenegrin guitarist Jelica Mijanović, as well as performances with Chamber Orchestra of RTV Montenegro, Colegium Artisticum Guitar Orchestra, Norwegian Guitar Ensemble among others.
Norwegian label No 1 Music Group has recently released Internet publication of his album Life & Music while physical copy of the album is published by Montenegro Guitar Foundation. Album has since received warm welcome from the international experts and music critique.
Radoš has been awarded Special and first prizes on domestic and international guitar competitions 5 times, and once third prize, at The First International Guitar Art Festival, Belgrade.
He learned the art of playing from the most eminent teachers in the country-Slavko Olujić, Miodrag Ćupić, Srđan Bulatović, Uroš Dojčinović, Vera Ogrizović.
After four-years Bachelor studies at Faculty of Music Arts in Belgrade, Serbia, class of prof. Vera Ogrizović, he finished two-years postgraduate studies at Musikkonservatoriet in Kristiansand, Norway with prof. Jan Erik Pettersen and received Master`s degree two years later at Norges Musikkhøgskole, Oslo, Norway, where he studied with prof. Erik Stenstadvold.
At the same time he also earned Master degree at Faculty of Music Arts in Belgrade, Serbia, class of prof.Vera Ogrizović.
Radoš attended master classes of some of the world’s best contemporary guitarists: Oscar Giglia, Carlo Marchione, Raffael Andia, Aniello Desiderio, Edin Karamazov, Tomas Muller-Perring, Jose Miguel Moreno, Gerard Abiton, Ricardo Gallen and others.
He regularly appears also as a lecturer and a member of jury at international and domestic guitar festivals and competitions. He has recently been entrusted a work on reforming Montenegrin national educational programs for subject Guitar at Montenegrin music schools. Radoš is founder and Director of NGO Montenegro Guitar Foundation and Art Director of Vivo – Classical Guitar Concert Series in Podgorica.
Radoš is one of the artists/endorsee/ambassadors of D’Addario company.
Radoš was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia. He resides in Montenegro and teaches in Art School for Music and Ballet Education “Vasa Pavić” in Podgorica.
Neno Munitić is a guitarist, composer and pedagogue from Omiš, Croatia. In 2002 he won the first absolute prize at 8th International Guitar Competition „Citta di Casarza Ligure“. Holder of a variety of prizes by the Croatian Ministry of Education and by International Commissions, for brilliant success of his students and pupils who have won more than 300 international prizes in numerous competitions, including more than 70 first absolute prizes.
Munitić performed at various concerts through Europe as a soloist and member of various chamber music ensembles. The past 30 years he spends as a guitar teacher, professor or lecturer in different music schools in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia. He worked as an assistant of professor Carlo Marchione at the Music Academy in Lovran, Croatia. Afterwards, he continues working with the class as lecturer and high lecturer on the same Academy. Different institutions, Ministry of education, many guitar festivals have awarded him with numerous prizes and recognitions for his successful work with students.
In parallel with educational work, he composes pieces for classical guitar as well as modern and performing music, for soloists and chamber orchestras. He achieves special recognition for the success of International guitar festival „Omis guitar fest“ (Croatia) as its founder. Besides working in Music school in Omiš and Conservatory of Makarska, he holds masterclasses across Europe and acts as a member of jury on numerous international guitar competitions.
Medina Arnautović
Medina Arnautović was born in Bihać in 1961. She completed her primary and secondary music education in Bihać. Studied at the Academy of Music in Sarajevo at the theoretical and pedagogical department and earned the title of professor of music. Graduated in 1983. In the period from 1983-1992. is studying to become a guitar teacher (part-time).
In her education, she collaborated with professors Ljubinko Jović, Stanislav Selak and Mila Rakanović. She studied conducting with professor Čestimir Dušek at the Academy of Music and with Professor Zlatan Vauda (Belgrade).
She started working at the “Bihać Art School” in 1996 and founded the guitar department at the Secondary Music School. She started her work with the guitar orchestra in 2002 at the “Bihać Art School”. With the orchestra, she won a large number of awards both at the federal and international competitions “Omiš Guitar Fest” in 2011. In 2013, the orchestra participated in the GitarFest Banja Luka with an all-night concert.
She achieved great results in her pedagogical work with students. As a professor, she works with chamber music, orchestra and arranging for guitar orchestra. She is the founder and leader of the guitar octet “Liberalis”, which was active from 2005 to 2008.
She has received numerous awards for her pedagogical work. Award from Association of Music Educators in the Federation of BIH for participating in competitions as a member of the jury in 2007, and winner of the CHARTER FOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUSIC PEDAGOGY in 2001. She is a great connoisseur of chamber and orchestral guitar literature. As a guitar pedagogue, she perfected herself at masterclasses with prominent guitarists and pedagogues.
Aleksandar Rađenović
Aleksandar Rađenović was born in 1985 in Prijedor in a musical family, where he completed primary and secondary music school in the class of Professor Aleksandar Spasojević and Igor Motl. During his education, he achieved outstanding results at republican, federal and international competitions and festivals. He won numerous first prizes and special awards.
He entered the Academy of Arts of the University of Banja Luka after completing the third grade of high school in the class of Zoran Krajišnik and graduated in 2008 with the highest marks as one of the best students of his generation.
He has performed dozens of solo concerts and concerts in chamber ensembles throughout the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia and Poland.
He attended masterclasses and expert lectures with eminent guitar performers and pedagogues such as: Marco Tamayo – Cuba, Sante Tursi – Italy, Tomaž Rajterič – Slovenia, Aniello Desiderio – Italy, Petar Janković – America, Darko Karajić, Srđan Tošić, Vera Ogrizović – Serbia.
Since 2005, he has been working as a professor at the Music school “Markos Portugal” in Doboj and the Music school “Savo Balaban” in Prijedor. Since 2007 he has been employed at the Art school “Vlado Milošević” in Banja Luka.
Nataša Jokić
Nataša Jokić studied guitar at the Academy of Arts in Banja Luka, where she graduated in 2006 in the class of Zoran Krajišnik. She took master classes with eminent guitarists and pedagogues such as: Rafael Andia, Jacob Lynberg, Pavel Steidl, Lars Trier, Ann Wallstrom, David Pavlovits and others. She enrolled in her master’s studies in 2008 at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Stockholm, where she completed her studies in 2010 in the class of Professor Peter Berlind Carlson.
During her education, she won numerous first prizes at republican and federal competitions for music students. Her artistic activity includes a large number of solo recitals and concerts in Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad (Sweden, Norway, Germany, France, Italy, etc.).
During the course of her artistic work, she was a member of the guitar-flute, guitar-cello, and guitar-voice chamber ensembles. She is one of the founders and a member of the “102 Guitar Strings” orchestra, with which she realized a number of projects throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. She held a series of concerts with the trio “Volante” as part of the cultural decentralization project, and actively performs with Sunčica Trkulja Šušnjar in the duet “La Luz”.
She is a member of the Musicological Society of the Republic of Srpska, president of the Association of Guitarists “102 Strings” and one of the organizers of the “Ubuntu” Guitarfest.
From 2006 to 2010, she worked as an assistant at the Guitar Department of the Academy of Arts in Banja Luka, and was hired as an assistant at the Guitar Department of the Music Academy in East Sarajevo. She is a full-time professor of guitar at the Academy of Arts of the University of Banja Luka.
Zoran Kuvač was born in 1967 in Sarajevo. In 1998, he founded a workshop for making stringed musical instruments in Banja Luka. Kuvač says that he has always loved the sound of the classical guitar, and that this love led him first to music school, where he learned to play, but that he had a desire to create instruments to play.
The idea of making a guitar was born when he saw a handmade guitar for the first time at a fair and realized that it is not necessary to have a factory to make it.
The next step was Kuvac’s departure to Serbia, where he found master Duško Rajković, who makes tambourine instruments, and spent three years with him.
Today, in Banja Luka, he has his own workshop, from which at least 12 top-quality classic guitars come out every year.
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