Rade Jovanović (composer)

Rade Jovanović (born April 26, 1928, Kruševac, Kingdom of Yugoslavia; died November 29, 2020, Belgrade, Serbia) was a prominent Serbian composer, conductor, and music educator. He is considered one of the most significant figures in Serbian and Yugoslav music of the 20th century.

Jovanović studied composition with Josip Slavenski and conducting with Oskar Danon at the Belgrade Music Academy. He became a professor of composition and orchestration at the same institution, where he mentored numerous generations of Serbian composers.

His compositional output is extensive and diverse, encompassing a wide range of genres, including orchestral works (symphonies, concertos, suites), operas, ballets, vocal-instrumental works (oratorios, cantatas, song cycles), chamber music, and film scores. He is particularly known for his innovative approach to Serbian folk music, which he frequently incorporated into his compositions, often blending it with modern compositional techniques. His works are characterized by their rhythmic vitality, harmonic complexity, and expressive melodies.

Some of his most notable works include the opera "Šuma," the ballet "Krčmarica Mara," the cantata "Pesme o majci," and several film scores, including the music for the film "Skupljači perja" (I Even Met Happy Gypsies), which won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival in 1967.

Jovanović received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to Serbian music, including the October Prize of the City of Belgrade and the Sterija Award for theatrical music. His music continues to be performed and appreciated both in Serbia and internationally.