Meet our 2024 Teachers
Predrag Stanković took first guitar steps in 1961 as a 12 year old. After finishing his High School education he went to Sarajevo to learn guitar from Ivan Kalcina, renown Bosnian guitarist, as well as studying pedagogy and psychology. In 1972 he started teaching guitar in a Youth Center in Tuzla. Parallel his concert career took him to Sarajevo and Mostar. Since 1979 he was the guitar teacher in Elementary Music School Tuzla, where he stayed till his retirement. In 1991, after the guitar department was created at the Music High
School in Tuzla and the beginning of the Bosnian War, Predrag started teaching guitar there as well, spending more then 25 years teaching numerous pupils at both institutions. On top of his teaching career he has been the director of OAC (Youth Art Center) for 26 years. As a teacher and juror he has been invited to many international and national festivals, competitions and summer/winter schools. Under his tutelage a great number of guitarist has gone to make great careers, becoming well known musicians and teachers both in Bosnia and World-wide, the most notable are Denis Azabagić, Dejan Ivanović, Alen Garagić, Boris Tešić and Sanel Redžić. His pupils have received more then 200 awards – more than half are 1st prizes at international competitions. Even now, as a pensioner, Predrag continues to share his knowledge with pupils form Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro.
Born in Tuzla in 1976. Dejan started making music as a five year old. His studied guitar with P. Stankovic and V. Ivanovic at the Music School in Tuzla and with D. Petrinjak at the Music Academy in Zagreb. He gave concerts at some of the most well-known music festivals, among others in Spolet (personal invitation from Maestro Gian Carlo Menotti), Edinburg, Estoril, Lisbon and Gevelsberg. As a soloist he has performed among others with orchestras from Valonia (BEL), Benicassim (ESP), Aveiro and Setubal (POR). As a chamber musician he collaborates with string quartet Lyra (POR), cellist J. Brahal (USA),
soprano A. E. Neves (POR) and guitarist M. Kontaxakis (GER). He has received first and special awards in Madrid, Sinaia (ROM, 1998.), Herradura, Benicássim (ESP, 2001.) and Kretha (GRE, 2005.). His debut CD was released by Naxos in 2002. In preparation are two more solo albums: Mediterraneo and Dedicatórias Vol. 1: Música Contemporânea Portuguesa para guitarra solo. In 2010. came the first CD of Duo Kontaxakis-Ivanović named Les Deux Amis. Since 2007 Dejan is guitar professor at the Music Department of University in Evora (POR), where in 2015 he got his PhD. In 2021 his first guitar-book, created for young guitarists, has been published by AvA Musical Editions from Lisbon.
“After winning the 1st prize at the 8th International Guitar Competition “Citta di Casarza Ligure” in 2002 in Italy, Neno Munitić performed as a soloist and as a member of various chamber ensembles throughout Europe. For the past 30 years, he has been intensively involved in pedagogical work in several countries at various institutions. He worked as an assistant to Prof. Carlo Marchione at the Higher School of Music “Ino Mirković” in Lovran, and later as a Senior Lecturer at the same institution. His students have won over 70 first prizes at international and national competitions. Due to his success in pedagogical work, he has received numerous awards from state institutions related to education, and in recent years, special awards as a mentor to students who have won “Knowledge Oscars” for achieving 1st place in national competitions in various solo and chamber categories. In addition to his pedagogical work, he is also involved in composition, composing works for guitar and various chamber ensembles. He received special recognition for successfully organizing the international guitar festival “Omis Guitar Fest.” He regularly conducts masterclasses and serves as president and jury member at numerous international competitions (Gorizia (Italy), Pleven guitar fest (Bulgaria), Sarajevo guitar fest (BiH), Zruč nad Sazavou (Czech Republic), Bale – Croatia, Montenegro guitar fest – Montenegro, Tirana guitar fest – Albania, Skopski tremolo – Macedonia, etc.).”
As a „Gentleman on guitar“ Boris captivates audiences with a powerful combination of rich musicality and smooth virtuosity. Being a „Swiss-knife“ of programming, immersing into all styles and periods of music – be it an album of pure classical period pieces „Les Adieux“, late 20th century music „Tonal Atonal“ or crossover finger-style guitar music („Exploring the other way“ and „Mike Oldfield re-scaled“) – Boris brings quality music all genres to his audience. His own musical journey started in the class of Predrag Stanković, teacher that has helped set new standards of classical guitar and has seen many well-known guitarists our time develop under his guidance. Afterwards Boris was a scholar at the prestigious Royal College of Music in London and has polished his skills at the Conservatorium Maastricht with Carlo Marchione and in Kassel with Michael Tröster. Since 2013 he teaches at the Musikakademie in Kassel, Germany where he enjoys sharing his vast knowledge with students from many parts of the world. On top of that Boris writes regularly for “Akustik Gitarre” magazine. He is a member of D´Addario artist group (using HT Carbon melodic strings combined with LP Composite Bases) and plays a guitar by Boguslaw Teryks.
Daily plan:
8am : Breakfast
9am : Group technique class/warm up
10am – 2pm : Individual lessons
2pm : Lunch
3pm – 5pm : Individual lessons
5pm – 6.30pm : Guitar ensemble
7pm : Dinner