Chamber Mixed Choir 'Lola' from Sarajevo Wins Grand Prix in Belgrade

BELGRADE, (Patria) - At the international festival „Beogradske horske svečanosti“ in competition with eight choirs, the Chamber Mixed Choir „Lola“ from Sarajevo won the Grand Prix. In addition, the choir also won a gold medal with the highest score - 98 out of 100. Furthermore, the choir's conductor Josip Katavić was awarded the prize for best conductor.

The Chamber Mixed Choir „Lola“ competed in two categories at the festival – sacred and secular music. The festival is held from September 28 to 30, and the choir from Sarajevo competed on September 28 at the Belgrade Youth Center.

The jury, chaired by Professor Emeritus Darinka Matić – Marović, decided on the winners. Jury members included Snežana Savičić Sekulić, prima donna of the Belgrade Opera, Dragana Jovanović, conductor, Arsen Čarkić, pianist, Vesna Šolc, conductor, Aleksandar Sedlar, composer and conductor, Vasil Hadžimanov, pianist and composer.

The primary purpose of the Chamber Mixed Choir “Lola” is to nurture and promote choral singing, as well as to bring choral music closer to young people. For their skill, stage and artistic expression, the members of the Lola choir have received numerous accolades and achieved significant results in many competitions and festivals during their three years of existence. In addition to this festival, notable achievements include the May Choral Festival held in Bijeljina in 2015, where they also won a gold medal in the mixed choir category, followed by three first prizes at the international choral championship Lege artis in Tuzla in 2017, and a particularly significant second prize at the choir competition within the prestigious 52nd Mokranjčevi dani in Negotin in 2017.