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Zoran Simjanović (; 11 May 1946 – 11 April 2021) was a
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
n and Yugoslav
musician A musician is someone who Composer, composes, Conducting, conducts, or Performing arts#Performers, performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general Terminology, term used to designate a person who fol ...
,
composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...
and
music educator Music education is a field of practice in which educators are trained for careers as elementary or secondary music teachers, school or music conservatory ensemble directors. Music education is also a research area in which scholars do origina ...
. Simjanović started his career in 1961, as the
keyboardist A keyboardist or keyboard player is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instru ...
for the
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
band
Siluete Siluete ( sr-cyr, Силуете, trans. ''The Silhouettes'') were a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1961. They were one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene. Soon after the formation, Siluete, fronted by charismatic ...
. In 1962, he moved to the band Elipse, with which he achieved nationwide popularity. After Elipse disbanded in 1968, Simjanović graduated at the
Belgrade Music Academy The University of Arts in Belgrade ( sr-cyr, Универзитет уметности у Београду, Univerzitet umetnosti u Beogradu) is a public university in Serbia. It was founded in 1957 as the Academy of Arts to unite four academies. ...
and dedicated himself to composing. He wrote songs for popular Yugoslav singers, and, since 1973, composed scores for cinema, television and theatre in Yugoslavia and abroad, spawning many different genres. He wrote music for 65 feature films, winning numerous awards for his scores. He was a professor at the Belgrade Faculty of Drama Arts, the Belgrade Faculty of Music Arts and the Cetinje Music Academy. He was a member of the
European Film Academy The European Film Academy is a group of European film director, filmmakers who come together in Berlin on the occasion of the first presentation of the European Film Awards in November 1988. Every year, the European Film Academy honors films an ...
,
International Animated Film Association The International Animated Film Association (French: ''Association Internationale du Film d'Animation'', ASIFA) is an international non-profit organization founded in 1960 in Annecy, France by well-known animation artists including Canadian an ...
and the French Society of Authors, Composers and Music Editors.


Early life

Zoran Simjanović was born in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
on 11 May 1946. At the age of six he began playing the
piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...
, and later he attended the Mokranjac Music School.Zoran Simjanović biography on the Regulatory Agency for Electronic Media official website
/ref>


Career


Rock musician (1961–1968)

In 1961, Simjanović was among the forming members of the
beat Beat, beats, or beating may refer to: Common uses * Assault, inflicting physical harm or unwanted physical contact * Battery (crime), a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact * Battery (tort), a civil wrong in common law of inte ...
band
Siluete Siluete ( sr-cyr, Силуете, trans. ''The Silhouettes'') were a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1961. They were one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene. Soon after the formation, Siluete, fronted by charismatic ...
, in which he played the keyboards. In 1963, he moved to the band Elipse. With Elipse Simjanović achieved nationwide popularity. The band's live performances and releases were praised by the Yugoslav music press, and Yugoslav media promoted rivalry between Elipse and Siluete, comparing it to the one between
The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...
and
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
. Elipse initially performed beat and
rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated within African American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predomina ...
, and in 1968, with the arrival of
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...
n vocalist Edi Dekeng, added a
brass section The brass section of the orchestra, concert band, and jazz ensemble consist of brass instruments, and is one of the main sections in all three ensembles. The British brass band, British-style brass band contains only brass and percussion instrume ...
and moved towards
soul music Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in African-American culture, African-American African-American neighborhood, communities throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Catchy rhythms, stressed by handclaps ...
. During their six-year career, Elipse held hundreds of concerts and performed as an opening band on
The Searchers ''The Searchers'' is a 1956 American epic Western film directed by John Ford and written by Frank S. Nugent, based on the 1954 novel by Alan Le May. It is set during the Texas–Indian wars, and stars John Wayne as a middle-aged Civil War v ...
and
The Hollies The Hollies are an English rock and pop band formed in Manchester in 1962. One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Singer Allan Clarke and ...
concerts in Yugoslavia. In 1967, Elipse appeared in the movies ''The Naughty Ones'', directed by Kokan Rakonjac, and ''
The Rats Woke Up ''The Rats Woke Up'' () is a 1967 Yugoslavian drama film directed by Živojin Pavlović. It was entered into the 17th Berlin International Film Festival where Pavlović won the Silver Bear for Best Director. Cast * Severin Bijelić as Lale ... ...
'', directed by
Živojin Pavlović Živojin "Žika" Pavlović (15 April 1933 – 29 November 1998) was a Yugoslav and Serbian film director, writer, painter and professor. In his films and novels, Pavlović depicted the cruel reality of small, poor and abandoned people living ...
. ''The Naughty Ones'' were the first Yugoslav and
Balkan The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...
film to feature a performance of a rock band."Intervju - Zoran Simjanović, kompozitor i profesor: Slika muzike", Vreme.rs
/ref> The music for the film was written by composer Zoran Hristić. As he lacked experience in composing popular music, he cooperated with Simjanović on the film score. After this cooperation, Hristić persuaded Simjanović to quit his studies of law and to study music. With Elipse Simjanović released three EPs. The band disbanded in 1968, when the band members decided to dedicate themselves to their studies. Elipse songs released on the EPs, along with the unreleased material, appeared on the compilation album ''Elipse za prijatelje (1963–1968)'' (''Elipse for Friends''), released by Simjanović through his own
independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small and medium-sized enterprise, small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels ...
Simke Music in 1999.


Popular music composer (1968–1979)

After Elipse disbanded, Simjanović composed music for various
popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fun ...
artists, including Seka Kojadinović,
Dušan Prelević Dušan Prelević "Prele" (Serbian Cyrillic: Душан Прелевић Преле; 11 November 1948 – 28 July 2007) was a Serbian and Yugoslav singer, journalist and writer. Prelević was widely known for his raspy voice, his transgressive p ...
, Zdravo, and Zafir Hadžimanov and Senka Veletanlić.Zoran Simjanović composing and arranging credits at Discogs
/ref> In 1976, Simjanović wrote music for songs "Dalje, dalje" ("Further, Further") and "Gde je kraj snovima mojim" ("Where Do My Dreams End") on the lyrics of writers
Milovan Vitezović Milovan Vitezović (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Serbian Cyrillic: Милован Витезовић; 11 September 1944 – 22 March 2022) was a Serbian writer, professor and screenwriter. He wrote poems, novels, essays, prose literature for chi ...
and Ljubivoje Ršumović respectively; the songs were recorded by the
long jumper The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a takeoff point. Along with the triple jump, the two events that measure jumping for distance as a gr ...
Nenad Stekić Nenad Stekić ( sr-Cyrl, Ненад Стекић; 7 March 1951 – 18 July 2021Olivera Katarina Olivera Katarina (; sr-cyr, Оливера Катарина, ; born 5 March 1940), also previously known as Olivera Vučo ( sr-cyr, Оливера Вучо) and Olivera Šakić ( sr-cyr, Оливера Шакић), is a Serbian actress, singer a ...
, Zafir Hadžimanov,
Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković Vlastimir "Đuza" Stojiljković (Serbian Cyrillic: Властимир Ђуза Стојиљковић; 30 June 1929 – 17 June 2015) was a Serbian actor and singer. He appeared in more than 120 films and television shows between 1957 and 2015. ...
and Senka Veletanlić. At the end of 1970s, he stopped composing songs for popular music artists and dedicated himself to film, theatre and television music.


Film, theatre and television composer (1973–2021)

After he graduated at the
Belgrade Music Academy The University of Arts in Belgrade ( sr-cyr, Универзитет уметности у Београду, Univerzitet umetnosti u Beogradu) is a public university in Serbia. It was founded in 1957 as the Academy of Arts to unite four academies. ...
, Simjanović turned towards music for film, theatre and television. He debuted in this field in 1973, with music for
children's television series Children's television series (or children's television shows) are Television show, television programs designed specifically for Child, children. They are typically characterised by easy-going content devoid of sensitive or adult themes and are ...
''Slike bez rama – iz dečijih knjiga'' (''Frameless Pictures – From Children's Books''). In 1975, he wrote music for Srđan Karanović's TV series '' The Unpicked Strawberries'', and in 1977, he wrote music for his first feature film, Goran Marković's ''
Special Education Special education (also known as special-needs education, aided education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, and SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates their individual di ...
''. His cooperation with Karanović and Marković would continue during the following decades. The most notable films for which he wrote music were ''
Special Education Special education (also known as special-needs education, aided education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, and SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates their individual di ...
'' (1977), ''Fragrance of Wild Flowers'' (1977), '' National Class Category Up to 785 ccm'' (1979), ''Petria's Wreath'' (1980), ''May 8 1980'' (1980), '' All That Jack's'' (1980), ''
Do You Remember Dolly Bell? ''Do You Remember Dolly Bell?'' ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Сјећаш ли се Доли Бел?, Sjećaš li se Doli Bel?) is a 1981 comedy-drama film directed by Emir Kusturica, in his feature film directorial debut. The screenplay is co-written by Abdu ...
'' (1981), ''
The Marathon Family ''The Marathon Family'' (, lit. ''Marathon Runners Do a Lap of Honour'', or often simply ''Maratonci'', lit. ''The Marathon Runners'') is a 1982 Yugoslav black comedy film written by Dušan Kovačević and directed by Serbian director Slobodan Š ...
'' (1982), '' Variola Vera'' (1982), '' Something in Between'' (1983), '' Balkan Express'' (1983), ''
Taiwan Canasta Taiwan Canasta () is a 1985 Yugoslav comedy-drama film directed by Goran Marković. Cast * Boris Komnenić - Sasa Belopoljanski * Neda Arnerić - Narcisa Vidmar * Radko Polič - Dusan Vidmar * Gordana Gadžić - Ivanka * Margita Stefanović - ...
'' (1985), ''Hard to Swallow'' (1985), ''
When Father Was Away on Business ''When Father Was Away on Business'' ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Otac na službenom putu, Отац на службеном путу) is a 1985 Yugoslav film by director Emir Kusturica. The screenplay was written by the dramatist Abdulah Sidran. Its subtit ...
'' (1985), '' Hey Babu Riba'' (1986), ''
The Beauty of Vice ''The Beauty of Vice'' () is a 1986 Yugoslav drama film directed by Živko Nikolić. The film sold 866,474 tickets at the box office. Cast * Mira Furlan - Jaglika * Mima Karadžić - Luka * Petar Božović - Žorž * Alain Noury - foreign nu ...
'' (1986), '' Reflections'' (1987), ''Guardian Angel'' (1987), '' A Film with No Name'' (1988), ''Cognac'' (1988), ''Balkan Express 2'' (1988), '' Time of Miracles'' (1989), ''
The Meeting Point ''The Meeting Point'' (''Sabirni centar'') is a 1989 Yugoslavian fantasy/comedy-drama film directed by Goran Marković and starring Rade Marković, Bogdan Diklić, Dragan Nikolić, Mirjana Karanović and Anica Dobra. It is based on Dušan Kova� ...
'' (1989), '' Virgina'' (1991), ''Tango Argentino'' (1992), ''
Tito and Me ''Tito and Me'' (Serbo-Croatian: ''Tito i ja'', Serbian Cyrillic: ''Тито и ја'') is a 1992 comedy film by Serbian director Goran Marković. Plot The movie is set in socialist Yugoslavia during the 1950s. Zoran is an overweight 10-year-old ...
'' (1992), ''Say Why Have You Left Me'' (1993), ''The Tragic Burlesque'' (1995), ''
Cabaret Balkan ''Cabaret Balkan'' is a 1998 Serbian film directed by Goran Paskaljević starring Miki Manojlović and Nebojša Glogovac. Its original Serbian language title is ''Буре барута'' (''Bure baruta'') which means ''Powder Keg''. It was releas ...
'' (1998), ''Serbia, Year Zero'' (2001), '' Loving Glances'' (2003), '' Midwinter Night's Dream'' (2004), ''
The Tour The Tour may refer to: *The Tour de France cycling race *The Tour (album), ''The Tour'' (album), a 1998 live album by Mary J. Blige *''The Olivia Tremor Control/Black Swan Network'', an album also known as The Tour EP *The Tour (Kiss and Mötley Cr� ...
'' (2008), '' Solemn Promise'' (2009), '' Falsifier'' (2013). Until his death in 2021, he has written music scores for 65 feature films. On the
Pula Film Festival Pula Film Festival () is an annual Croatian film festival, established in 1954. It is held in a Roman amphitheater known as the Pula Arena. Pula Film Festival is the oldest Croatian film festival and is usually held in the summer, in July or Aug ...
he was awarded the
Golden Arena for Best Film Music List of winners The following is a list of winners of the Golden Arena for Best Film Music at the Pula Film Festival Pula Film Festival () is an annual Croatian film festival, established in 1954. It is held in a Roman amphitheater known as the ...
twice, for ''The Fragrance of Wild Flowers'' in 1978 and for ''Balkan Express'' in 1983. In 1983, he shared the Special Award of the City of
Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...
with
Yves Montand Ivo Livi (; 13 October 1921 – 9 November 1991), better known as Yves Montand (), was an Italian-born French actor and singer. He is said to be one of France's greatest 20th-century artists. Early life Montand was born Ivo Livi in Stignano, a ...
. For that occasion he wrote music for the opening of that year's Festival in Valencia. Simjanović also wrote music for over 40
short film A short film is a film with a low running time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of not more than 40 minutes including all credits". Other film o ...
s and for over 30 short
animated films Animation is a filmmaking technique whereby still images are manipulated to create moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Animati ...
. Music composed for the films ''Special Education'', ''Fragrance of Wild Flowers'', ''National Class Category Up to 785 ccm'', ''Sok od šljiva'', ''Balkan Express'', ''When Father Was Away on Business'', ''Hard to Swallow'', ''Guardian Angel'', ''Balkan Express 2'' and ''Cabaret Balkan'' were released on soundtrack albums. For the recording of the soundtrack album for the film ''National Class Category Up to 785 ccm'', a supergroup Mag (''Wizard'') was formed, consisting of former
Korni Grupa Korni Grupa ( sr-cyr, Корни Група, trans. ''Korni Group'') was a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1968. Launched and led by, as well as named after, the keyboardist Kornelije Kovač, the band was one of the first Yugoslav ro ...
member Josip Boček (guitar), former Elipse and Korni Grupa members Bojan Hreljac (bass guitar) and Vladimir "Furda" Furduj (drums), composer and former San member
Sanja Ilić Aleksandar "Sanja" Ilić ( sr-Cyrl, Александар "Сања" Илић; 27 March 1951 – 7 March 2021) was a Serbian and Yugoslav musician and composer. Ilić started composing as a teenager. In 1971 he formed the rock band San, which ...
(keyboards) and composer and musician Sloba Marković (keyboards). Mag played the songs composed by Zoran Simjanović, with lyrics written by lyricist
Marina Tucaković Marina Tucaković ( sr-Cyrl, Марина Туцаковић; 4 November 1953 – 19 September 2021) was a Serbian lyricist and songwriter. Born and raised in Belgrade, Serbia, Tucaković had a degree from the Economic Faculty at the Universit ...
, and the vocals were recorded by popular Yugoslav singers
Dado Topić Adolf "Dado" Topić is a Croatian rock musician. He was the lead singer and founder of Time, a 1970s progressive rock band from the former Yugoslavia. From 1970 to late 1971, he was also the lead singer of the popular prog-rock band Korni Grupa ( ...
,
Oliver Dragojević Oliver Dragojević (; 7 December 1947 – 29 July 2018) was a Croatian singer and composer, who was considered one of the most enduring musical stars and cultural icons in Croatia with a discography that spanned nearly five decades. His style b ...
,
Slađana Milošević Aleksandra Milošević Hagadone ( sr-cyr, Александра Милошевић Хагадон; 3 October 1955 – 26 March 2024), better known as Slađana Milošević ( sr-Cyrl, Слађана Милошевић, ), was a Serbian and Yugoslav ...
,
Oliver Mandić Oliver Mandić (Serbian Cyrillic: Оливер Мандић; born 13 July 1953) is a Serbian and former Yugoslav rock musician, composer, and producer. Early life Musically involved from a young age, Mandić first started playing the accordion be ...
, Zumreta Midžić "Zuzi" and the members of the band
Laboratorija Zvuka Laboratorija Zvuka ( sr-Cyrl, Лабораторија Звука; trans. ''Sound Laboratory''), credited as Laboratorija (''Laboratory'') only on some of their releases, was a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Novi Sad in 1977. Laborator ...
. Two of the songs written for the film, "Floyd", performed by Dado Topić, and "Zašto" ("Why"), performed by Oliver Dragojević, became nationwide hits. For the film ''Hard to Swallow'', Simjanović wrote new arrangements for the well-known themes like "
My Bonnie ''My Bonnie'' is a 1962 album by English rock and roll singer-songwriter and musician Tony Sheridan. Sheridan, then playing in clubs in Hamburg with the Beatles, was discovered by producer Bert Kaempfert and subsequently signed with him to reco ...
", "
El Cóndor Pasa EL, El or el may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional entities * El, a List of Shugo Chara! characters#El, character from the manga series ''Shugo Chara!'' by Peach-Pit * Eleven (Stranger Things), Eleven (''Stranger Things'') (El), a fiction ...
", "
Banana Boat Song "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" is a traditional Jamaican folk song. The song has mento influences, but it is commonly classified as an example of the better known calypso music. It is a call and response work song, from the point of view of ...
", " Love Me Tender", "
'O sole mio "" () is a well-known Neapolitan song written in 1898. Its Neapolitan-language lyrics were written by Giovanni Capurro and the music was composed by Eduardo di Capua (1865–1917) and Alfredo Mazzucchi (1878–1972).. The title translates ...
" and " O mladosti", and they were performed in the film by
Romani Romani may refer to: Ethnic groups * Romani people, or Roma, an ethnic group of Indo-Aryan origin ** Romani language, an Indo-Aryan macrolanguage of the Romani communities ** Romanichal, Romani subgroup in the United Kingdom * Romanians (Romanian ...
orchestra Orkestar Lepog Jovice. On the recording of ''Cabaret Balkan'' soundtrack, Simjanović played the keyboards,
Zlatko Manojlović Zlatko Manojlović ( Serbian Cyrillic: Златко Манојловић; born 1951), also known internationally as Zed Mitchell, is a Serbian and Yugoslav guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, currently based in Germany. Manojlović rose to prom ...
played the guitar, Bora Dugić played the flute, Branko Kamenković played the
bouzouki The bouzouki (, also ; ; alt. pl. ''bouzoukia'', , from Greek , from Turkish ) is a musical instrument popular in West Asia (Syria, Iraq), Europe and Balkans (Greece, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey). It is a member of the long-necked lute fam ...
, and Vlada Korać played the percussion. The theme "Srbijanče" ("Little Serbian") was played by a Romani orchestra, and the song "Close Your Eyes to Pain" featured Israeli singer
David D'Or David D'Or (; born David Nehaisi on October 2, 1965) is an Israeli singer, composer, and songwriter. A countertenor with a vocal range of more than four octaves, he is a three-time winner of the Israeli "Singer of the Year" and "Best Vocal Perf ...
as the vocalist and the author of the lyrics. The soundtrack album opens with a narration by actor
Ljuba Tadić Ljubomir "Ljuba" Tadić ( sr-cyr, Љубомир Љуба Тадић; 31 May 1929 – 28 October 2005) was a Yugoslav actor who enjoyed a reputation as one of the greatest names in the history of former Yugoslav cinema. Biography He made his scr ...
. In 1999, Simjanović released the compilation album ''Slike iz Sarajeva koje sam voleo'' (''Images from
Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ), ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'' is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 2 ...
which I Loved''), featuring his compositions written for films shot in Sarajevo. He released two box sets featuring his film music, ''Jedna tema jedan film / One Theme One Film'' (2002), and ''Pesme iz filmova'' (''Songs from the Movies'', 2006), the latter featuring four discs, each consisting of songs fitting in one of four genres – rock,
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...
,
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
and
ethnic music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
. Serbian jazz quartet NaissBlue recorded an album featuring covers of Simjanović's film themes, entitled ''The Art of Mr. Simjanović'' and released in 2017. During his career, Simjanović composed scores for over 20 theatre plays in various Belgrade theatres, as well as for the
musicals Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movement ...
''Beogradosti'' (the title being a word play which could be translated as ''Joys of Belgrade''), ''Ribe u moru'' (''The Fish in the Sea''), ''Male tajne'' (''Little Secrets'') and several cabarets. Simjanovć wrote music for ''Beogradosti'' on the lyrics of writer
Milovan Vitezović Milovan Vitezović (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Serbian Cyrillic: Милован Витезовић; 11 September 1944 – 22 March 2022) was a Serbian writer, professor and screenwriter. He wrote poems, novels, essays, prose literature for chi ...
. It was released in 1980 on the album of the same title. With
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
director Paolo Magelli he worked on the
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
version of Machiavelli's '' The Mandrake'', and after its success he cooperated with Magelli again, on the play ''The Straitjacket''. In 2010, Simjanović released the five-piece box set entitled ''Moje drage'' (''My Darling Ones''), featuring his music composed for theatre, accompanied by
essay An essay ( ) is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a Letter (message), letter, a term paper, paper, an article (publishing), article, a pamphlet, and a s ...
s written by
Vida Ognjenović Vida Ognjenović ( sr-cyr, Вида Огњеновић, ; born 14 August 1941) is a Serbian theater director, playwright, writer, drama professor and diplomat. Biography Ognjenović completed primary education in the town of Vrbas, before going ...
, Paolo Magelli and Goran Marković.


Academic career (1993–2021)

From 1993 until his death, Simjanović was a professor of applied music at the Faculty of Drama Arts in Belgrade. From 1999 to 2002, he was giving lectures in the same field at the Belgrade Faculty of Music Arts and from 2000 to 2002, at the University of Montenegro Music Academy in
Cetinje Cetinje ( cnr-Cyrl, Цетиње, ) is a List of cities and towns in Montenegro, town in Montenegro. It is the former royal capital ( cnr-Latn-Cyrl, prijestonica, приjестоница, separator=" / ") of Montenegro and is the location of sev ...
,
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
. He also lectured at Dunav Film School, Post-Secondary School of Electrical Engineering and Braća Karić Academy of Fine Arts. In 1996, he published the book ''Primenjena muzika'' (''Applied Music''). He wrote articles for ''Leksikon filmskih i televizijskih pojmova'' (''Lexicon of Film and TV terms''). He collaborated in making of pedagogical music books for children with Lela Aleksić, Branka Cvejić and Zora Vasiljević.


Other activities

In 2004, Simjanović published an
autobiographical An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...
book entitled (''How I Started (and Stopped) Being a Rocker''). Simjanović first
symphony A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, most often for orchestra. Although the term has had many meanings from its origins in the ancient Greek era, by the late 18th century the word had taken on the meaning c ...
, ''The Symphony of New Ideas'', had its premiere at
Belgrade Fortress The Belgrade Fortress ( sr-Cyrl, Београдска тврђава, Beogradska tvrđava, Hungarian: Nándorfehérvár), consists of the old citadel (Upper and Lower Town) and Kalemegdan Park (Large and Little Kalemegdan) on the confluence of th ...
on 14 July 2006. It was the first Serbian symphony written in the 21st century. During his career, Simjanović wrote music for over 500
television commercial A television advertisement (also called a commercial, spot, break, advert, or ad) is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization. It conveys a message promoting, and aiming to market, a product, service or idea. ...
s. Another significant contribution as a composer in the field of television was the theme for the newscast ''Dnevnik'' in 1979, recorded with the participation of members from
Korni Grupa Korni Grupa ( sr-cyr, Корни Група, trans. ''Korni Group'') was a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1968. Launched and led by, as well as named after, the keyboardist Kornelije Kovač, the band was one of the first Yugoslav ro ...
. In the films ''Special Education'' and ''National Class Category Up to 785 ccm'' he appeared in
cameo role A cameo appearance, also called a cameo role and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief guest appearance of a well-known person or character in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking one ...
s.


Death

Simjanović died on 11 April 2021 in Belgrade, aged 74, due to complications caused by
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
during the
COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia The COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia was an outbreak of the disease COVID-19 in Serbia caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2. Its first case in Serbia was reported on 6 March 2020, and confirmed by Minister of Health Zlatibor Lončar. The case was a 43- ...
.


Awards and honors

*
Golden Arena for Best Film Music List of winners The following is a list of winners of the Golden Arena for Best Film Music at the Pula Film Festival Pula Film Festival () is an annual Croatian film festival, established in 1954. It is held in a Roman amphitheater known as the ...
for the ''Fragrance of Wild Flowers'' music score at the
Pula Film Festival Pula Film Festival () is an annual Croatian film festival, established in 1954. It is held in a Roman amphitheater known as the Pula Arena. Pula Film Festival is the oldest Croatian film festival and is usually held in the summer, in July or Aug ...
(1978) *
Golden Arena for Best Film Music List of winners The following is a list of winners of the Golden Arena for Best Film Music at the Pula Film Festival Pula Film Festival () is an annual Croatian film festival, established in 1954. It is held in a Roman amphitheater known as the ...
for the '' Balkan Express'' music score at the
Pula Film Festival Pula Film Festival () is an annual Croatian film festival, established in 1954. It is held in a Roman amphitheater known as the Pula Arena. Pula Film Festival is the oldest Croatian film festival and is usually held in the summer, in July or Aug ...
(1983) *First Prize for Music for the ''
When Father Was Away on Business ''When Father Was Away on Business'' ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Otac na službenom putu, Отац на службеном путу) is a 1985 Yugoslav film by director Emir Kusturica. The screenplay was written by the dramatist Abdulah Sidran. Its subtit ...
'' music score at the
Mladenovac Mladenovac ( sr-Cyrl, Младеновац, ) is a municipality of the city of Belgrade. According to the 2024 census results, the municipality has a population of 56,389 inhabitants, while the urban area has 22,346 inhabitants. Name Its name stem ...
Festival of Film Music, Costumes and Scenography. *First Prize for Music for
Jat Airways Jat Airways (stylized as JatAirways; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jat ervejz, Јат ервејз) was the national flag carrier and largest airline of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslavia and later Serbia and Montenegro and ...
promotional campaign at the
Yugoslav Radio Television Yugoslav Radio Television (''Jugoslavenska radiotelevizija''/Југословенска радиотелевизија or ''Jugoslavenska radio-televizija''/Југословенска радио-телевизија; JRT/ЈРТ) was the national ...
Festival of Audio and Video Clips in
Budva Budva (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Будва, or ) is a town in the Coastal Montenegro, Coastal region of Montenegro. It had 27,445 inhabitants as of 2023, and is the centre of Budva Municipality. The coastal area around Budva, called the Budv ...
(1988) *Award for the ''
Tito and Me ''Tito and Me'' (Serbo-Croatian: ''Tito i ja'', Serbian Cyrillic: ''Тито и ја'') is a 1992 comedy film by Serbian director Goran Marković. Plot The movie is set in socialist Yugoslavia during the 1950s. Zoran is an overweight 10-year-old ...
'' music score at the
Herceg Novi Herceg Novi (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Херцег Нови, ) is a town in Coastal Montenegro, Coastal region of Montenegro located at the Western entrance to the Bay of Kotor and at the foot of Mount Orjen. It is the administrative center of ...
Festival of Film Direction (1992) *Crystal Prism for the ''Tango Argentino'' music score at the Yugoslav Film Academy Award (1993) *First Prize for the ''Kazimir Malyevic’s Cross, Square and Circle'' music score at the Belgrade Festival of Short and Documentary Film (1993) *Annual Work Award at the Belgrade Festival of Short and Documentary Film (1994) *Best Music Score at the
Čačak Čačak ( sr-Cyrl, Чачак, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Moravica District in central Serbia. It is located in the West Morava Valley. According to the 2022 census, the city itself has a population ...
Festival of Animated Film (1995) *Award for the ''Belgrade Follies'' music score at the Belgrade Festival of Short and Documentary Film (1998) *Boro Tamindžić Award for the ''In the Name of the Father and the Son'' music score at the
Mojkovac Mojkovac ( Montenegrin Cyrillic: Мојковац, ) is a town in Montenegro in the northern region. It has a population of 2,506 (2023 census). Mojkovac is the centre of Mojkovac Municipality, which has a population of 6,824. Geography The mu ...
Film Festival (1999) *Best Music Score Award for the ''
Cabaret Balkan ''Cabaret Balkan'' is a 1998 Serbian film directed by Goran Paskaljević starring Miki Manojlović and Nebojša Glogovac. Its original Serbian language title is ''Буре барута'' (''Bure baruta'') which means ''Powder Keg''. It was releas ...
'' music score at
Sunčane Skale Sunčane Skale was a pop music festival held every summer in Herceg Novi, Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_ ...
festival (2000) *Award of the City of Belgrade for Radio, Television and Film Making for ''The Cordon'' music score and ''Jedna tema jedan film / One Theme One Film'' album (2002) *Platinum Award for Best Music for the '' Loving Glances'' music score at
Monte Carlo Monte Carlo ( ; ; or colloquially ; , ; ) is an official administrative area of Monaco, specifically the Ward (country subdivision), ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally, the name also refers to ...
Film Festival (2003) *Shield of the Festival at the Belgrade Festival of Short and Documentary Film 50th anniversary (2003) *Award for the ''Loving Glances'' music score at the Herceg Novi Festival of Film Direction (2004) *
FIPRESCI The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI, short for ''Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique'') is an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the wor ...
Best Music Award for ''
The Tour The Tour may refer to: *The Tour de France cycling race *The Tour (album), ''The Tour'' (album), a 1998 live album by Mary J. Blige *''The Olivia Tremor Control/Black Swan Network'', an album also known as The Tour EP *The Tour (Kiss and Mötley Cr� ...
'' music score (2009) *Lifka Award for Exceptional Contribution to Cinematography at the
Palić Palić ( sr-Cyrl, Палић; ; ) is a town located in the city of Subotica, North Bačka District, autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is also located from the border between Serbia and Hungary. The town has a Hungarian ethnic majority ...
Festival of European Film (2012) *Award for Lifetime Achievement and Contribution to Serbian Cinema by the Association of Film Artists of Serbia (2012) *FIPRESCI Best Music Award for the '' Falsifier'' music score (2013) *Award for Contribution to Film Art at the
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
Cinema City Festival (2014). *The Golden Antenna at the Festival of Domestic TV Series (2014). * Golden Medal for Merits by the
President of Serbia The president of Serbia (), officially styled as President of the Republic (), is the head of state of Serbia. The current officeholder is Aleksandar Vučić, who was elected in 2017 and has held the role since 31 May 2017. According to the C ...
Tomislav Nikolić Tomislav Nikolić ( sr-Cyrl, Томислав Николић, ; born 15 February 1952) is a Serbian former politician who served as the president of Serbia from 2012 to 2017. A former member of the far-right Serbian Radical Party (SRS), he di ...
(2015)"Nikolić odlikovao Dikovića, Čomskog, Žandarmeriju, glumce…", N1.rs
/ref> *The Golden Ring by the Cultural and Educational Association of Belgrade (2015) *Darko Kraljić Lifetime Achievement Award by the Association of Composers of Serbia (2018)


Discography


With Elipse


Extended plays

*''Sentimental Baby / Plaža'' (split EP with Perica Stojančić; 1965) *''Pogledaj kroz prozor'' (1966) *''Le Telelphone'' (1967)


Compilation albums

*''Elipse za prijatelje (1963–1968)'' (1999)


Solo


Studio albums

*''Beogradosti'' (with
Milovan Vitezović Milovan Vitezović (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Serbian Cyrillic: Милован Витезовић; 11 September 1944 – 22 March 2022) was a Serbian writer, professor and screenwriter. He wrote poems, novels, essays, prose literature for chi ...
; 1980)


Soundtrack albums

*''Originalna muzika iz filma Nacionalna klasa'' (1979) *''Sok od šljiva – Muzika iz filma'' (1981) *''Muzika iz filma Balkan ekspres'' (1983) *''Papa Est En Voyage D' Affaires – Bande Original Du Film'' (1985) *''Jagode u grlu – Muzika iz filma'' (1985) *''Anđeo čuvar - Originalna muzika iz filma Gorana Paskaljevića'' (1987) *''Balkan Express 2 – Muzika iz filma i TV serije'' (1989) *''Bure baruta – Originalna muzika iz filma'' (1998)


Soundtrack EPs

*''Specijalno vaspitanje'' (1977) *''Miris poljskog cveća – Originalna muzika iz filma'' (1978)


Singles

*''Finale Evrope'' (with
Boris Bizetić Boris Bizetić ( sr-Cyrl, Борис Бизетић) (born 28 November 1950 in Belgrade, Serbia) is a Serbian singer, songwriter and actor. Career He founded and was one of the lead singers of the band Rokeri s Moravu. The band's music blended ...
; 1976)


Compilations

*''Jedna tema - jedan film'' (1982) *''Balkan eskpres – Originalna muzika iz filmova (1999) *''Slike iz Sarajeva koje sam voleo'' (1999)


Box sets

*''Jedna tema jedan film / One Theme One Film'' (2002) *''Pesme iz filmova'' (2006) *''Moje drage'' (2010) *''Radio i TV trezor Zorana Simjanovića'' (2015)


Filmography


Cinema

*''
Special Education Special education (also known as special-needs education, aided education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, and SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates their individual di ...
'' (1977) *''Fragrance of Wild Flowers'' (1977) *''Boško Buha'' (1978) *'' National Class Category Up to 785 ccm'' (1979) *''The Days on Earth Are Flowing'' (1979) *''Draga moja Iza'' (1979) *''Petria's Wreath'' (1980) *'' All That Jack's'' (1980) *''Gazija'' (1981) *''Some Other Woman'' (1981) *''Sok od šljiva'' (1981) *''
Do You Remember Dolly Bell? ''Do You Remember Dolly Bell?'' ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Сјећаш ли се Доли Бел?, Sjećaš li se Doli Bel?) is a 1981 comedy-drama film directed by Emir Kusturica, in his feature film directorial debut. The screenplay is co-written by Abdu ...
'' (1981) *''
The Marathon Family ''The Marathon Family'' (, lit. ''Marathon Runners Do a Lap of Honour'', or often simply ''Maratonci'', lit. ''The Marathon Runners'') is a 1982 Yugoslav black comedy film written by Dušan Kovačević and directed by Serbian director Slobodan Š ...
'' (1982) *''Dvije polovine srca'' (1982) *'' Variola Vera'' (1982) *'' Something in Between'' (1983) *''Three Contributions to the Slovenian Madness'' (1983) *'' Balkan Express'' (1983) *'' Idi mi, dođi mi'' (1983) *''Opasni trag'' (1984) *''Moljac'' (1984) *''Maturanti (Pazi šta radiš)'' (1984) *'' Šta se zgodi kad se ljubav rodi'' (1984) *''Šta je s tobom, Nina'' (1984) *'' Žikina dinastija'' (1985) *''
Taiwan Canasta Taiwan Canasta () is a 1985 Yugoslav comedy-drama film directed by Goran Marković. Cast * Boris Komnenić - Sasa Belopoljanski * Neda Arnerić - Narcisa Vidmar * Radko Polič - Dusan Vidmar * Gordana Gadžić - Ivanka * Margita Stefanović - ...
'' (1985) *''I to će proći'' (1985) *''Hard to Swallow'' (1985) *''
When Father Was Away on Business ''When Father Was Away on Business'' ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Otac na službenom putu, Отац на службеном путу) is a 1985 Yugoslav film by director Emir Kusturica. The screenplay was written by the dramatist Abdulah Sidran. Its subtit ...
'' (1985) * '' Hey Babu Riba'' (1986) *''
The Beauty of Vice ''The Beauty of Vice'' () is a 1986 Yugoslav drama film directed by Živko Nikolić. The film sold 866,474 tickets at the box office. Cast * Mira Furlan - Jaglika * Mima Karadžić - Luka * Petar Božović - Žorž * Alain Noury - foreign nu ...
'' (1986) *'' Reflections'' (1987) *''Uvek spremne žene'' (1987) *''Lager Niš'' (1987) *''Život radnika'' (1987) *''Guardian Angel'' (1987) *'' A Film with No Name'' (1988) *''Journey to the South'' (1988) *''Cognac'' (1988) *''Drugi čovek'' (1988) *''Balkan Express 2'' (1988) *'' Time of Miracles'' (1989) *''Uroš blesavi'' (1989) *''Švedski aranžman'' (1989) *''Masmediologija na Balkanu'' (1989) *''
The Meeting Point ''The Meeting Point'' (''Sabirni centar'') is a 1989 Yugoslavian fantasy/comedy-drama film directed by Goran Marković and starring Rade Marković, Bogdan Diklić, Dragan Nikolić, Mirjana Karanović and Anica Dobra. It is based on Dušan Kova� ...
'' (1989) *''Balkanska perestrojka'' (1990) *''Stanica običnih vozova'' (1990) *'' Virgina'' (1991) *''Tango Argentino'' (1992) *''
Tito and Me ''Tito and Me'' (Serbo-Croatian: ''Tito i ja'', Serbian Cyrillic: ''Тито и ја'') is a 1992 comedy film by Serbian director Goran Marković. Plot The movie is set in socialist Yugoslavia during the 1950s. Zoran is an overweight 10-year-old ...
'' (1992) *''Say Why Have You Left Me'' (1993) *''Terrace on the Roof'' (1995) *''The Tragic Burlesque'' (1995) *''Belgrade Follies'' (1997) *''
Cabaret Balkan ''Cabaret Balkan'' is a 1998 Serbian film directed by Goran Paskaljević starring Miki Manojlović and Nebojša Glogovac. Its original Serbian language title is ''Буре барута'' (''Bure baruta'') which means ''Powder Keg''. It was releas ...
'' (1998) *''In the name of the Father and Son'' (1999) *''Serbia, Year Zero'' (2001) *''The Cordon'' (2002) *'' Loving Glances'' (2003) *''Falling in the Paradise'' (2004) *'' Midwinter Night's Dream'' (2004) *''Balkan Brothers'' (2005) *''
The Tour The Tour may refer to: *The Tour de France cycling race *The Tour (album), ''The Tour'' (album), a 1998 live album by Mary J. Blige *''The Olivia Tremor Control/Black Swan Network'', an album also known as The Tour EP *The Tour (Kiss and Mötley Cr� ...
'' (2008) *'' Solemn Promise'' (2009) *'' Falsifier'' (2013) *''Delirijum tremens'' (2019)


TV films

*''Ljubičice'' (1975) *''Sve što je bilo lepo'' (1976) *''Noć od paučine'' (1978) *''The Brides Are Coming'' (1978) *''Pucanj u šljiviku preko reke'' (1979) *''Mostarske kiše'' (1979) *''Buffet Titanic'' (1979) *''Boško Buha'' (1980) *''Samo za dvoje'' (1980) *''Ćorkan i Švabica'' (1980) *''Čeličenje Pavla Pletikose'' (1981) *''Četvrtak umesto petka'' (1982) *''Don Žuan se vraća iz rata'' (1982) *''Jelena Gavanski'' (1982) *''Malograđani'' (1983) *''Kaleidoskop dvadesetog veka'' (1984) *''Dvostruki udar'' (1985) *''Budite isti za 20 godina'' (1985) *''Griffon u Beogradu'' (1986) *''Apstinenti'' (1989) *''Hole in the Soul'' (1984) *''Prolece u Limasolu''(1999) *''Harold i Mod'' (2001) *''Osma sednica ili Život je san'' (2007) *''Zlatno tele'' (2010) *''Equals'' (2014) *'' A Stowaway on the Ship of Fools'' (2016)


TV series

*''Slike bez rama – iz dečijih knjiga'' (1973) *'' The Unpicked Strawberries'' (1975) *''Junaci'' (1976) *''Gledajući televiziju'' (1977) *''RTB Dnevnik'' (1979) *''Ne tako davno'' (1984) *''Jadranski otoci'' (1985) *''Thune'' (2008) *''Tajne vinove loze'' (2021)


Bibliography

*''Primenjena muzika'' (1996) *''Kako sam postao (i prestao da budem) roker'' (2004)


References


External links


Zoran Simjanović
at
Discogs Discogs ( ; short for " discographies") is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. Database contents are user-generated, and described in ''T ...

Zoran Simjanović
at
Internet Movie Database IMDb, historically known as the Internet Movie Database, is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and biograp ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simjanovic, Zoran 1946 births 2021 deaths Serbian rock keyboardists Serbian film score composers Serbian musical theatre composers Serbian television composers Serbian classical composers Yugoslav rock keyboardists Yugoslav musicians Yugoslav composers Yugoslav film score composers Male film score composers Male classical composers Musicians from Belgrade University of Arts in Belgrade alumni Academic staff of the University of Arts in Belgrade Golden Arena winners International Animated Film Association Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia