Dragan Tomić (b. 1977) holds an MA degree in composition from the class of Prof. Dimitrije Bužarovski at the Faculty of Music at “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” University in Skopje, North Macedonia. As a composer and arranger, he collaborates with the Academic Choir of the Students’ Cultural Centre at the University of Niš (Serbia), Women’s Choir of the Students’ Cultural Centre at the University of Niš, Chamber Choir of Niš, Niš Symphony Orchestra, and Concertante Chamber Orchestra of the Faculty of Arts in Niš. Works by Tomić have been performed in concerts and festivals in Serbia, North Macedonia, Slovenia, Spain, France, Bulgaria, England, Equador, Poland, Greece, and Russian Federation. He is employed as a full professor at the Faculty of Arts in Niš.

About the piece

Kyrie eleison for mixed vocal octet (two sopranos, two mezzo-sopranos, two tenors, baritone and bass-baritone) is an a cappella piece which, together with Konstantinova fuga for strings and In hoc signo vinces for soloists, mixed choir and piano, forms the trylogy inspired by the personality and life achievements of Constantine the Great. The first segment is written in the manner of Western European church, while the second segment contains a dose of Orthodoxy and our spirituality. The characteristics of this piece are: sonoristics, clusters, pedal, soloist treatment of vocal parts, layering, Latin text (a prayer).