Vocal studio ORFELIN was founded in 2009 in Novi Sad, with the desire to bring together quality young musicians through work on thematic programs of vocal and instrumental music. During the twelve seasons, several very successful concerts were organised, on the occasions of the great holidays of Christmas and Easter, and important anniversaries. On these occasions some of the most famous works of world music literature were performed, as well as contemporary Serbian authors. The studio has formed a symphony orchestra and choir for its program needs, which together count about 100 performers.
Most of ORFELIN consists of long-term members of the famous choir “Sveti Stefan Dečanski”, as well as students of the Music Academy, while the symphony orchestra was formed with young professionals and students. The ensemble collaborates with the excellent Novi Sad Wind Quintet, Ingmar Piano Duo, New Belgrade Opera, Belgrade Baroque Soloists, MAKRIS Symphony Orchestra, New Trinity Baroque Orchestra and conductor and harpsichordist Predrag Gosta, string quartet and academic quartet TAJJ, as well as renowned soloists – singers from the country and abroad.
Soloists from Munich,, Mainz, Vienna, Novi Sad…
Many of internationally renowned singers have performed with the ensamble: Goran Jurić, soloist of the Bavarian State Opera from Munich; Ivana Srbljan-soloist of the Opera of the Croatian National Theater from Rijeka; Radoslava Vorgić-Žuržovan, soloist of the young ensemble of the State Opera Theater in Mainz; Atila Mokus, soloist of the Vienna State Opera, then champions of the Opera of the Serbian National Theater in Novi Sad: Danijela Jovanovic, Jelena Koncar, Vasa Stajkic, Sasa Petrovic, Sasa Stulic, Branislav Jatic, as well as other renowned vocal artists: Dragana Popovic, Ljubomir Popovic, Senka Nedeljkovic and others.
In addition to working with professional musicians, ORFELIN also promotes young talented students of music schools, including them in its work and performances. ORFELIN renewed the work of the Youth Philharmonic in 2018 and organized several working sessions and concerts of that young orchestra.
Bach, Handel, Mozart, Berlioz, Mendelssohn…
ORFELIN with its conductor and founder Tamara Adamov Petijević, manages to fill the gap in our musical life, performing great works of world music literature in chamber vocal-instrumental composition and promoting lasting and sublime values of art music through thematic concerts.
The ensemble’s repertoire includes cantatas and oratorios by Bach, Handel, Mozart, Berlioz, Mendelssohn, Charpentier … and from contemporary authors ORFELIN has performed works by Vojvodina composers during many years of successful cooperation with the Association of Composers of Vojvodina, also including works by Russian composer Bishop Ilarion Afeyev.
Belgrade, Novi Sad, Vienna, Budapest…
ORFELIN has performed at international baroque music festivals in Belgrade and Novi Sad, and has performed several times in Vienna and Budapest.
The ensemble pays special attention to the national musical heritage; organizes numerous concerts with works by Cornelius Stankovic, Isidor Bajic and other Serbian composers, and publishes several musical editions (music collection “Serbian Christmas”, multi-media edition “Osmoglasnik” by Cornelius Stankovic).
All ORFELIN concerts were recorded.
TAMARA ADAMOV PETIJEVIĆ
Conductor
Dr Tamara Adamov Petijevic is conductor, violin player and teacher, a researcher in the field of choral music and leader and artistic director of three choirs and two symphony orchestras, with around 300 mostly young people.
She conducts the renowned Orthodox church choir St.Stephen of Dechani, the Isidor Bajic Music School mixed and girls’ choir and a professional vocal-instrumental oratorio studio Orfelin.
She conducted the boys’ choir of the Karlovci Seminary of the Serbian Orthodox church as the first woman-conductor and teacher in the history of that institution from XVIII century.
Her choirs and orchestras won many prizes at national and international choral competitions and festivals. She was awarded the Best Conductor Performance at YoungPrague competition, the title Ambassador of Good Will at Zimriya Festival in Jerusalem and First prize Summa Cum Laude at the International Festival of Youth Orchestras in Neerpelt, Belgium; several high national prizes for her pedagogical work.
Her research work resulted in numerous projects, such as recording 10 CDs or editing and publishing 5 books/music collections of Serbian choral and church music.
She was a presenter and conductor at several Choral Workshops for liturgical and choral music in USA, Canada, Italy and Hungary.
She is a member of many international juries for choirs and composition and artistic director or member of the artistic committee of several national music festivals.
In 2021 she was elected a member of the Board of Directors of European Choral Association – Europa Cantat.
She is one of the founders of Serbian Choral Association, with around 120 choirs in membership; today she is the president of that organization.
In 2018 she completed her PhD studies in conducting at the Faculty of Music Art in Belgrade with the project: “Oratorization of the opera ‘Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh’ by N. Rimsky Korsakov”
She teaches at the Music School in Novi Sad and very often does conductors’ seminars and masterclasses in Serbia and abroad. In the USA she was a guest conductor and a lecturer 4 times, from 2011-2021.
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