Srđan Hofman (1944–2021), was one of the most prominent Serbian composers, professor emeritus of composition at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade and Head of the Electronic studio of the Faculty.

He graduated in composition from the Music Academy in Belgrade (today Faculty of Music) in 1968, where he studied with Stanojlo Rajičić. In 1972 he finished the postgraduate studies of composition in the same class.

Srđan Hofman’s creative opus encompasses a large number of works for orchestra, vocal-instrumental ensembles, chamber ensembles, as well as works for solo instruments and choirs. Many of them were performed at the leading music festivals in Serbia and abroad, including Music Biennale Zagreb, World Music Days (Germany, Sweden, Romania), Festival of electronic art (Finland), Festival of electroacoustic music in Brugge (Belgium) and Belgrade Music Festival – BEMUS.

He published a number of articles about contemporary music and one book, Osobenosti elektronske muzike.

Hofman is the laureate of numerous awards, including the First prize of the International Review of Composers (in 1994 and 1995), “Stevan Mokranjac” Award, Serbian Composers Association Award and the Big Plaquette of the University of Arts in Belgrade.

He was the Dean of the Faculty of Music (1989–1998) and Vice-rector of the University of Arts (2007–2009). He was one of the founders and the first programme selector of the International Review of Composers and Secretary of the Serbian section of the ISCM.

About the piece

The Concert episodes for violin and orchestra were written in 1972, and they are dedicated to the violinist Jovan Kolundžija, who first performed the work on 17 April 1974 with the Symphony Orchestra of the RTV Belgrade, conducted by Maurice Le Roux. The work consists of fourteen episodes, some of which have mainly expositional, and others predominantly developmental character, however the thread of development remains unbroken throughout: working with previously introduced motifs is interwoven with the announcement of upcoming motifs. The episodes are grouped in three big segments which are divided (and yet at the same time bound together) by the solo cadences of the violin, and their basic tempi correspond to the scheme of quick–slow–quick. In this way, formal organisation of the whole creates an impression of its likeness to the traditional three-movement form of instrumental concerto.

Mirjana Veselinović-Hofman