The Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra will give the world premiere of Ian Wilson’s Socrates Ungraved on Thursday, 11 January (BPO Hall, 7pm) as part of its chamber music series – Pandemonium. The piece that combines music and acting, directed by Vlatko Ilić, will be performed by BPO violinist Dušica Mladenović, her fellow string players from the orchestra and actors Djordje Živadinović Grgur and Mihajlo Jovanović, and conducted by Aleksandar Kojić.

Almost a century after Satie wrote Socrate to Plato’s texts, Irish composer Ian Wilson developed a new version of this piece for solo violin, chamber orchestra and narrators:

“I have entitled this work Socrates Ungraved, relating to my feeling that this creation is a way of giving new life to an old work. I am delighted that my good friend and long-time collaborator Dušica Mladenović has agreed to work with me and that she will give the première of the work”, said Ian Wilson, who has arrived for this occasion from Ireland to oversee the whole preparation and attend the premiere of his new piece.

“I feel infinite happiness when I realise that the day of the premiere is coming soon. In my mind, this event has for a while caused otherworldly euphoria and vehemence. This piece has given me so much; above all, a chance to learn more about Socrates, Satie and about the instrument I play”, said Dušica Mladenović, proud to appear as a soloist in front of her fellow musicians from the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra.