Strahinja Mitrović is the first double bass recipient of the school’s most prestigious music prize
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The Guildhall School of Music & Drama has announced double bassist Strahinja Mitrović as the recipient of its 2024 Music Gold Medal. The prize is awarded to instrumentalists and singers in alternate years.
The final round was held on 1 May at the Barbican Hall which saw Mitrović perform Nino Rota’s Divertimento Concertante for Double Bass to scoop first prize, beating fellow finalists harpist Heather Brooks and clarinettist Kosuke Shirai. The performances were accompanied by the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Jonathan Bloxham.
’I am really honoured to be the first double bassist to win this competition since it was founded, and to have the opportunity to share the stage with my very dear friends and fellow finalists, Heather and Kosuke,’ said Mitrović. ’It was a wonderful evening that I’ll never forget. I am thankful to the musicians in the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra and the direction of Jonathan Bloxham, all of whom provided such excellent playing and musicianship.’
Originally from Serbia, Mitrović is a final year undergraduate at Guildhall School of Music & Drama, studying with Luis Cabrera and Louise Hopkins. He has performed across 13 countries in concert halls such as the Berliner Philharmonie, Munich’s Hercules Hall, London’s Barbican Hall, the Paris Philharmonie and Brussels’ Queen Elizabeth Hall, under the batons of conductors including András Keller, Roberto González-Monjas, Kristjan Järvi, Benjamin Haemhouts and Fuad Ibrahimov.
This year’s panel of judges comprised Guildhall School’s vice-principal & director of music Armin Zanner, chief executive of Britten Pears Arts Roger Wright CBE, director of Maestro Arts Emma Sweetland and Barbican’s newly appointed head of music Helen Wallace.
The Gold Medal award was founded and endowed by Sir H. Dixon Kimber in 1915, and has continued annually, uninterrupted even throughout two world wars and the Covid-19 pandemic. Since 1950 it has been open to singers and instrumentalists in alternate years. Previous string winners include William Primrose (1922), Jacqueline du Pré (1960) and Tasmin Little (1986).
Listen: The Strad Podcast #84: double bassist Luis Cabrera on performing Bach Cello Suites
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