We are delighted to welcome Jovana Backovic to Listen to the World! Born in Belgrade, Serbia and based in London Jovana is classically trained and a performer of traditional music from the Balkan region infused with ambient sounds and jazz-influenced improvisation. Expanding her repetoire in recent times, Jovana presses against definitions of musical genre and tradition to create innovative and sometimes spontaneous compositions responding to the space in which she performs. Expect to be taken on a musical journey that explores the sacred, womanhood, tradition and modernity.
Jovana is currently preparing a new album for 2025, Infinite Rituals, and among her current projects is a collaboration with LegalAliens Theatre Company for is ‘Flowers of Srebenica’, A stage adaptation of the poetic novel “The Flowers of Srebrenica” by Aidan Hehir: An Irishman’s road trip from Sarajevo to the Srebrenica genocide memorial centre in the company of a taciturn Bosnian provides a reflection on human connections, civilisation’s fragility, the West’s perspective on distant conflicts and our implicit responsibilities.’
Jovana Backovic was born in Belgrade, Serbia where she graduated classical composition from the Faculty of Music Art in 2006. While studying for degree in composition, she founded, composed for and led the ensemble ‘Arhai’ in Belgrade since 1998, and their debut album ‘Mysterion’ was released in 2006 on the Serbian national label PGP . In its Belgrade incarnation Arhai was a ten-piece electro-folk orchestra that developed a fusion of traditional music from the Balkan region with ambient sounds and jazz-influenced improvisation, using classical flute, ‘cello, piano, electric guitar, bass and percussion/drums, along with a trio of female singers. As a UK resident Jovana continued to create music under the name ArHai, moving toward solo performance using live electronics. When she moved to the U.K to complete her PhD thesis, she began her collaboration with British folk guitarist and tambura-player Adrian Lever and developed the current live performance format that combines multilayered vocals with tambura, dumcimer, tarabuka and electronics. This collaborative work was generously supported by Arts Council of England in 2013.
Jovana mainly composes music for theatre, as well as feature and documentary movies. She also works as a music producer at Berwick Street Studios in Soho, recording and producing music by fellow artists ranging from pop to hard rock / alternative ( most recent are releases by Julia Zelg, Coco & the Liffey and Ariella).
Jovana has completed her PhD thesis at University of East Anglia in 2014, with the subject ‘Between Two Words: Approaching Balkan oral tradition through the use of technology as compositional and performance medium’. She is also a recipient of Sound and Music C19 composers award (2021).
To know more about the Listen to the World Programme. For all questions or to be added to the mailing list, please contact Jo Winsloe Slater at jo.winsloe@stethelburgas.org.
‘Listen to the World’ is a place of live music where the traditions and talents of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers find a home among local artists. Come and join us, as either a listener or performer, everyone is welcome.