Composer Žarko Mirković was born on 15 August, 1952 in Cetinje.
He completed his primary and secondary school in Podgorica.
In 1975 he began studies of composing in Sarajevo, and the following year he pursued studies at the Faculty of Music Arts in Belgrade in the class of Aleksandar Obradović, from which he graduated in 1980. In 1983 he completed postgraduate studies in New York at New York University as a Fulbright scholar in the class of Dino Getz.
In 1987 he specialized at the Danish Institute of Electroacoustic music in Arhus.
He has been engaged at the Music Academy in Podgorica since its establishment in 1980, first as an assistant teacher, and later as an assistant professor. In 1992 he moved to the Department for Theory Subjects of the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad. He returned to Montenegro in 1999, continuing work at the Music Academy in Cetinje, where he was promoted into the title of full professor for the subjects Composing and Orchestration.
He is the author of choir, chamber and orchestra compositions, many of which are the first in their genre in Montenegrin music. Numerous domestic and foreign ensembles and soloists performed his works at prestigious music manifestations and stages in the country and abroad: USA, France, Germany, Ukraine, Poland, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, England, Austria, Sweden, Spain, Czech Republic, Argentina…. His numerous works of applied music for theatre, film and TV were realized in Montenegrin National Theater, Royal Theatre Zetski Dom, Theatre Atelje 212, RTV Montenegro, festivals Budva- Theater City and Kotor Art.
He is the author of the music for the Anthem of Montenegro, which has been in official use since 2005.
He was the editor of the Music Programme of RTV Montenegro and the editor of the Music Programme of Montenegrin National Theatre. He is the founder and the editor of the International Music Festival A TEMPO, which is a member of the European Festival Association.
He was the Vice-rector of the University of Montenegro and the Vice-dean of the Music Academy in Podgorica. For almost ten years he chaired the Government Board of SOKOJ, the Organization for the protection of author’s rights of Yugoslavia. For a long time he has been engaged in the establishment and initiation of work of the Montenegrin Music Centre, leading it since 2006.
He received the “Mokranjac” award for choir music and the awards of the Composers’ Association of Serbia for chamber music. In 2011 he received the highest national award 13th July for the work Triptih for soloists, mixed choir and symphony orchestra, and in the same year was conferred the title of Outstanding Artist.
LIST OF WORKS
Choir music:
FROM A MEETING – mixed choir (1974); BANJANI – mixed choir (1975); THE FROG AND THE CRAB – mixed choir (1976); A ROMA- MAN– SUITE – mixed choir (1977); GIPSY LAMENT - female choir (1977); HOMELAND SONG – children choir (1981); QUESTION – female choir (1982); MATRIARCHATE – mixed choir (1983); OLD SONGS – mixed choir (1983); LETTERS – for soloists, choir and electronics (1985); MACEDONIAN SONGS – female choir (1986); JUNIOR – female choir (1991)
RAIN – female choir (1996); AGNUS DEI - for soprano, mixed choir, harpsichord and organ (2000); AGNUS DEI – re-written for mixed choir, bells and tympanums (2006); TRENOS – for soprano, violoncello and mixed choir (2013).
Soloist music:
EARLY SONATA – for violin and piano (1976); DODEKAPHONE DIPTYCH – for solo clarinet (1983); OH, DARK NIGHT - for violoncello solo (2013).
Chamber music:
GREAT TORMENT – for mezzosoprano, bassoon and piano (1977); VARIATIONS – for strings (1977); ALI BINAK – for wind quintet (1978); CALEIDOSCOP – for flute, percussions and electronics (1983); MEXICANON – for choir, flute and percussions (1988); SACRE CONVERSAZIONI – for two pianos (1990); MUSIC FOR E.CIORAN- for strings (1997) ; IMAGES OF SOLITUDE – for strings (2001); TARAF TRIO - for violin, clarinet and piano (2011).
Symphony music:
COREOGRAPHY SYMPHONY, for symphony orchestra (1980); THREE LOVES, for symphony orchestra (1982); AGNUS DEI - for soloist, mixed choir and symphony orchestra (2008); TRYPTICH - for soloists, mixed choir and symphony orchestra (2010); MONTENEGRIN SONGS – arrangement for symphony orchestra (2013); THE ANTHEM OF MONTENEGRO – for choir and instrumental ensembles (2005).
Electroacoustic music:
DREAMS(1982);
RH FACTOR(1983);
EPIC' 85(1985);
ECHO - WALDSTEIN - for piano and electronics (1987);
LEGEND (1987)
Stage music:
J. S. POPOVIC: Wicked Woman (MNT, Podgorica, 1981);
D. KOSTIĆ: Wet Forest (MNT, Podgorica, 1981);
D. JANČAR: Great Brilliant Waltz (MNT, Podgorica, 1985);
M. GAVRAN: The Night of Gods (MNT, Podgorica, 1986);
B. PEKIĆ: The Time of Wonders (Theatre Atelje 212, Beograd, 1987);
R. VOJVODIĆ: Princess Ksenija (Theatre Zetski dom, Cetinje, 1997);
V. SEKULIĆ: Konte Zanović (Theatre City, Budva, 1998);
R. VOJVODIĆ: Montenegrini (MNT, Podgorica, 1998);
LJ. ĐURKOVIĆ: Tobelija (MNT, Podgorica, 2000);
E. HORVAT: Don Juan Returns from War (MNT, Podgorica, 2000);
H. IBZEN: Nora (MNT, Podgorica, 2000);
R. VOJVODIĆ: Montenegro Blues, (MNT, Podgorica, 2004);
S. KOPRIVICA: Tre sorelle (Three Sisters) (MNT, Podgorica, 2005);
M. KOVAČ: Danilo (MNT, Podgorica, 2007);
M. GORKI: Summerfolk (MNT, Podgorica, 2009);
N. NELEVIĆ: Eggs (MNT, Podgorica, 2012);
R. VOJVODIĆ: Everyman Djilas (MNT, Podgorica, 2013).
Film music:
BUDVA, BORN BEFORE ITSELF (1983), Directed by Nikša Jovićević;
COGITO ERGO (1984), Directed by Momir Matović;
METRES OF LIFE (1985), Directed by Momir Matović;
AWAKENING OF THE NATION (1993), Directed by Momir Matović;
TRIAL TO A GENERAL (2003), Directed by Gojko Kastratović;
THERE IS SOMETHING… (2005), Directed by Željko Sošić.
