Thursday, 9thNovember, 11am
Music School“Josip Slavenski”
Workshop led by: Petra Leona Matiša
Accompanist: Vladimir Veljković, piano
The workshop is aimed at acquainting the students with improvised music. Classical musical education provides specialised knowledge and is done using specific methods. The “Jazz approach” to music differs completely by the very fact that most of the playing is improvised at the moment, using one’s knowledge. We seek to bring this point of view closer to those interested, and thus, stimulate their creativity. Besides a short introduction into jazz and its features, the focus will be placed on the practical, not theoretical work, for an efficient understanding of this distinctive music genre.
The workshop will be led by Petra Leona Matiša, MA, a jazz singer and Vladan Veljković, a jazz pianist.
– curriculum: short introduction into the stylistic features, practical part – rhythm exercises and learning a blues standard theme in polyphony with improvisation
– the work will be organised in 3 hours in total with a break
– no previous knowledge necessary
– workshop can be attended by the pupils of the Primary Music School “Josip Slavenski”
– bring water and good mood
PETRA LEONA MATIŠA
Born in Subotica on 21st October 1991, Petra Leona Matiša has had diverse interests since her early childhood. She matriculated from high music school in two sections – Cello and Jazz Singing. In 2010 she started studyingCello at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, but, due to circumstances, she decided to drop out of studies and dedicate herself to singing alone. In 2012, after successfully passing the entry exam for the Faculty of Music in Belgrade, she became one of the students of the first generation in class of Assistant Prof. Vesna Petković, MA, in the Jazz and Popular Music Department. She graduated in 2016, and a year later she got her Master Degree.
During her studies she attended workshops led by artists such as: Aaron Goldberg, Bojan Zulfikarpašić, Stjepko Gut, Michelle Hendricks, Anna Lauvergnac, Jelena Jovović, Sofija Knežević, etc.,attending the Summer Jazz Academy in Novi Sad as well (2015).
Besides club gigs, her notable performances include concerts at:The Belgrade Jazz Festival (2014), Pančevo Jazz Festival (2014), Nishville Jazz Festival (2012 and 2013), the Youth Centre in Belgrade -The International Day of Jazz (2014), Jazzik Festival in Subotica (2010 and 2011), ARLEMM Art Festival (2013), 3rd European Student Summit, etc.Collaboration with the Jazz Youth of Vojvodina Big Band and the Big Band of the Academy in Ljubljana resulted in a mini tour of Ljubljana and five Serbian cities (2013); “EUtropia” project organised by the international network “ROOTS&ROUTES”– performanceart piece presented within the “SZIGET” Festival (2012); guest appearances in different programmes (RTS, RTV, Studio B, Pannon RTV…).
Besides gaining experience as a performer and organizer, she has also been active in the field of education. After years of choir singing, Leona assisted Prof. VesnaPetković in leading the Jazz Choir as part of her vocational practice. This cooperation is on-going.
Since 2011 she has been an associate collaborator of Radio Novi Sad as the author of the show “Jazz Hour”. Since 2017, she has been engaged in the production of the television programme “Bonton” of Radio-Television Vojvodina, which reports on the Serbian jazz festivals.
VLADAN VELJKOVIĆ
Vladan Veljković, a jazz pianist, started playing the piano when he was 6. He went to the primary and secondary music school in Leskovac, going on to study at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade, in the Jazz and Popular Music Department.
He has appeared at jazz festivals throughout Serbia, such as: Belgrade Jazz Festival, Nishville Jazz Festival, Valjevo Jazz Festival, International Jazz Festival “JazzIbar” in Kraljevo, “Jazzatronic” in Vršac, “Musicology” festival in Belgrade, etc. He has played with the great jazz names, such as: Dusko Goykovich, Gregory Hutchinson, Heinz von Hermann, Kyle Eastwood, Bred Leali, etc.
From 2014 to 2015, he was a member of the RTS Big Band, while being a member of several Belgrade based groups: Matras, Golden Gate and Mambo Stars.
Vladan is the winner of the first and second prizes in the “Best Jazz Band” category in the international competition “The Best Musical Mind” organised by the Multikultivator in Belgrade in April 2016.