Vladimir Graić
Encyclopedia
Vladimir Graić is a Serbia
n composer
of popular, film and television music. Among other pieces, he composed the song Molitva
, performed by Marija Šerifović
, which won the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest.
Born in Belgrade
, Serbia
, to renowned composer Radoslav Graić, he had an affinity and showed aspiration for music from early childhood and began with private piano
lessons at the age of four. While attending primary and secondary school
, he continued simultaneously with his music
education. At the age of six he was enrolled into the Music school “Josif Marinković” where he had piano lessons for 3 years. He then continued his studies in piano and theory from 1977 to 1982 at the Music school “Mokranjac”, the oldest, most respectable and most renowned Serbia
n musical institution, representing the foundation of musical culture and education in Serbia and the former Yugoslavia
. After he finished secondary school, he attended the Electrical Engineering Faculty of the Belgrade University.
In the beginning, he was mostly interested in electro-pop music, but soon after he introduced a pure pop
sound and since then has been writing immensely popular "pop" songs. He has also composed in most other music genres such as rock
, electric, artistic, children’s music, etc. and since 2000 he is also involved with folk music
in Serbia. Vladimir Graić always maintained that he wrote his serious pieces for himself and his less serious ones to make a living; nevertheless his melodic talent was so abundant that one can hardly distinguish a quality gradient between the two.
In 1996 he joined the Serbian state TV and radio broadcasting service Radio Television of Serbia
(RTS), where he assumed the position of Music Editor of the RTS’s entertainment programme. After six years, in 2002 he was promoted to the position of the Editor in Chief for Music Production at RTS’s music publishing house PGP RTS records. He had been always active in recording, enriching Serbian discography with dozens of records. Since he has been in this position, PGP has had over 300 releases in classic, etno, pop, rock and folk categories.
During 14 years of his professional engagement at the RTS, he created as an author or music director numerous entertainment TV shows: Hit 2000, Sunday Afternoon (Nedeljno popodne), Music Hot Report, Impulse (Impuls)...
In 1996 he began collaboration with the Serbian theaters, and wrote music for several plays of the contemporary theatrical repertoire.
A versatile, many-sided personality, he used his talents in many more artistic activities: he co-founded and co-directed the biggest Serbian pop music festival “Beovizija”, first held in 2003, and organized by RTS, the Serbian national broadcaster. In 2004, it became the Serbian semi-final to choose songs for the final of “Evropesma” (Eurosong). The winner of Evropesma
was to represent Serbia and Montenegro
in the Eurovision Song Contest
. In 2004 he founded the Radio Festival of Serbia (Radijski festival Srbije), organized by the most popular radio station in the country “Radio S”, promoting Serbian pop music. Apart from this, he has participated in all major music festivals as music director, member of the jury and author of compositions.
More than 20 of his compositions were awarded in different categories at music festivals throughout the country. His compositions have been awarded at international festivals as well:
1998 - International music festival Slovenia
n bazaar “Slovenski bazar”, Belarus
2003 – "Universe Talent", Festival in Prague
2002, 2003 - Grand Prix at the International music festival “Sunflower” held in Zrenjanin
(Serbia)
2007- Grand Prix at the Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki
, Finland
(song "MOLITVA", sung by Marija Šerifović
)
Many of his compositions were entitled “Hit of the Year”, amongst others:
1994 - "Odlazi", sung by Maja Nikolić, which won the jury prize at MESAM, and received the Oscar for Popularity
1998 - "Uzmi me", sung by Maja Nikolić
2000 - "A u međuvremenu", sung by pop group OK Band
2006 – "Ludi letnji ples", sung by pop group Flamingosi
2007 - "Molitva", sung by Marija Šerifović
He was voted composer of the year on several occasions: 1994 (MESAM); 2000 (Oscar for Popularity); 2006 (“Zlatni melos”); 2007 (all over European countries)
He has also written the music for numerous advertising campaigns: Cosmopolitan (Serbian edition), Men's Health (Serbian edition), Hemofarm (International Pharmaceutical Group), Srbijašume (State Enterprise for Forest Management), Genex Kopaonik (Tourist Ski Center), etc.
From 1986 he is the member of the Association of jazz, popular and rock musicians in Serbia, and was the member of its Management Board from 1996 to 2000. He is also active as a member of the authors' music rights protection organization SOKOJ. From 1998 he is the member of the Composers' Association of Serbia and from 2008 he is also member of GEMA
.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
of popular, film and television music. Among other pieces, he composed the song Molitva
Molitva
"Molitva" is a song by Serbian singer Marija Šerifović. It was the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 2007. It was Serbia's Eurovision debut as an independent nation; the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro having dissolved in June 2006...
, performed by Marija Šerifović
Marija Šerifovic
Marija Šerifović is a singer from Serbia. She won the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 with the song "Molitva". Šerifović was born in Kragujevac, Socialist Republic of Serbia, Yugoslavia and is the daughter of Verica Šerifović, also a notable singer...
, which won the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest.
Born in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, to renowned composer Radoslav Graić, he had an affinity and showed aspiration for music from early childhood and began with private piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
lessons at the age of four. While attending primary and secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
, he continued simultaneously with his music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
education. At the age of six he was enrolled into the Music school “Josif Marinković” where he had piano lessons for 3 years. He then continued his studies in piano and theory from 1977 to 1982 at the Music school “Mokranjac”, the oldest, most respectable and most renowned Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n musical institution, representing the foundation of musical culture and education in Serbia and the former Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. After he finished secondary school, he attended the Electrical Engineering Faculty of the Belgrade University.
In the beginning, he was mostly interested in electro-pop music, but soon after he introduced a pure pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
sound and since then has been writing immensely popular "pop" songs. He has also composed in most other music genres such as rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, electric, artistic, children’s music, etc. and since 2000 he is also involved with folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
in Serbia. Vladimir Graić always maintained that he wrote his serious pieces for himself and his less serious ones to make a living; nevertheless his melodic talent was so abundant that one can hardly distinguish a quality gradient between the two.
In 1996 he joined the Serbian state TV and radio broadcasting service Radio Television of Serbia
Radio Television of Serbia
Radio Television of Serbia or Serbian Broadcasting Corporation is the public broadcaster in Serbia. It broadcasts and produces a variety of news, drama, and sports programming through radio, television and the Internet. RTS is, since July 2001, a member of the European Broadcasting Union. RTS is...
(RTS), where he assumed the position of Music Editor of the RTS’s entertainment programme. After six years, in 2002 he was promoted to the position of the Editor in Chief for Music Production at RTS’s music publishing house PGP RTS records. He had been always active in recording, enriching Serbian discography with dozens of records. Since he has been in this position, PGP has had over 300 releases in classic, etno, pop, rock and folk categories.
During 14 years of his professional engagement at the RTS, he created as an author or music director numerous entertainment TV shows: Hit 2000, Sunday Afternoon (Nedeljno popodne), Music Hot Report, Impulse (Impuls)...
In 1996 he began collaboration with the Serbian theaters, and wrote music for several plays of the contemporary theatrical repertoire.
A versatile, many-sided personality, he used his talents in many more artistic activities: he co-founded and co-directed the biggest Serbian pop music festival “Beovizija”, first held in 2003, and organized by RTS, the Serbian national broadcaster. In 2004, it became the Serbian semi-final to choose songs for the final of “Evropesma” (Eurosong). The winner of Evropesma
Evropesma
Evropesma or Europjesma was a pop festival in Serbia and Montenegro which ran from 2004 to 2006. The winning song represents the country in the Eurovision Song Contest...
was to represent Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro was a country in southeastern Europe, formed from two former republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia : Serbia and Montenegro. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was established in 1992 as a federation called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
in the Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
. In 2004 he founded the Radio Festival of Serbia (Radijski festival Srbije), organized by the most popular radio station in the country “Radio S”, promoting Serbian pop music. Apart from this, he has participated in all major music festivals as music director, member of the jury and author of compositions.
More than 20 of his compositions were awarded in different categories at music festivals throughout the country. His compositions have been awarded at international festivals as well:
1998 - International music festival Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n bazaar “Slovenski bazar”, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
2003 – "Universe Talent", Festival in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
2002, 2003 - Grand Prix at the International music festival “Sunflower” held in Zrenjanin
Zrenjanin
Zrenjanin is a city and municipality located in the eastern part of Serbian province of Vojvodina. It is the administrative centre of the Central Banat District of Serbia...
(Serbia)
2007- Grand Prix at the Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
(song "MOLITVA", sung by Marija Šerifović
Marija Šerifovic
Marija Šerifović is a singer from Serbia. She won the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 with the song "Molitva". Šerifović was born in Kragujevac, Socialist Republic of Serbia, Yugoslavia and is the daughter of Verica Šerifović, also a notable singer...
)
Many of his compositions were entitled “Hit of the Year”, amongst others:
1994 - "Odlazi", sung by Maja Nikolić, which won the jury prize at MESAM, and received the Oscar for Popularity
1998 - "Uzmi me", sung by Maja Nikolić
2000 - "A u međuvremenu", sung by pop group OK Band
2006 – "Ludi letnji ples", sung by pop group Flamingosi
Flamingosi
Flamingosi is a popular Serbian duo. Its members are the Serbian TV presenter Ognjen Amidžić and actor Marinko Madžgalj . The group was founded in the summer of 2005. Their style was a mix of typical Serbian Folk, rock and jazz. They became a big hit that year, in turn gaining mass popularity...
2007 - "Molitva", sung by Marija Šerifović
He was voted composer of the year on several occasions: 1994 (MESAM); 2000 (Oscar for Popularity); 2006 (“Zlatni melos”); 2007 (all over European countries)
He has also written the music for numerous advertising campaigns: Cosmopolitan (Serbian edition), Men's Health (Serbian edition), Hemofarm (International Pharmaceutical Group), Srbijašume (State Enterprise for Forest Management), Genex Kopaonik (Tourist Ski Center), etc.
From 1986 he is the member of the Association of jazz, popular and rock musicians in Serbia, and was the member of its Management Board from 1996 to 2000. He is also active as a member of the authors' music rights protection organization SOKOJ. From 1998 he is the member of the Composers' Association of Serbia and from 2008 he is also member of GEMA
GEMA
GEMA may be:* Georgia Emergency Management Agency* * gema, a General Purpose Macro Processor* Gesellschaft für musikalische Aufführungs- und mechanische Vervielfältigungsrechte, or GEMA, a performance rights organisation in Germany...
.