Predrag Gosta

Predrag Gosta (Cyrillic: Предраг Госта) is a Serbian-American conductor, harpsichordist, and baritone.[1]

Predrag Gosta
Born
Predrag Gosta

Belgrade, Yugoslavia (Serbia)
OccupationConductor, harpsichordist & baritone
Years active1993—Present
Websitewww.predraggosta.com

Life and career

Predrag Gosta was born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (present day Serbia), on 14 January 1972. His father was born to Serbian and German parents in Vojvodina and his mother to a large Croatian family in Herzegovina. He studied at the Belgrade Music Academy, London's Trinity College of Music, Georgia State University in Atlanta (USA), as well as the University of Oxford. He is the Artistic Director of an early music ensemble and baroque orchestra New Trinity Baroque,[2] and the Music Director and conductor of the Gwinnett Ballet Theatre[3] based in Atlanta, United States; the President of the international early music society Early Music Network.[4] From 1991 to 1996 he was the Artistic Director of the Studio for Early Music Belgrade and the Belgrade International Early Music Festival. Since the festival's renewal in 2012 Maestro Gosta has been serving again as its Artistic Director.[5] The Festival has since grown to one of the largest and most successful early music festivals in southern Europe - in 2017 it received an Award from the classical music magazine Muzika klasika as the best festival for classical music in Serbia, while Maestro Gosta received the Artist of the Year award from the Association of Musical Artists.[6] Predrag Gosta is also the Artistic Director of the Belgrade Baroque Academy,[7] which he founded in 2013 and co-directed until 2019 with Serbian-born contralto Marijana Mijanović.

Between 2008 and 2009 he was the Assistant Conductor of the National Philharmonic[8] in Washington, D.C.. Since 2010 he is the President of the Makris Foundation[9] in Washington D.C. and the Makris Music Society. He is also an Artistic Advisor and U.S. Director of Peter the Great Music Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia.[10] In 2014 Gosta established the New Belgrade Opera,[11] which is focused on baroque opera. In 2015 he became the Music Director of the New Symphony Orchestra of Belgrade,[12] which now bears the name of the Greek-American composer Andreas Makris[13] and is now known as the Makris Symphony Orchestra. In 2019, under this orchestra, he founded a new international competition for conductors, where he acts as the President of the Jury.

Predrag Gosta has recorded several critically acclaimed CDs, including recording of Henry Purcell's opera Dido and Aeneas[14] with British soprano Evelyn Tubb, and recording of Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances and Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition with the London Symphony Orchestra. Other musicians he collaborated with include baroque violinists Florian Deuter, Ilia Korol and John Holloway, Baroque harpist Andrew Lawrence-King, lutenists Anthony Rooley and Michael Fields, Dutch recorder virtuoso Marion Verbruggen, harpsichordists Steven Devine and Ottaviano Tenerani, Italian countertenor Carlo Vistoli, Serbian contralto Marijana Mijanovic, Polish mezzo-soprano Magdalena Wór and others, as well as orchestras and theatre houses such as the London Symphony Orchestra, the Russian National Orchestra in Moscow, the State Hermitage Orchestra in St. Petersburg, the St. Petersburg State Capella Glinka, the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, the Theatre of Biel-Solothurn Theatre, the Belgrade National Theatre and the Madlenianum Opera-Theatre, opera theatres in Ruse, Burgas and Stara Zagora (Bulgaria) and others. He appeared at the festivals such as the Boston Early Music Festival and Piccolo Spoleto (USA), Varazdin Baroque Evenings and Korkyra Baroque (Croatia), Budva Theatre City (Montenegro) and many others.

Predrag Gosta also served the affiliate guest lecturer at Georgia State University in Atlanta,[15] and as a choir professor and artist-in-residence at Oxford College of Emory University [16] in Oxford, Georgia, USA.

Discography and Videography
Album Orchestra/Ensemble Soloist(s) Label Release Year
Telemann: Pimpinone New Trinity Baroque, New Belgrade Opera, et al. Sreten Manojlović, Radoslava Vorgić forthcoming 2021
Handel: Acis and Galatea New Trinity Baroque, New Belgrade Opera, et al. Leif Aruhn-Solén, Beatriz de Sousa, Mathias Hedegaard, Sreten Manojlović, et al. forthcoming 2021
Monteverdi: L'Orfeo New Trinity Baroque, La Pifarescha, New Belgrade Opera, et al. Nikola Diskić, Antonia Dunjko, Radoslava Vorgić, Marko Špehar, Dragana Popović, Marko Živković, Ljubomir Popović, et al. forthcoming 2020
J.S. Bach: Early Cantatas (BWV 4, 61, 150 and 196) New Trinity Baroque Wanda Yang Temko, Carrie Cheron, Leif Aruhn-Solén, Paul Max Tipton forthcoming 2020
W.A. Mozart: Requiem Makris Symphony Orchestra Ana-Marija Brkić, Dragana Popović, Roberto Jachini Virgili, Sreten Manojlović forthcoming 2020
Handel: Orlando Baroque Orchestra of the New Belgrade Opera Bojan Bulatović, Sreten Manojlović, Ana-Marija Brkić, Radoslava Vorgić, Dragana Popović forthcoming 2020
Slavic Spirit (Music by Mussorgsky, Smetana, Tchaikovsky and Borodin) Makris Symphony Orchestra Edition Lilac 2020
W.A. Mozart: Concertos for Piano and Violin Makris Symphony Orchestra Nataša Veljković, Milica Zulus Edition Lilac 2019
Purcell: Dido and Aeneas (15th Anniversary Edition) New Trinity Baroque Evelyn Tubb, Thomas Meglioranza, et al Edition Lilac 2019
Buxtehude: Membra Jesu Nostri New Trinity Baroque Radoslava Vorgić, Dragana Popović, Bojan Bulatović, Marko Živković, Sreten Manojlović Edition Lilac 2018
Monteverdi: L'Orfeo Baroque Orchestra of the New Belgrade Opera Nikola Diskić, Antonia Dunjko, Radoslava Vorgić, Marko Špehar, Dragana Popović, Marko Živković, Ljubomir Popović, et al. OperaVision 2017
Predrag Gosta and London Symphony Orchestra: Orchestral Highlights (Music by Mussorgsky, Rachmaninov and Makris) London Symphony Orchestra Tomo Keller, Andrew Marriner, et al. Edition Lilac 2016
J.S. Bach: Violin Concertos New Trinity Baroque Carrie Krause, Adriane Post Edition Lilac 2016
Mussorgsky (orch. Ravel): Pictures at an Exhibition / Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances London Symphony Orchestra Tomo Keller, et al. Edition Lilac 2016
Makris: Orchestral Works London Symphony Orchestra Andrew Marriner, et al. Edition Lilac 2015
Baroque Christmas (Concertos and Cantatas by Corelli, Torelli, Manfredini, Scarlatti, Buxtehude and Bernhard) New Trinity Baroque Kathryn Mueller, Wanda Yang Temko, Adriane Post, Carrie Krause, Martha Perry, Anna Griffis, André Laurent O'Neil Edition Lilac 2011
Vivaldi: Concertos New Trinity Baroque Carrie Krause, Daniela Giulia Pierson, Michael Fields, André Laurent O'Neil, Christina Babich Rosser Edition Lilac 2010
Handel: Arias New Trinity Baroque Leif Aruhn-Solén Edition Lilac 2010
Pergolesi: Stabat Mater New Trinity Baroque Evelyn Tubb, Terry Barber Edition Lilac 2008
Carissimi: Oratorios Jonas and Jephte New Trinity Baroque, Oxford Chorale Julia Matthews, Kevin Sutton Edition Lilac 2007
Charpentier: Messe de minuit / Handel: Organ Concertos New Trinity Baroque, Canterbury Choir Brad Hughley, Elizabeth Packard Arnold, Magdalena Wór, Brent Runnels, Patrick Newell Edition Lilac 2005
Purcell: Dido and Aeneas New Trinity Baroque Evelyn Tubb, Thomas Meglioranza, Julia Matthews, Elizabeth Packard Arnold, Allison A. Brown, Terry Barber, Kevin Sutton, Brad Fugate Edition Lilac 2004
Trio Sonatas & Chaconnas New Trinity Baroque EMN 2003
Il Pastor Fido (Balli e Balletti by Monteverdi and Marini) Ensemble of the Studio for Early Music Belgrade Gordana Kostic, Predrag Djokovic, Nenad Ristovic, Predrag Gosta, et al. STURAM 1996

Reviews

Mitridate, re di Ponto (Theater Solothurn 2018)

"...Der Eindruck, den die Produktion hervorruft, wäre nicht so nachhaltig, wenn sich nicht eine Riege von Könnern in ihren Dienst gestellt hätte. Das beginnt mit dem sehr beachtlichen Dirigat des Barockspezialisten Predrag Gosta, der bereits bei "Lucio Silla" vor einem Jahr eine Stimme veranlasst hatte, bei seinem Eintritt in den Orchestergarben nach der Pause "Bravo Maestro!" zu rufen. Dieser Ruf sei hiermit für "Mitridate" nachgeholt... Das Sinfonie Orchester Biel Solothurn, erfahren mit dem Stil des jungen Mozart, spielt engagiert, wach und federnd und führt die Zuhörer zu den überraschenden Schönheiten der Komposition mit der Beiläufigkeit souveräner Maestria. Das Orchester in Mailand kann nicht anders geklungen haben als das der Premiere in Solothurn. Jedenfalls nicht besser..." — Der Stimme der Kritik (Michel Schaer) 14 April 2018[17]

Orfeo (New Belgrade Opera / Madlenianum)

"The Award for the Best Concert Performance in 2017 goes to "L'Orfeo" by Monteverdi, presented by the New Belgrade Opera and Opera-Theatre Madlenianum on November 18, 2017, conducted by Maestro Predrag Gosta." — Musica Classica 06 February 2018[17]

Lucio Silla (Theater Solothurn 2017)

"...Das Sinfonie-orchester Biel-Solothurn unter der Leitung von Predrag Gosta lässt die Frische dieses selten gespielten Dreiakters in reichen Schattierungen erklingen und wirkt selbst nach zwei Stunden unverbraucht..." — Berner Zeitung (Peter Wäch) 25 April 2017[17]

"...Dirigent Predrag Gosta dirigiert Mozarts Frühwerk leichtfüssig und so klug ausgehorcht, dass man die Ohren gar nicht tief genug in den Orchestergraben hineinstecken kann. Das Sinfonieorchester Biel Solothurn nimmt Gostas Ideen begeistert auf..." — NZZ am Sonntag (Christian Berzins), Zürich 30 April 2017[17]

Piccolo Spoleto Festival 2011

"Each piece... was polished and sparkled like something new. The playing was technically elegant and warmed by loving interpretation infused with infectious personality..." — CVNC: An Online Arts Journal in North Carolina, June 2011[18]

Bach's B-minor Mass

"...a thoughtful, energizing exception that gave the B-minor Mass a fresh sound. Under New Trinity founder and conductor Predrag Gosta, they illuminated the various madrigal-like choruses and operatic arias with individual attention... Emotionally heartfelt... strong performance... Saturday night at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal, which was filled to capacity... It's a special pleasure to hear a student choir sing at a high level with enthusiasm and clarity of purpose. ...The four vocal soloists were often compelling, more so in duets with the fine instrumentalists... Conductor Gosta kept it all pushing forward... His tempos were not overly fast, but they felt fleet and he ended sections with a crisp cutoff — a very pleasant sensation. The Serbian-born harpsichordist and conductor is audibly gaining in interpretive heft, in parallel with his nascent conducting career, from the Gwinnett Ballet to concerts in Russia and Eastern Europe..." — ArtsCriticAtl.com, March 2011[18]

White Nights Festival 2010 with the State Capella Symphony Orchestra of St. Petersburg

"... the concert was a brilliant and unforgettable event of this season... The orchestra responded not only to every gesture and every movement of the conductor - it seemed that even their breaths were united. Predrag Gosta knew how to achieve a true creative atmosphere in the hall..." — St. Petersburg Times, Russia, June 30, 2010[19]

Purcell's "Dido & Aeneas"

"...An excellent 2002 Edition Lilac recording [of Purcell's "Dido & Aeneas"] featuring Predrag Gosta leading the Atlanta-based Chorus and Orchestra of New Trinity Baroque... This is a wonderfully colorful yet always musical performance. It is what Noorman attempted but failed in the Parrott recording. Gosta's ensemble is excellent... the playing is so sensitive and secure. The choral work is excellent, too, with a true sense of character projected by the nameless witches, sailors, and attendants. This self-produced recording... is definitely well worth acquiring – a true sleeper... That's nine recordings of Dido and Aeneas and I haven't even scratched the surface. Which one is best? ...If I was forced to take one recording to a desert island, it would be the one by Lieberson and McGegan – but I would be sure to have Tubb with Gosta and Graham with Haim in my iPod." — Early Music America magazine, Fall 2009[18]

References
  1. Biography at the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra web site
  2. Biography at the New Trinity Baroque web site
  3. Biography at the Gwinnett Ballet Theatre web site
  4. Early Music Network's Board of Directors page
  5. Web site of the Belgrade International Early Music Festival
  6. LookerWeekly - The Awards for the Association of Musical Artists for 2017
  7. Belgrade Baroque Academy web site
  8. Biography at the National Philharmonic web site
  9. Makris Foundation
  10. Peter the Great Music Academy's web site
  11. B92 Radio - Gosta established New Belgrade Opera
  12. Blic Daily - Belgrade got a new symphony orchestra
  13. Politika Daily - New Symphony Orchestra Makris held its premiere concert
  14. Eric Van Tassel - Purcell's operas revisited - Early Music 32:4. Article also available online
  15. Georgia State University's Notable Alumni List of Georgia State University people
  16. Oxford Chorale's web site
  17. Artist Reviews at Operabase.com
  18. Reviews at the New Trinity Baroque web site
  19. Review at the State Capella Symphony Orchestra web site
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