Milos Bjelica

Clarinetist and teaching artist

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"Milos playing is full off passion, perfection and has fantastic audience appeal- he's a true virtuoso" - Virginia Sindelar 

 

A native of Serbia, Milos Bjelica is a Boston-based clarinetist and educator, passionate about drawing audiences deeper into the art of music. His work as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player has taken him to many cities across Europe and the United States. He has performed in venues such as Berlin Philharmonic Hall, Kolarac Hall in Belgrade, Music Academy in Katowice, Selmer Show Room and Pompidou Square in Paris, Tsai Center, and BSO concert hall and Pickman Hall in Boston. Dedicated to making classical, jazz, world, and Serbian music available to wider audiences, Milos also steps out of the concert halls and plays in unconventional venues such as public parks, metro stations, and large city squares across the USA and Europe. He is the recipient of numerous awards at national and international competitions including the Concerto and Honors competition at Longy School of Music (2017) and the Harold Wright Merit Award in Boston (2016), Concerto competition at Boston University (2020).

 

Milos has played in numerous orchestras in Europe and USA, including Camerata Serbica (2009-2011) first clarinet, Synergy Orchestra (2012-2015) first clarinet, and first clarinet in the opera La Boeme in the production of Boston Opera Collaborative (2018). First clarinet in Boston University Symphony orchestra (2020-2022), first clarinet in Eureka Ensemble (2021-present)

 

As a founding member of the Nevski Clarinet Quartet, Milos pushed the boundaries of the traditional classical music concert format, introducing elements of theater in dance in their performances all across Europe. Nevski Clarinet Quartet was one of the finalists of the Serbia Got Talent show in 2013 and it performed in festivals across Europe including the European Clarinet Festival in Hungary, in the Bemus Festival in Serbia, the German-Nordic Youth Philharmonic in Germany, Fourth European Clarinet Congress in Poland, the ICA ClarinetFest Assisi in Italy, and ClarinetFest in Montenegro.

 

Innovation has been at the core of Milos’ teaching as well. In 2012, he was named the ‘Best Pedagogue of the Year by the Association of Music and Ballet Pedagogues of Serbia and he regularly leads music summer camps and organizes as well as performs at charitable events. In 2013, he formed Synergy, a chamber orchestra based in Serbia, which brings together young professional musicians who desire to perform classical music for children. Now in Boston Milos is committed to expanding the role of music in the community, and to this end has been working with children with disabilities as well as playing in hospitals as part of the Music as a Healing Art Program at the Longy School of Music at Bard College.

 

Milos holds a DMA from Boston University and a Master’s degree and Artist Diploma from the Longy School of Music of Bard College, as well as a BA from the University of Belgrade. Throughout his career, he has studied with distinguished professors including Ante Grgin, Jonathan Cohler, Ljubisa Jovanovic, Wenzel Fuchs, Gabor Varga, Frank Cohen, Yuan Yuan, Philippe Cuper, Mate Bekavac, and Paul Mayer. He teaches at the Maestro Musicians Academy, and in his private studio.