Ana Sokolović, the most successful artist of classical music from this region, has performed her own composition for the first time at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Canada.
The composition „Golden slumbers kiss your eyes” takes 25 minutes to be brought out and was performed by the National Art Centre Orchestra, David DQ Lee, one of the most famous countertenors, and the 3-octaves choir.
Her new piece, Ana Sokolović has dedicated to Mario Bernardi, the first conductor of the National Orchestra, to herself as a Serbian woman, as well as to the rest of people who have come to Canada from other countries and contribute to its culture greatly.
„I am Serbian and that is the reason for introduction of the songs from Serbian folk tradition“, these were the words of Ana Sokolović while she was introducing herself to the audience.
As she said, Serbian dodolas and lazaricas had been her choice for the songs. Dodolas as the girls who had been dancing while were praying for the rain to fertile the land, and lazaricas had gone from house to house and had sung songs for fertility and progress.
„I am overwhelmed that all of the performers have felt the song as their own, that the song is telling them something special even though it is sung in different languages including Serbian which is unknown to Canadians. When you are far away from home, you realize that there are many elements of its culture which you haven’t been aware of while living there“, Sokolović added.
The most important award of the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, 75.000 dollars, Ana received in 2009, agreeing to compose three compositions of which the first one was „Ringelspiel“, performed two years ago.
„It is very important for every nation to cherish their cultural diversity. Culture is what inspires us and we should take her of it“, Ana concluded.
Ana Sokolović has graduated at the Music academy of Novi Sad, and from 1992. she lives and works in Montreal where she has finished her master studies and today teaches composition.
Her a capella opera „Wedding“ done in the Canadian production but was sung in Serbian, was as well performed in Belgrade three years ago.
She has composed „Uvertira“ for the 90th anniversary of Belgrade Philharmonic in 2013.
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