OCTOBER 23.
The Nis Symphony Orchestra Hall, 8pm
FESTIVAL OPENING CEREMONY NIŠ SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Soloist – Angel Stanislav Wang, USA
Conductor – Dejan Savić, Serbia
PROGRAM
P. I. Tchaykovsky – Оrchestral Suite No.1, op.43, d-minor
Introduzione e fuga
Divertimento
Intermezzo
Marche miniature
Scherzo
Gavotte
Е. Grieg – Piano Concerto op.16, а-minor
Allegro molto moderato
Adagio
Allegro moderato molto e marcato
Dejan Savić
CONDUCTOR
Dejan Savić was born in Belgrade in 1957. He is a prominent Serbian conductor, musician, educator, and cultural figure. He began his musical education on the cello and violin, graduated in double bass from the Mokranjac Music School, and earned a degree in conducting from the Faculty of Music Arts in Belgrade. He was the first in the history of the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad to receive a Master’s degree in conduct-
ing.
Savić began his professional career in 1981 as a freelance musician and teacher and, as an instrumentalist and conductor, co-founded the Belgrade Youth Philharmonic „Borislav Pašćan.“ He served as conductor and artistic director of the Niš Symphony Orchestra (1989–1993) and has been part of the National Theatre in Belgrade since 1993, becoming Chief Conductor in 2007, a position he held until retirement in 2022.
He held the roles of Director of the Opera and Ballet (2001–2004, 2007–2011) and Manager of the National Theatre (2004–2007, 2012–2018), the first musician in history to occupy these positions. Since 2021, he has served as Cultural Advisor to the President of the Republic of Serbia, and in 2024 he was proposed for membership in the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts as the first conductor in its history.
He has performed with leading symphony orchestras and opera ensembles in Serbia and the region, participated in nearly all major national festivals, and appeared in over twenty countries across Europe, Asia, and America. He has also worked as a teacher, juror at international competitions, lecturer, and member of advisory boards of prominent festivals.
He has recorded for radio and television and released numerous albums with PGP RTS and other labels. He is the recipient of the National Award of the Republic of Serbia for Contribution to Culture, the Vuk Award, the Golden Beočug, the Italian Order of the Silver Star, the Order of the Maltese Cross, the Medal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, and other honors.
Angel Stanislav Wang
SOLOIST
Angel Stanislav Wang was born in Los Angeles to a family of pianists, his father from China and his mother from Russia, who founded a music school in California. From an early age, he showed a passion for performance, appearing as a pianist, singer, and dancer.
Classical music was always present in his home, and he was particularly inspired by Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff. He began serious piano lessons at age five and moved to Moscow in 2013, living with his grandparents and attending the Gnessin Special School of Music under Tatiana Zelikman.
He continued his studies with Natalia Trull at the Central Music School and, since 2020, has been studying at the Moscow State Conservatory „Tchaikovsky.“
Winner of over 35 international competitions, including a silver medal at the 2023 Tchaikovsky Competition, he regularly performs in the United States, Germany, Russia, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Italy, and Croatia, in venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Musikverein in Vienna, the Great, Small, and Rachmaninoff Halls of the Moscow Conservatory, the Mariinsky Theatre Concert Halls in Saint Petersburg, and the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow.
Beyond his concert activities, he enjoys experiencing different cultures and regularly visits museums, theatres, and art exhibitions during his travels.