Choral

In the morning I went to the Patriarchy and acquired a Serbian Orthodox Psaltery printed in the 18th century. As I opened the book, out fell a piece of blotting paper with a beech leaf pressed upon it and a barely visible sentence written on the reverse: “I thank the science that delivered me from evil” along with the number 140. I immediately looked up the Psalm with this number, and was stunned by the discovery. The title read: “A Prayer of delivery from our evil enemies”  – “Deliver me, oh Lord, from the evil men, keep me from the vicious ones, from those that think evil in their hearts and wage war every single day…” The lines grew stronger, exulting painfully in the last verse: “Lord, O Lord, my sweet Rescuer, shelter my head on this day of War!”
…It gave me goose bumps all over….

lyrics: Liturgical (Church-Slavonic)
arr: voice & male choir
alt. arr: saxophone & strings
dur: cir. 5,5 min.

I wrote Kratema, as it is the original title of the piece, inspired by the tales I have heard from the monks of the Holy Mount Athos in Greece. Accordingly, Kratemas were the Lullabies sung by Virgin Mary, as she was putting her boy to sleep, rocking him in the cradle. I reached out for the Biblical text, testifying of the birth of Christ and created a small Oratorio. I composed the Lullaby as an intimate prayer, during the air raids over Belgrade in 1999. Unintentionally, I wrote this music on the eve of a new millennium. The jubilee reminded us of the time gone by since the Star had risen over Bethlehem. In the past few years, The Lullaby has shone like a star in some of the most incredible places, spreading the Gospel of music, love and understanding.   …He does indeed work in mysterious ways…

lyrics: Liturgical (Church-Slavonic)
arr: byzantine cantor, SATB choir & bells
dur: cir. 7 min.

I used the verses of Kaddish and El Moleh Rachamim as an inspiration to write some of the most intimate passages of my instrumental scores. However, this Kaddish is the first one intended to be actually sung.  Textually, it is somewhere in between a Mourners’ Kaddish and a complete version. I was asked to write it by one of the greatest European Chazzans, Shmuel Barzilai. I find it poetic and just, that in moments of sorrow we pause to give thanks  and remind ourselves how blessed we are just to have been created.

arr: chazzan & male choir
dur: cir. 5 min.

Psalm XXIII is most probably the best known of all the gems in the literary treasure chest of King David, and even better known by its English translation and the verses “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…I shall fear no evil…for You are with me”.

It is in times we are in true need of encouragement and consolation, that we most often invoke his universal and powerful words, asking for hope, comfort  and a sign that “everything will be ok in the end”.

arr: SATB choir
dur: cir. 4 min.

Written at the request of a friend – the Archbishop of Belgrade, Mons. Hocevar. There was a sudden boom in weddings at the diocese, and he needed an appropriate piece of music to sweeten up the bouquet of ceremonies scheduled for 2017. Hence “The S Team” – words and music by Solomon & Simic.

lyrics: King Solomon
arr: male choir, 2 vocal soloists & organ
dur: cir. 7 min.

…imagine a marshland, with tall grasses and mist hovering over the water…a flock of enormous swan-like white creatures descend upon this stage…turn into maidens, dressed in long white linen gowns…sing their song…turn back to birds…and fly away…
With this in my mind, I sat myself looking for the right poem…and I found Joyce

lyrics: J. Joyce (Chamber Music)
arr: a cappella SATB choir, a cappella female choir
dur: cir. 3 min.

It is a cry for help.
It tells a story of the global fall and the final salvation of the few.

lyrics: Latin (parts of the Graduale Romanum and the Apocalypsis of St. John)
 arr: SATB choir & organ
alt. arr: SATB choir & piano
dur: cir. 4 min.

She that “…gave birth to our souls’ Salvation” is yet just a mother, just as He is just a man. Imitatio Christi. The human nature of God is a pathway to the Divine within us.

lyrics: Liturgical (Church-Slavonic)
arr: voice & SATB choir 
alt. arr: voice, male choir and percussion 
dur: cir. 3,5 min.

In the Eastern Service, it is the song about Angels. As I sat down in front of an empty piece of paper, my idea was to try and write down something that would sound as the actual song of the Cherubim.

lyrics: Liturgical (Church-Slavonic)
arr: SATB choir
alt. arr: string quartet, string orchestra
dur: cir. 4 min.

Is actually a finale to the first ever Jewish musical – Las Coplas de Yosef Ha-Tsadik – written in the 17th century and tragically lost during the II WW. This piece was commissioned by the Belgrade Jewish Municipality to celebrate the 90 years of the Sukhat Shalom Synagogue. Originally scored for Chazzan Stefan Sablić, the Shira Utfila Jewish ethnic ensemble and the Baruh Choir, there is also a more classical version for choir, piano and strings.

arr: vocal, SATB choir, oud, violin, clarinet, percussion, double bass & piano
alt arr: SATB choir, piano, percussion & string orchestra
dur: cir. 8 min.

Official Anthem of the 25th Universiade

In the couple of months before and after the games it’s been played around one billion times. The fact that people didn’t start hating it, or that I wasn’t stopped and beaten in the street is a huge compliment 🙂

arr: 4 soloists, SATB choir, string quintet, saxophone, piano, electric bass & drums
dur: cir. 3 min.

A Little Mass  was written to honor the 25th anniversary of the Papacy of His Holiness John Paul II. It was conceived as the Introitus to the Solemn Mass, and this recording features the Serbian version of the text. It was recorded during the official commemorative service in which Belgrade paid tribute to John Paul II, at a ceremony celebrated by eight Archbishops.

lyrics: Liturgical (Multilingual) 
arr: soprano, baritone, SATB choir & church organ (or piano)
dur: cir. 4,5 min.

Written in 2004. the Mass was commissioned to commemorate two important jubilees in the history of Christianity – 950 years of the Great Schism and 40 years of the official withdrawal of the anathemas that followed after the split, between Rome and Constantinople.

lyrics: Liturgical (Latin)
arr: SATB choir, soloists & a2 symphony orchestra
alt. arr: SATB choir, soloists & organ
             SATB choir, soloists & piano (+concertino: violin, violoncello and double bass)
dur: cir. 30 min.