TRACES FROM THE REGULUS CONSTELLATION

The Collegium Musicum Academic Choir was founded in 1971 on the initiative of Professor Vojislav Ilić and consists of students at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade. Since its founding until 2002, the Choir was conducted by Darinka Matić Marović, professor emeritus at the University of Arts in Belgrade, while Dragana Jovanović, DMA was hired first as an assistant conductor before being appointed as conductor of the Choir in 2002. So far, more than 500 female students have been involved in the work of the ensemble. As one of the most eminent choirs in Serbia, by the decree of the President of the Republic of Serbia, Collegium Musicum was awarded a gold medal for exceptional merits, preservation of the tradition of choral singing, and promotion of Serbian culture in the world. The Choir has given more than 3000 concerts worldwide, in Europe, South America, Asia, and the United States. Their repertoire includes works from different stylistic epochs, as well as more than 200 world premieres. They have won numerous recognitions and awards in Serbia and abroad, including the absolute first prizes and awards in Arezzo (Italy, 1971) and Llangollen (Great Britain, 1973), in Preveza (Greece, 2000), and Beijing (2002), the BBC Award (1973), numerous gold medals, special awards, and many others. The Choir has performed at all major festivals in Serbia and at many prestigious festivals abroad.

Dragana Jovanović, DMA, Associate Professor of Choral Singing and Conducting in the Department of Conducting and Vice-dean for International Cooperation and Projects at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade, graduated and obtained her master's and doctoral degrees in Conducting from the Faculty of Music in Belgrade, under Professor Darinka Matić Marović. She began her conducting career during her studies, as a professor and conductor of the Mixed Choir, the String and Symphony Orchestra of the Kosta Manojlović Secondary Music School in Zemun, then as an assistant conductor to Professor Darinka Matića Marović in the Obilić Academic Choir, the Branko Krsmanović Academic Cultural and Artistic Association, and the Collegium Musicum Academic Choir. Dragana Jovanović has collaborated with conductors such as Zubin Mehta, Uroš Lajovic, Michail Jurowsky, En Shao, Peter Robinson, Francesco La Vecchia, Mladen Jagušt, and Bojan Suđić, among others. She is the author of a three-volume book titled Anthology of Serbian Music for Children’s and Women’s Choirs by Composers of the Second Half of the 19th Century and the First Half of the 20th Century. Dragana Jovanović is the winner of the 2013 Best Concert Award, given by the Association of Music Artists of Serbia, the Golden Badge for Contribution to Serbian Culture, bestowed by the Cultural and Educational Association of Serbia, and the Vidovdan Knight Award. She is also the first laureate of the newly established KotorArt Prominent Figure in the Field of Music Award.