The 12th International Saxophone Festival in Serbia – Belgrade Saxperience will take place from September 25 to 27, bringing together renowned artists from Serbia and abroad, and offering audiences and musicians a unique experience through concerts, masterclasses, and workshops.
What makes this festival special is its dedication to an instrument that, in jazz, is a symbol of freedom and improvisation, while in classical and contemporary music it brings new expressiveness and emotion. The audience will have the opportunity to discover the full spectrum of the saxophone — from classical compositions to avant-garde sound experiments, through diverse programs.
Over the course of three festival days, five concerts will be held at prestigious Belgrade venues — the Atrium of the National Museum, the Balkan Cinema, and the Belgrade Cultural Center — featuring distinguished artists and ensembles.
Festival director and saxophonist Milan Savić said of this year’s edition:
“Over these twelve years, Belgrade Saxperience has become more than a festival — it is a place where audiences discover new horizons of sound, and young musicians gain valuable experiences and connections. The saxophone is an instrument at the crossroads of different musical worlds — from classical, through jazz, to contemporary music — and it is precisely this diversity that gives it the power to connect people of different generations and tastes. Maintaining the continuity of the festival for twelve years is a great challenge, but thanks to the energy and response of the audience, we believe that Belgrade deserves such a distinctive artistic event. For me, the greatest success is seeing how the saxophone can awaken both joy and nostalgia, and enchant everyone — from the youngest listeners to those who have devoted their entire lives to music.”
On September 26 at the Balkan Cinema, the program will feature performances by the Saxophone Orchestra of the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna (mdw) and the renowned Belgian saxophonist Hans de Jong.
Saxophone Orchestra of the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna (mdw) – Austria
The mdw Saxophone Orchestra is made up of talented students from the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. The ensemble is known for its fresh, energetic, and multi-layered sound – a combination of the unusual, the unexpected, and the infectious spirit of classical saxophone expression.
Their performances showcase the saxophone’s flexibility and expressive potential across various genres, blending tradition and innovation.
The University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna (mdw) is one of the world’s largest and most renowned universities specializing in the performing arts – music, theatre, and film. As an international leader in music and performing arts education, it gathers more than 3,000 students from 70 countries, offering 115 degree and 41 supplementary programs across 25 departments.
Hans de Jong (Belgium)
Hans de Jong balances his career as a solo saxophonist and chamber musician with composing and teaching. He is the dedicatee of around 150 compositions – ranging from chamber works to saxophone concertos – written by prominent composers such as Johan de Meij, René Pieper, Kees Schoonenbeek, Tera de Marez Oyens, Henk Badings, Alexander Raskatov, and many others.
Hans de Jong is also the composer of three saxophone concertos. Together with pianist Paul Hermsen, he produced and recorded the CD series Vintage of European Saxophone Music, featuring exclusive original chamber works for saxophone and piano, released by Casa Nova Records. His other recordings include repertoire for saxophone quartet and concertos with symphony, string, and wind orchestras.
As a composer and saxophonist, he has won awards at competitions in Kortrijk, Martigny, and Antwerp. He has conducted numerous masterclasses around the world – in Sweden, Japan, Germany, the UK, Finland, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Greece, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Poland, Italy, Hungary, and the USA.
Commissioned by the Dutch Composers’ Association, as well as by the Brabant Music Foundation, Belgian Radio, the Province of Gelderland, SAMO organization, and the Flemish Department of Culture of Belgium, he has composed many significant works.
Highlights from his compositional output include:
- Charisma – for symphony and jazz orchestra
- Concertino da Camera – for alto saxophone and 11 instruments
- Omaggio a Kristina D. – for wind orchestra
- Five Songs from Sappho – for mixed choir and saxophone quartet
- Le Rêve et la Folie – for solo alto saxophone
- Kurban Bajrami – for trombone quartet
Belgrade Saxperience is organized by the Serbian Saxophone Association, with the support of the Cervantes Institute, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium, the Austrian Cultural Forum, Selmer, JLV, and the Saša Marčeta Foundation.
Admission to the festival is free.