Novi Sad has always been considered a centre of culture, and the impressive title of European Capital of Culture contributed to raising the city’s cultural life to a new level. This is supported by the fact that more than 4,000 events have been held in ECoC and 6,000 artists from more than 50 countries have left their mark in Novi Sad. The first City Concert Hall in the history of the city, where we listened to supreme music stars, but also timeless works of classical music, was opened during the historic title year. It is the new City Concert Hall that will continue to be an exceptional space for concerts, i.e. the creative expression of artists who contribute to the city’s cultural offer and additionally raise the capacities of education and art. Let us get to know this important cultural institution.
The City Concert Hall Connects Two Institutions
The uniqueness of the space for concerts is that it is one of the few examples in Europe that combines two important institutions – the Music and Ballet School. The modern building of the City Concert Hall on Cara Lazara Boulevard is the long-awaited home for these two schools with a rich tradition, which nurtured generations of young talents. The ‘Isidor Bajić’ Music School got its residence after more than a century, and the Ballet School after 70 years.
The City Concert Hall officially started its work at the beginning of the European Capital of Culture title year. Let us also remember the spectacular concert by Vasil Hadžhimanov as part of the Migrations programme arch, as well as the performance by Božo Vrećo, which brought together many fans of supreme music.
The cultural institution was presented a year earlier at Doček 7529, on 13 January. This specific Doček was held in an online format during the coronavirus pandemic, and the audience had the opportunity to listen via the Internet to the first-class violin virtuoso, Stefan Milenković, who performed at the City Concert Hall and one of the new cultural spaces in Novi Sad. The famous violinist is the artistic director of the City Concert Hall, and this year’s winner of the February Award for all his creativity and contribution to the city of culture.
Milenković points out that the first City Concert Hall is a place where, in addition to quality education, young artists will be given the opportunity to meet and perform with the great names of classical music.
‘I believe that every concert venue should be a kind of mirror of the city in which it exists, and we always see something different that inspires us, something new in that reflection. With that philosophy, I approach the planning of this concert space, which in symbiosis with other cultural organizations contributes to the richness of Novi Sad’s concert offer’ – Stefan Milenković explained.
The 15,000 Square Metres Facility
The City Concert Hall with 480 seats and two smaller halls with 250 and 180 seats, which covers 15,000 square metres, is a new platform for the creative expression of artists. The importance of the newly built attraction is also indicated by the fact that, in anticipation of the first school year, as many as 76 new pianos arrived, which was news that travelled not only the country and the region, but also the world. Therefore, Novi Sad has always been a centre of culture and art, and the City Concert Hall, is another indicator that Novi Sad is, indeed, a city of classical music.
Information about current events in the first City Concert Hall in Novi Sad can be found on official website and Facebook page as well as on our website calendar.
Photo: Vladimir Veličković
