The Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet appeared at the 51st Days of Mokranjac Festival in Negotin on Monday, 12 September. Thus, the fourth day of the festival was dedicated to the music of Petar Konjović and Dmitri Shostakovich, performed at the small stage of the Culture Centre in the Krajina Cinema Theatre.
The musical quadruple – Jelena Dragnić (first violin), Vladan Lončar (second violin), Boris Brezovac (viola) and Aleksandar Latković (violoncello) – prepared for this occasion Konjović’s rarely performed Quartet No 2 and Shostakovich’s Quartet No 4.
“It is less known that Mokranjac was also the founder of string quartet in Serbia back in 1889. Negotin lives on the glory of the immortal Stevan Stojanović Mokranjac and his work. We are delighted to contribute to the perpetuation of this festival and the Serbian musical heritage by taking part in it with a performance of Petar Konjović’s String Quartet No 2, for the first time after more than thirty years”, said Jelena Dragnić on behalf of the Quartet.
The Belgrade Philharmonic String Quartet appears with equal success on Serbian and international scene. Its most recent successes include performances in the Turkish city of Izmir; concerts as part of the Abu Dhabi Classics Festival and season opening of the “Chamber Music in Desert” in Liwa Oasis, in the United Arab Emirates; the first guest appearance in China at the Tianjin Concert Hall; and a concert at the Centre Culturel de Serbie in Paris. In addition to concert activities, they are also committed to education of young musicians, and the Belgrade Philharmonic published a CD with their performances in 2015.
