Ljubica Marić
'Ljubica Marić has used an entire arsenal of contemporary music in order to achieve a high goal, speaking from the depths of her soul with a clear and impressive language ...' - Dmitri Shostakovich
Serbian composer Ljubica Marić was born in Kragujevac on 18 March 1909. She was the first Serbian musician to obtain a diploma in composition, she studied with Josef Suk in Prague, had her music promoted by Hermann Scherchen and was offered an associate professorship at Prague State Conservatory's department for quartertone music.
Ljubica Marić is known as the first composer to use Byzantine sacred music in non-liturgical works, and as a precursor to John Tavener and Arvo Pärt.
When World War II interrupted her international career, she spent most of her life in Belgrade, composing, but became noticed internationally again towards the end of her life, particularly in Germany, the Netherlands and the UK, and Chandos Records produced a CD of her compositions.
Ljubica Marić died in Belgrade on 17 September 2003, aged ninety-four.
A selection of articles about Ljubica Marić
Echoes of Oblivion by Robert McCarney - Behind the Wall of Sleep