Kornelije Kovac
Encyclopedia
Kornelije "Bata" Kovač (born 1 January 1942 in Niš
, Nedić's Serbia) is a famous Serbian
composer. He is a father of Aleksandra Kovač
and Kristina Kovač
, both successful Serbian singers.
during World War II
to a Hungarian father and a Serbian
mother, Kovač came from a prominent artistic family - his grandfather was a conductor, his father a music professor and a violinist, his mother a singer in the opera choir.
Kornelije Kovač received his early music education at his hometown's Subotica
College Of Music, after which he attempted to enroll in Belgrade
's Music Academy. He didn't pass the entrance exam so he entered the Academy Of Music Art in Sarajevo
where he graduated from the Theory And Piano Department.
Along with his classical music education, he was devoting a great deal of his time to the pop and rock music.
In 1961, he formed his first band, BKB, which became a prominent jazz trio at the time . In 1963 they entered The Yu Jazz Festival, that took place in Bled (Slovenia).
After conducting the various orchestras in Bosnia, he finally joined Sarajevo's most popular pop band Indeksi. With them he had a 2-months long tour in Russia.
In 1968, he moved to the Yugoslav capital, Belgrade, where he founded one of the most significant Yugoslav pop-rock bands ever, Korni Grupa
.
As a composer and a musician,he won many music contests that took place in former Yugoslavia. With Korni Grupa he entered following music festivals in Europe:
In 1979 Kornelije Kovač moved to England where he collaborated in various projects, such as :
Among the prominent British musicians with whom Kornelije Kovač collaborated while living in UK, were:
Since 1979, Kornelije Kovač has participated in many projects in Spain, as a producer, composer or arranger.
Most recent release
He was married to Spomenka Stojanović until Spomenka's death with whom he has two daughters: Aleksandra
and Kristina
, both of whom are also involved with music.
On 19 January 2011, serbian brpadcaster RTS announced that Kornelije Kovac and his two daughters Aleksandra and Kristina Kovač will each compose a song and present a singer, who is representing Serbia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
.
Niš
Niš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
, Nedić's Serbia) is a famous Serbian
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
composer. He is a father of Aleksandra Kovač
Aleksandra Kovac
Aleksandra Kovač is a Serbian singer-songwriter. She is the eldest daughter of eminent composer Kornelije Kovač and the elder sister of singer Kristina Kovač. Alongside her sister Kristina, Kovač came to media prominence as a part of girl group K2, and then launched a successful solo career in 2001...
and Kristina Kovač
Kristina Kovac
Kristina Kovač is a Serbian singer and composer. She is a major pop star in Serbia. She became famous during the 1990s when she and her sister Aleksandra Kovač were the big attraction in Serbia and surrounding countries - R&B band K2...
, both successful Serbian singers.
Early life
Born in NišNiš
Niš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to a Hungarian father and a Serbian
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
mother, Kovač came from a prominent artistic family - his grandfather was a conductor, his father a music professor and a violinist, his mother a singer in the opera choir.
Kornelije Kovač received his early music education at his hometown's Subotica
Subotica
Subotica is a city and municipality in northern Serbia, in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
College Of Music, after which he attempted to enroll in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
's Music Academy. He didn't pass the entrance exam so he entered the Academy Of Music Art in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
where he graduated from the Theory And Piano Department.
Along with his classical music education, he was devoting a great deal of his time to the pop and rock music.
Career
His career as a professional musician started in 1961. Profoundly educated, he was able to exercise successfully in various fields of activities: as composer, pianist, keyboard player, producer and arranger.In 1961, he formed his first band, BKB, which became a prominent jazz trio at the time . In 1963 they entered The Yu Jazz Festival, that took place in Bled (Slovenia).
After conducting the various orchestras in Bosnia, he finally joined Sarajevo's most popular pop band Indeksi. With them he had a 2-months long tour in Russia.
In 1968, he moved to the Yugoslav capital, Belgrade, where he founded one of the most significant Yugoslav pop-rock bands ever, Korni Grupa
Korni Grupa
Korni Grupa was a former Yugoslav rock band from Belgrade. Korni Grupa was one of the first former Yugoslav rock bands to achieve major mainstream popularity. The band's first releases were commercial pop-oriented songs. Korni Grupa later turned towards progressive rock, continuing, however, to...
.
As a composer and a musician,he won many music contests that took place in former Yugoslavia. With Korni Grupa he entered following music festivals in Europe:
- 1969 - Singing Europe (The Netherlands), Voted the most original entry
- 1970 - Rock Festival Katowitze (PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) - 1972 - Montreux (Switzerland)
- 1974 - Eurovision Song Festival (Brighton, United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
)
In 1979 Kornelije Kovač moved to England where he collaborated in various projects, such as :
- 1980 - Reading Rock Festival - As the keyboard player of Jenny Darren Band.
Among the prominent British musicians with whom Kornelije Kovač collaborated while living in UK, were:
- Bernie Marsden, guitar player of "White Snake"
- Hans Zimmer, a prominent composer of the soundtracks like: The Rain Man, The Last Emperor, The Lion King, etc.
- Paul Jones, ex-singer of Manfred Mann
- Andy Pask, base player of Landscape
- Colin Hodgkinson, bass player of Back Doors
- Joji Hirota, Japanese percusionst
Recent projects
Kornelije Kovač has been writing music for theatre, movies and television .Like the composer of pop and rock music he has been greatly successful. His songs were released on numerous LP-s in Yugoslavia, Spain, France, USA, Holland, Sweden, Finland, Norway etc. . Many of them were Golden or Platinum Records .Since 1979, Kornelije Kovač has participated in many projects in Spain, as a producer, composer or arranger.
Most recent release
He was married to Spomenka Stojanović until Spomenka's death with whom he has two daughters: Aleksandra
Aleksandra Kovac
Aleksandra Kovač is a Serbian singer-songwriter. She is the eldest daughter of eminent composer Kornelije Kovač and the elder sister of singer Kristina Kovač. Alongside her sister Kristina, Kovač came to media prominence as a part of girl group K2, and then launched a successful solo career in 2001...
and Kristina
Kristina Kovac
Kristina Kovač is a Serbian singer and composer. She is a major pop star in Serbia. She became famous during the 1990s when she and her sister Aleksandra Kovač were the big attraction in Serbia and surrounding countries - R&B band K2...
, both of whom are also involved with music.
On 19 January 2011, serbian brpadcaster RTS announced that Kornelije Kovac and his two daughters Aleksandra and Kristina Kovač will each compose a song and present a singer, who is representing Serbia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
Eurovision Song Contest 2011
The Eurovision Song Contest 2011 was the 56th annual Eurovision Song Contest and was won by Eldar & Nigar performing "Running Scared" for Azerbaijan. The event took place in the Esprit Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany, following Germany's win in the previous year...
.
External links
- Kornelije Kovac on imdb
- Interview, BlicBlic (newspaper)Blic is a tabloid daily newspaper in Serbia owned by Ringier AG group from Switzerland.Started in 1996, it has gone through a slight format change during the mid 2000s to include more in-depth coverage, but it is still, as its name aptly suggest, a paper devoted to quick, concise,...
, April 15, 2007 - Prva pesma slučajni plagijat, Blic, February 28, 2008