"…superb…one of the most exceptional cellists of the new virtuosos generation, endowed with great talent to what adds an exceptional technique and possessor of an exquisite musical temperament "

"Electrifies with her talent"

“…it was much superior, to my mind, than any expectations we had, it rose to a level of excelsitude!”

Maja Bogdanovic a “virtuosa of the cello, endowed with an extraordinary interpretative maturity and beautiful sound that captivates audiences”.

Last October, after being awarded with the Safran Foundation Prize, Serbian cellist Maja Bogdanovic made her debut in North America at the Carnegie Hall in New York in a recital which was described by The Strad magazine as "a performance of exceptional beauty of sound and a great maturity of interpretation, accompanied by a secure technique".

The highlights of the 2008-2009 season include a performance in Belgrade of Krszysztof Penderecki's Second Cello Concerto under the conduction of Penderecki himself; her debut at Carnegie Hall; a tour in Mexico with the Aguascalientes and Monterrey orchestras; various recitals at the French Polynese; a concert at the Salle Pleyel in Paris; a performance in London, where she played the First Schostakovitch Concerto at the Sydenham Music Festival and a South Korean tour where she performed with pianist Masha Belooussova.  Upcoming engagements include: a South American tour and performances at summer festivals in Holland, France, Serbia and Mexico.

Ms. Bogdanovic has received several awards throughout her career, among of which are: 1st Prize at Aldo Parisot’s International Cello Competition in South Korea-2007; Audience Award and 2nd Prize at the Gaspard Cassado Competition in Japan-2006, where she performed with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, and 3rd Prize at the Jeunesses Musicales Competition in Belgrade-2005 where she also received three additional special prizes. She also attained the highest awards at domestic and international competitions - Petar Konjovic Belgrade 1st Prize, 1997; Usti nad Orlici Czech Republic 2nd Prize, 1995; Premio Kawai in Italy 1st Prize, 1996; Kosice Slovakia 1st Prize, 1998; Liezen Cello Competition 2nd Prize. In 2003 she won the ESTA Competition in Paris and a series of concerts in Europe. She was awarded Grand Prix de Normandie, Chamber Music Competition - Duet with pianist Sanja Bizjak.

Maja has performed as a soloist with the Serbian Radio Orchestra, Belgrade Philharmonic, Munchenner Kammerorchester, St. George Strings, St. Bartholomew Festival Orchestra, Aguascalientes Symphony Orchestra, Monterrey’s University Chamber Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic, Wonju Philharmonic, Sejong Soloists and Garde Republicaine under the batons of acclaimed conductors such as KrzysztofPenderecki, Román Revueltas, Caludio Tarris, Robert Trory, Luis Gorelik, Totsuka Naohiro.

Among her performances in reknowed concert halls we may cite the Kolarac Concert Hall, Belgrade Philharmonic Hall, Synagogue in Novi Sad, Theatre Mogador and Theatre des Champs Elysees, Auditorium of Opera “Bastille”, Salle Cortot and Salle Pleyel in Paris, Cite des Congres in Nantes and Strasbourg, Palais des Papes in Avignon, Prinzenregententheater in Munich and Nunmaul Hall in Korea, among others.  Her participation in Festivals include:  Belgrade Summer Festival, BEMUS (Belgrade Music Festival) “Marble and Sounds” in Arandjelovac, “Summer in Synagogue” in Novi Sad, Prades dans Champs Elysees, Belgrade Cello Fest, different festivals in France (Festival de Saint Denis, Festival de Giverny 2006, Festival Villers sur Mer, Dijon, Young Talents Festival, Cordes sur Ciel, Festival de Deauville).  She has also made numerous recordings for radio and TV stations in Serbia, as well as for RAI, Bayerischer Rundfunk, France Musiques and Korean Main Channel.

In chamber music collaborations, Maja has performed in many concerts and festivals with pianists Masha Belooussova, Jean Claude Vanden Eynden, Julien Gernay, Sanja and Lidija Bizjak; violinists Nemanja Radulovic, Gil Sharon, Grigory Zhislin; violist Vladimir Mendelssohn, cellists Michel Strauss and Alain Meunier, clarinetists Philippe Berrod, Sandrine Vasseur as well as string quartets Talich and Ebene.

Actively involved in 20th century and contemporary music, Ms. Bogdanovic has performed works and collaborated with reknowned composers like Krszysztof Penderecki, Sofia Gubaidulina, Philippe Hersant, Nicolas Bacri and Ivan Jevtic, just to mention a few.

Maja Bogdanovic was born in Belgrade, Serbia in 1982. She started playing cello at the age of six. At the age of 16 and after finishing her studies at the Kosta Manojlovic Music School, she moved to Paris, where she currently resides, to attend the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse, where she later graduated and was awarded 1st prizes for cello and chamber music.

June 2009