59. MOKRANJAC DAYS
"Heritage-music for the soul –
Vocal group “Constantine", Niš
The vocal group "Constantine "from NIS performed for the third time at the festival" Mokranjac days", confirming the status of one of the most successful and original chamber vocal ensembles in the region. They first appeared in 2014. in the place of origin Stevan Stojanovic Mokranjac-Urranjac, and for the second time in 2018. in Negotin. With this year's concert in the courtyard of the composer's birth house, they won the audience again – this time with a rich and stylistically diverse program that combines tradition and contemporary artistic interpretation.
The repertoire was composed of folk, spiritual and artistic songs in modern arrangements, with a reference to the work of Stevan Stojanović Mokranjac. The concert ended with a series of Serbian folk songs, which once again showed the ensemble its ability to breathe new life into traditional music.
The audience had the opportunity to hear compositions and arrangements by authors such as Jovica Gavrilović, Mihailo Obrenović, Dušan Cvetković, Igor Matvienko, as well as covers of folk songs: "Niške djevke", "Erjde, Jano", "Kaleš, Bre, Anđo", "Tamo daleko", "ruse Kose", and others. A significant part of the program were original arrangements by members of the ensemble – Bojan Stankovic, Milos Gavrilovic, Igor Nikolic and Dalibor Markovic.
The vocal group "Constantine" manages to enchant the audience not only with a vocal performance but also with a conceptual approach that builds a bridge between traditional Serbian music and contemporary artistic expression. Their number is 59. "Mokranjac's days" is not only an homage to the great composer, but also a confirmation that the music heritage lives on through a new generation of artists.
The vocal group Constantine (Niš, 2008) was founded by musical enthusiasts and musicians with the desire to approach the interpretation of different genres in a completely new way, in order to promote and affirm chamber and non-traditional vocal groups, as well as to preserve the musical culture of Niš, Serbia, and beyond. The year 2016. the city of Niš recognized the importance of this engagement and awarded them the most prestigious City Award – 11. January. The repertoire of the group is diverse and based on the works of domestic and foreign authors of ethno, pop, rock, jazz, film and spiritual music created in a wide stylistic range, in original or specially written arrangements of the group members. Among the more than fifty independent concerts and performances held so far at many music festivals in Serbia and abroad, there are concerts in Belgrade (Sava Center, Kolarac Foundation, Spring Festival in Belgrade), at the Army House and the National Theatre in Niš (within NIMUS), as well as at Niš festivals-international choral festivals and festival of spiritual music musical edict. Also noted are concerts at Banski Dvor in Banja Luka, at Mokranjac's days in Negotin, at the amphitheatre of the City Opera and the Church of St. Sophia in Bialystok in Poland, at the Verhny GoRad Hall in Minsk in Belarus, at the embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Sofia, at the Davis Cup in Hall CAIR in Niš, at World music Festival in sirogojno, at the marble and Sounds Festival in Arandjelovac, as well as three concert tours around England (in London, Birmingham, Leicester and Corby). Constantine is the recipient of several first prizes and numerous awards, gifts and diplomas, both for humanitarian work and for fostering and preserving the music culture of Nis and Serbia. The award Vojislav Ilić for authentic performance of spiritual music in the category of vocal compositions at the 22nd Annual Festival. choirs among frescoes festival; first prize and gold medal at the first international festival of choirs and vocal ensembles interculture in Vrnjacka Banja; Grand Prix at the second International Festival BEHOS (Belgrade choral festivities); first prize in the category New Klapa song and Gran-PRI and first audience award in the category male Klapa on 10. and 12. International Klapa festival in Perast (Montenegro). The winning wine song is on the compact disc Post scriptum Dua Moderato released by PGP EPS, for which the group also released their two albums: U Zok Zore still singing (2018) and legacy (2023).




