Composer, Classical Guitarist

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: Opera "Ana Karenina" by Larry Coryell. After he passed away, I reorchestrated almost the entire scores and prepared for the premier. I also played classical guitar parts for that occasion. Being arranger and performer at the same time was very challenging.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Rhapsody for piano and symphony orchestra on Metallica's tunes. Ordered from an old friend of mine, and it should be performed next year.

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: Nemanja Egerić, fantastic piano player with a great sense for phrasing and dynamics.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Analog - because it's live and natural. Digital - because it's easier and cheaper for customers. But when something needs to be done properly and without time barrier - Analog, old school!!!

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: Working on project like it's the only thing I'm working on.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Always creating new sounds and musical ideas. Living with music is a bless.

Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A: Can it be done yesterday, I'm in a big hurry? And my answer is no, but it can be done tomorrow.

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: The biggest misconception is that good and quality job can be done cheep and fast. Fast maybe, but cheep certainly not.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: The main question is if I have a freedom to follow my musical ideas or do they have very specific requests. Whole collaboration depends on those factors.

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: Take a good look at CV. Orchestration is a serious and expensive job if you want to have good results in the end.

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: Classical guitar, Hammond organ, grand piano, Moog Modular V and a delay pedal! Rest is just makeup...

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: I was born in Kraljevo in 1985 in a working-class family. I started studying music at the age of ten when I started to play classical guitar. After graduating from High School “Josip Slavenski” in Belgrade, I continued my education in Niš at the Faculty of Arts, where I graduated with the highest grade in the class of professor Milos Janjic. Towards the end of my studies, I meet jazz legend and guitarist Larry Coryell, with whom I, as his student, began collaborating.   Coryell wrote a sonata for my graduation exam, called “Nenad's Sonata”, and then in 2014, he invited me to perform as the first guitarist as a part of a large ensemble at the premiere of the opera “War and Peace”, which Coryell premiered in Ljubljana (Slovenia). Among a series of concerts on this tour, I also performed at a major concert in Russia with the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, Larry Coryell and Roman Miroshichenko. After Coryell's death, I reorchestrated and participated in the performance of Coryell's second unfinished opera “Anna Karenina”, which was performed posthumously in 2017 with the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra.   After finishing my guitar studies, I studied composition and orchestration with professor Jugoslav Bosnjak. In 2012, the Symphony Orchestra of the Serbian Radio-Television will record my first symphonic work “Sinfonietta”, under the direction of Maestro Stanko Jovanovic. I also wrote a “Concerto for Viola and Orchestra”, a “Symphonic Dance” and several chamber works, the cantata “Cases”, as well as music for solo instruments. For the RTS Symphony Orchestra and Choir, I orchestrated the song “Marsirala Kralja Petra garda” for the needs of a festive New Year's concert, under the direction of Maestro Bojan Sudjic. I am also interested in electronic improvisation music and am a frequent guest of the ExYou ensemble from Novi Sad at their performances.    I live and works in Kraljevo.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Old-school symphonic style with a modern approach.

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: Collaborating and being friends with Larry Coryell was a dream come true but aside from that I'd like to work with London Philharmonic Orchestra in terms of classical music because that's the orchestra with the most beautiful sound in the world and hearing my music performed by them would be magical. Regarding popular music that would be Tangerine Dream since they've put electronic music on a very scale.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Effects such as equalization, reverberation and especially compression are just 'spices' for the 'dish' you're making and must be used it that way only. Don't ruin your meal by adding too much!

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: My main focus is on classical music which, because of its complexity, is today covering a wide range and specters of different sounds and colours used in almost every gener from pop to electronic music.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skills are orchestration and scoring for symphonic orchestras and professional classical guitar playing.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: When writing/playing/arranging music I tend to follow the original idea as much as possible but I also try to bring new ideas to incorporate into work and improve it.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Sice I'm a fan of the old-school production I thrive to achieve clarity and dynamic in sound production. That is why I use effects the less it is possible to reach the natural sound of instruments and clarity of musical idea.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Aside from the small home studio I own, I use the school studio and with it the help from professional sound designers I work with. The studio is well equipped with professional recording equipment that provide high quality recordings for all genres.

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: The musicians who influenced me the most as a performer are Sviatoslav Richter, Julian Bream, David Oystrakh, Glenn Gould, etc. Regarding the composition and orchestration I was influenced by Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Bartok, Stravinsky, Stockhausen and Josip Slavenski.

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: Most of the jobs I was hired to do were regarding the orchestration and arranging music for symphonic orchestras and small ensembles. As a professional classical guitarist my skills were put to test in collaboration with jazz legend Larry Coryell and Russian Symphony Orchestra. Aside from composing classical music I also have experience with composing and producing electronic music. Since I am a teacher at a local music school I am skilled at writing didactical compositions for students. I also wrote music for theater and podcasts.