The Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra has returned from a mini tour, titled The Philharmonic Plays North, which included concerts of its String Quartet in three towns. In the period 10–13 April, joined by clarinettist Veljko Klenkovski, the Quartet introduced itself in Zrenjanin, Kikinda and Subotica playing Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven.
 
The tour started in Zrenjanin, at the City Hall Baroque Room; in Kikinda, they played at the National Museum, while in Subotica the concert took place at the City Council’s Grand Hall. The musicians concluded the mini tour by visiting the ‘Kolevka’ Home for Children with Disabilities in Subotica.
 
Jelena Dragnić (first violin), Vladan Lončar (second violin), Boris Brezovac (viola) and Aleksandar Latković (violoncello), accompanied by their BPO fellow musician Veljko Klenkovski, said they were delighted to have been able to appear in Vojvodina’s dazzling venues.
 
“After many concerts that we have played outside of Belgrade, including in schools and elderly care centres as part of corporate social responsibility projects, we were very pleasantly surprised with three exceptionally beautiful concert venues”, said Boris Brezovac. “The greatest impression, as always, are the people who seem to be keenly absorbing what we have to say and play with their eyes wide open. The come to us to congratulate us, saying they would be glad to hear the Belgrade Philharmonic more often”.
 
The musicians emphasised the fantastic acoustics of the magnificent Grand Hall of the City Council in Subotica, which inspired them to give their best performance, while the visit to the children at the ‘Kolevka’ Home was especially emotional.
 
“That particular performance was emblematic of our mini tour of Vojvodina. We socialised with wonderful children who emitted such exalted joy and happiness back at us. It was an exchange of pure energy and love”, said Jelena Dragnić. “Talking about inclusive programmes, I am certain that the entire society would have multiple benefits from bidirectional inclusion.”
 
As part of the project that proves that the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra does not belong only to Belgrade, the audience in the north was treated to an exquisite musical programme. The members of the String Quartet have been playing together since 2011, committed to reaching out to audiences outside of Belgrade, as well, to transfer the orchestra’s energy to them.
 
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