Classical Music Exchange
A Tale of Two Sister Cities
Santa Barbara, California and Kotor, Montenegro
“Promoting peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation – one individual, one community at a time”
Milutin Radulović applies to the Music Academy of the West’s Fellow’s Program for 2024!
For those that attended our ME&US Cultural Intertwining Concert in October 2022, at the Music Academy of the West, may remember Milutin Radulović, a talented young violinist from Montenegro who performed with five other young musicians from Santa Barbara and Montenegro.
Since his last visit to Santa Barbara in 2022, Milutin’s musical journey has further developed. In January 2023, he had the chance to perform as soloist in front of the orchestra in Sarajevo. Less than a week after that, he passed the entrance exam in Hochschule für Musik Saar (Saarbrücken, Germany). In April 2023, he moved to Saarbrücken and is studying under the direction of professor Gordan Nikolić. Currently, he is a student of two music academies: Hochschule für Musik Saar and Sarajevo Music Academy (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Milutin has been engaged on several occasions as a member of the Montenegrin Symphony Orchestra, the Sarajevo Philharmonic, and the Mostar Symphony Orchestra.
In early February of 2024, he completed his application and audition video for Santa Barbara’s Music Academy of the West’s Fellow’s Program for the Summer of 2024. The competition to become a Fellow is tough and, if accepted, Milutin will learn and work with 140 other “Fellows” from around the world, ages 18-34, they will study and perform for eight weeks with 50+ teaching artists to become not just great musicians, but great leaders.
UCSB musicians perform at the KotorArt International Music Festival
Funded by a grant from the U.S. Embassy in Montenegro, composers from Santa Barbara and Kotor created original music, representative of their home countries, which was performed by young musicians from each of our Sister Cities. The performance was attended by U.S. Ambassador to Montenegro, Judy Rising Reinke, and Sister City Committee liaison, Vickie Williams.
As an encore, these young musicians will perform this program at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara on October 2, 2022. Also performing will be Montenegrin guitarist, Miloš Karadaglić, together with Nicholas Petrovic Njegoš, the Crown Prince of Montenegro, on flute. Other dignitaries from both Sister Cities will be on hand as Santa Barbara’s Dr. Ichak K. Adizes is awarded the newly established American Montenegro – USA Friendship Award under the patronage of the President of Montenegro, Mr. Milo Djukanović.
Strengthening Montenegro & United States ties
Dear Friends of Kotor,
KotorArt was invited by the U.S. Ambassador in Podgorica to apply for a small grant with a project that would strengthen the connections between the United States and Montenegro. We see no better basis for a project like this, than our established collaboration with the Santa Barbara-Kotor Sister City Committee and the University of California Santa Barbara Music Department!
Receiving this grant will allow us to commission four original pieces, from two composers, one from Montenegro and one from Santa Barbara, inspired by Montenegrin and United States heritage (local melodies, jazz standards, etc.).
To perform these pieces, we will create a small ensemble of four young musicians (two from each country). They will collaborate and prepare online, and finally meet in person, to rehearse and perform the pieces at the KotorArt International Music Festival, the University of California Santa Barbara and the Music Academy of the West in 2022.
Regards,
Ratimir Martinović
Founder and Executive Director of KotorArt
Strings and Keys
UCSB Music Students Sara Bashore, Violinist and Katrina Agate, Cellist joined KotorArt musicians Andrija Jovovic, Piano and Nastasja Vojinovic, Violin to perform at the Music Academy of the West in January 2020. The Concert ‘Strings and Keys’ was a celebration of the collaboration between the Santa Barbara – Kotor, Montenegro Sister City Program and the UCSB Department of Music.
2019 KotorArt International Festival Collaborates with UC Santa Barbara!
2019 KotorArt International Festival Collaborates with UC Santa Barbara! July 2019, UCSB graduate cellist Katrina Agate was selected to perform at the KotorArt Music Festival in Kotor, Montenegro as part of the Santa Barbara - Kotor Sister City program. Ms. Agate, representing both the city of Santa Barbara and UC Santa Barbara, performed with other young European musicians.
Isak Haračić selected to attend Music Academy of the West Summer Fellows Program 2013!
Isak Haračić selected to attend Music Academy of the West Summer Fellows Program 2013! In April 2013, Isak Haračić, cellist, from Bosnia and Herzegovina was selected to attend the Music Academy of the West Summer Fellows Program, June 17 through August 10, 2013. Mr. Haračić attended the Academy of Music Sarajveo and currently performs with No Borders Orchestra and is Principal Cello with the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra.
Classical Pianist Ratimir Martinović returns to Santa Barbara!
Classical pianist Ratimir Martinović first performed in Santa Barbara in February of 2012 at Santa Barbara City College Fe Bland Forum. Mr. Martinović returned for a second performance in February 2013 at the Music Academy of the West's Hahn Hall. Santa Barbara classical music lovers were treated to works by Chopin, Glière, Mozart and Bach. At present, Mr. Martinović works as Full Professor of Piano at the Academy of Arts, in Novi Sad, Serbia. He is one of the founders of the International Festival KotorArt and director of its music program called Don Branko's Music Days.
February 2010 Kotor’s Mayor Marija Ćatović and delegation visit Santa Barbara.
2016 Santa Barbara
delegation meets with Mayor
Aleksandar Stjepčević.
Denise Lilly and George Lilly meet with Mayor Aleksandar Stjepčević.
2018 Mayor Vladimir Jokić
and Santa Barbara Premier Water Polo Team.
2012 Mayor Ćatović and Mayor Schneider in Kotor.
Kotor, Montenegro
Santa Barbara’s Sister City
2010 Mayor Ćatović and
Nikola Konjević tour
Santa Barbara.
2009 Sister City Chairman,
George Lilly, meets with
Mayor Marija Ćatović.
Add your content here
Add your content here