First Prize winner of the 2007 JoAnn Falletta International Composition Competition for Guitar Announced
We are pleased to announce that Nikola Starcevic of Belgrade, Serbia, is the First Prize winner of the 2007 JoAnn Falletta International Composition Competition for Guitar. His work, ASIANA V, was selected by the panel and will be the set piece for the Semifinal Round of the Concerto Competition. The work will also be published by Editions Orphee and recorded on Fleur de Son Classics by the First Prize winner of the 2008 Concerto Competition.
27-year old Nikola is a classical guitar player, composer and arranger. A student of Professor Vera Ogrizoviche, he is a graduate of the Belgrade Music Academy and now works as a classical guitar teacher. He plays and composes very different kinds of music for guitar, chamber and symphonic orchestra. Nikola is a member of Duo Starcevic and of the acoustic guitar ensemble Trio Balkan Strings - a family project that includes his father and brother. Trio Brio Balkan Strings perform all around the world and have 2 CD’s published and distributed worldwide.
Nikola won the USA Songwriting Competition in 2005 in the World Music category with a piece for 3 guitars entitled “Water-mill”. PGP RTS published his CD “Classical Hits and Modern Guitar World”. Renowned Italian composer, guitarist and musicologist Angelo Gilardino said of Nikola: “(He is) clearly highly gifted of musical talent. His musical mind is a very imaginative one.”
Honorable Mention was awarded to Jacco Muller, of the Netherlands now residing in Chicago, for his composition, Sagrada Familia.