Milenko Stefanović

Milenko Stefanović (19 February 1930 – 25 July 2022) was a Serbian classical and jazz clarinetist. He was a prizewinner in the international competitions in Moscow, Munich, Geneva and Prague, and achieved an international career as a soloist. He was a long-time principal clarinetist of the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra and Professor of Clarinet at the University of Priština and University of the Arts in Belgrade.

Education

Born in Belgrade, Kingdom of Yugoslavia (present day Serbia) in a family of amateur musicians, he began his musical studies at the age of five (violin, piano and, later, clarinet). His first clarinet teacher was Franjo Partlić, principal clarinetist of the Belgrade Opera. Stefanović graduated from the Belgrade Music Academy, as a student of Professor Bruno Brun, the founder of modern Serbian school of clarinet playing (1957). He completed there, with the same teacher, his postgraduate studies and was awarded the Magister of Arts degree (1971). Additionally, he studied chamber and orchestral playing in Salzburg, Austria in the class of Igor Markevich, Erich Leinsdorf and Fernand Oubradous.

Stefanović was also a jazz musician – soloist, composer and member of the Belgrade Jazz Trio and Markićević Quintet.

A number of Yugoslavian composers Aleksandar Obradović, Petar Bergamo, Dušan Radić, Miodrag Ilić, Petar Ozgijan, Dejan Despić, and others dedicated to him their works. Affiliations Stefanović was a member and former president (1977–1980) of the Association of Musical Artists of Serbia and Honorary Member of the International Clarinet Association (awarded in 2013) and European Clarinet Association (awarded in 2016). He was a member of the Council of the Belgrade Music Festival (BEMUS) and member of the Publishing Council of Pro musica journal.

Selected recordings

Baird: Two Caprices Baronijan: Divertimento for Clarinet, Flute, Strings and Percussion Bećiri: Sonata Berg: Four Pieces Bergamo: Concerto Abbreviato for Clarinet Solo (dedicated to M. Stefanović) Beethoven: Duo No.2, Op. 147 for Clarinet and Bassoon (with Božidar Tumpej) Brahms: Quintet in B minor (with the Zagreb Quartet) Copland: Concerto (with Aaron Copland) Cossetto: Clarinet Concerto Debussy: Premiere Rhapsodie (with Symphony Orchestra of the Radio Television of Belgrade conducted by Oskar Danon) Despić: Concertino for Clarinet, Bassoon & Orchestra (with Božidar Tumpej, bassoon, and Symphony Orchestra of the Radio Television of Serbia, conducted by Mladen Jagušt) Despić: Nine Dances for Clarinet Solo (dedicated to M. Stefanović) Hindemith: Sonata Honegger: Sonatine (with Eric Hope) Kalčić: Musica Concertante for Clarinet solo and Strings Kessel: Bernardo Mozart: Trio in E-flat major, K. 498 (Kegelstatt Trio) Mozart: Quintet in A major, K.581 (with the Zagreb Quartet) Obradović: Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra (with the Radio Television Belgrade String Orchestra, conducted by Vančo Čavdarski, and with the strings of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Milan Horvat) Obradović: Microsonata for Clarinet Solo (dedicated to M. Stefanović) Penderecki: Three Miniatures Rabaud: Solo de Concours Weber: Concerto No. 2 Živanović: Spring Landscape Živanović: Rhapsody for Clarinet and Jazz Orchestra