Festival Omladina (English: Youth Festival), also known as Omladinski Festival, is a music festival held in Subotica, Serbia. The festival was founded in 1961 as a competition of young composers of popular music. Their compositions were initially performed by pop singers, but soon the performers of competing compositions became rock bands. In the 1970s, the non-competitive part, featuring established rock acts, was added to the program, and in the 1980s the festival became a competition of young rock bands. During the years, some of the most notable acts of the Yugoslav pop and rock scene performed on the festival.
In 1990, at the beginning of the breakup of Yugoslavia, the festival ceased to exist. In 2011 the festival anniversary was celebrated with a concert of famous acts who made their first steps on the festival, and in 2012 the festival was reestablished.
1961
The festival was founded by the members of Mladost (Youth) Society for Culture and Arts, as a competition of young popular music composers.[1] More than 120 compositions by composers from all parts of Yugoslavia were sent to the competition, 9 of which were chosen to be performed at the festival.[1] The festival was held on 4 and 5 December at the Subotica National Theatre.[1] The songs were performed by young singers who were members of Mladost society.[2] The youngest of them was six-year-old Evika Stražarković.[2] The singers were accompanied by Mladost Brass and String Pop Orchestra conducted by Josip Kovač.[1] The festival was recorded by Radio Belgrade.[2]
Third Prize – "Leto je prošlo" by Živko Janjić and Vlado Ljubičić
Audience's Choice Award – "Macko" by Lajoš Kurai
Best Lyrics Award – "Traganje u kiši" by Vojin Dolinka
Youngest Performer Award – Eva Stražarković (six years old)[2]
1962
Around 120 songs were submitted for competition with 10 of them chosen to be performed at the festival.[2] They were performed by budding singers.[1] The festival was held on 17 and 18 November in Subotica National Theatre.[1] The jury featured Radio Television Belgrade journalists Žika Dimitrijević, Stevan Markićević, and Aleksandar Korać, Mladost magazine journalist Gordana Jakovljević and Subotica city representatives Pavle Bačić and Josip Kovač.[2] Each song was performed in two versions, by two different singers.[3]
Most Rhythmic Composition Award – "Poljubac kraj reke" by Anton Zupanc[3]
1963
The festival was held during 13, 14 and 15 September[1] in Subotica National Theatre.[4] 224 compositions were sent to the contest, 16 of which were performed on the festival.[4] The performers were accompanied by Mladost orchestra.[4] Once again, every song was performed in two different versions.[4]
Best Lyrics Award – "Radoznali sunčev zrak" by Lajoš Kurai
Youngest Composer Award – Svetozar Radić
Most Cheerful Melody Award – "Nova ljubav" by Vladislav Kanić[4]
1964
The fourth edition of the festival was held from 14 to 16 May, in National Theatre.[5] It was the first edition of the festival to be held in May, which would become a tradition in the following years.[1] Eighteen songs were performed at the festival, once again in two different versions.[5] The performers included some of the future stars of the Yugoslav pop scene, like Bisera Veletanlić, Zafir Hadžimanov and Zoran Rambosek.[5]
Third Prize – "Školsko zvono, mi i tvist" by Laslo Balaž
Audience's Choice Award – "Sećanje na susret" by Vera Radman
Youngest Composer Award – Laslo Balaž
Best Interpretation Award – Biserka Spevec
Best Composition about Life of the Youth Award – "Znam" by Jovan Adamov[5]
1965
The fifth edition of the festival was held in Subotica National Theatre.[6] Besides the Mladost society and Mladost magazine, the Society of Jazz and Pop Musicians and Ritam magazine also took part in the organization.[6] The jury featured composers Bojan Adamič, Vojislav Simić and Aleksandar Korać and poet Miroslav Antić.[6]
The sixth edition festival, held in Subotica National Theatre, featured 18 compositions performed by 21 artists.[7] Once again, each song was performed in two versions, by two different singers.[7]
The festival featured the very first public appearance by 17-year-old Kemal Monteno who would later go on to become one of Yugoslavia's most notable singer-songwriters.[8]
Audience's Choice Award – "Odrasla si" by Jerko Rošin
Best Lyrics Award – "Odrasla si" by Vanja Kraljević
Most Cheerful Composition Award – "Serenada" by Laslo Špang
Youngest Composer Award – Svetlana Ivanović (fifteen years old)
Best Interpretation Award – Mirjana Beširević and Milan Mutavdžić
Youngest Performer Award – Kemal Monteno and Radoslav Rukavina[7]
1967
The seventh edition of the festival, held in Subotica National Theater, was the first one to be broadcast by television.[9] Twenty songs were performed at the festival, each by two different singers.[9]
First Prize – "Neću takvu ljubav" by Mihajlo Kovač
Second Prize – "Ljubav na plaži" by Vojkan Borisavljević
Third Prize – "Stani na čas" by Tibor Balaš
Audience's Choice Award – "Bio sam daleko" by Lajoš Pongo
Best Lyrics Award – "Svi moji prijatelji" by Jerko Rošin
Most Cheerful Composition Award – "Stani na čas" by Tibor Balaš
Most Modern Composition Award – "Ljubav na plaži" by Vojkan Borisavljević
Youngest Composer Award – Ifeta Olujić (nineteen years old)
Best Interpretation Award – Blaga Petreska and Mihajlo Dimitrijević
Youngest Performer Award – Ljiljana Petrović (thirteen years old)[9]
1968
In the eighth edition of the festival, held at the Subotica National Theatre, 20 songs were performed, each by two different performers.[10] It was the last edition organized by Mladost Society for Culture and Arts.[10]
This was the first edition of the festival to include rock bands as performers, with the bands Džentlmeni and Zlatni Akordi performing songs by competing composers.[10] The band Zlatni Akordi featured the then unknown singer Josipa Lisac, which was her only appearance at the festival.[11]
Audience's Choice Award – "Balada" by Dražen Zimonjić
Most Modern Composition Award – "Drugu ljubiš" by Slave Dimitrov
Youngest Composer Award – Slobodan Stupar (seventeen years old)
Best Interpretation Award – Žarko Dančuo and Tatjana Gros[10]
1969
The ninth edition of the festival was the first one to be organized by Subotica Culture Center and Radio Belgrade.[10] It was also the first edition of the festival which was not held in Subotica National Theatre, but in Subotica Sports Hall, from 2 to 4 May.[12] The jury consisted of former contestants, Kornelije Kovač, Lajoš Kurai, Jovan Adamov and Vojkan Borisavljević, and poet Petar Pajić.[12] Until this edition of the festival, only the composers came from all parts of the country, while the performers were predominately the members of Mladost society; the ninth edition gave musicians from all parts of Yugoslavia the opportunity to perform, so the performers included established acts like Ibrica Jusić, Ivica Percl, Indexi, Delfini, Džentlmeni, Bele Vrane and others.[12] From this edition of the festival the songs were performed in one version only.[12]
Third Prize – "Pleši, pleši, momo mila" by Marko Demichelli
Audience's Choice First Prize – "Prolaze godine" by Ferenc Kovač
Audience's Choice Second Prize – "Svaki dan sam" by Ivica Percl
Audience's Choice Third Prize – "Nikad neću biti sam" by Darko Billege
Best Lyrics Award – "Ona koju želim" by Božo Knežević
Best Interpretation Award – Dalibor Brun
Youngest Composer Award – Elizabeta Berčev (seventeen years old)[12]
1970
As a part of the tenth anniversary celebration, the festival included a non-competitive part featuring performances by well known and less known rock acts.[13] It was the first edition of the festival to feature a non-competitive program.[13]
The Third Prize was awarded to Miodrag Cokić's composition "Kažu". On the final evening, during which the awarded compositions were performed once again, the performer of "Kažu", Dušan Prelević, went on the stage intoxicated.[14] Because of this scandal he was banned from Radio Television Belgrade programs for a year.[14]
In 1972, the festival started on Youth Day (25 May), with a midnight concert.[16] This was the first edition of the festival to feature, besides musical program, art exhibitions and poetry evenings.[16]
The band Lutajuća Srca, who won the First Prize, Audience's Choice First Prize and the Best Lyrics Award, were unable to perform on the final evening, so, on their recommendation, at the time little known singer-songwriter Nenad Milosavljević performed instead of them.[17] The song "Mom bratu" was performed by sixteen year old Vesna Čipčić, who would several years later start a successful acting career.[18]
522 compositions were sent to the contest, more than to any of the previous editions.[19] The performers were accompanied by Radio Television Belgrade Big Band, conducted by Bojan Adamič.[19]
The fifteenth edition of the festival was the first one organised by Subotica Youth Center and Radio Television Novi Sad.[21] It was marked by an unusual move: all 22 competing compositions were proclaimed the winning compositions.[1]
1976
650 compositions were sent to the contest, from all parts of Yugoslavia, but also from Yugoslavs living abroad,[22] 24 of which were chosen to compete at the festival.[22] The festival was held in Subotica Sports Hall, in front of more than 5,000 spectators.[22]
Awards
First Prize – "Mojot son" by Jordan Velinov; performed by Marija Ćuruvija
Second Prize – "Daj na neba" by Miladin Šobić; performed by Miladin Šobić
Third Prize – "I rešeto ima buze" by Ivica Čotić; performed by Zajedno
Fourth Prize – "Gde ćeš biti, lepa Kejo" by Ljubiša Lolić; performed by Suncokret
Audience's Choice First Prize – "Ti si ta što ja znam" by Mane Kolovski; performed by Momir Nikolovski
Audience's Choice Second Prize – "Ona je tu" by Zoran Ristivojević; performed by Marjan Miše
Audience's Choice Third Prize – "I rešeto ima buze" by Ivica Čotić; performed by Zajedno[22]
1977
The festival featured three parts: the competition, rock evening, featuring well known and less known rock acts, and the evening of patriotic songs, entitled "Mladi pevaju Titu" ("Youth Sings to Tito").[23] The organizers decided to include the evening of patriotic songs in every future edition of the festival.[1]
Awards
First Prize – "Zašto ponekad iz sna me bude zvuci nečijeg pijanina" by Ivo Lesić; performed by Đorđe Apostolovski
Second Prize – "Ne kucaj, srce, tako nemirno" by Mustafa Ismailovski; performed by Vesna Kartuš
Third Prize – "Koliko puta" by Zoran Todorović; performed by Hava
Audience's Choice Award – "Ne kucaj, srce, tako nemirno" by Mustafa Ismailovski; performed by Vesna Kartuš[23]
Omladinski festival was considered something you had to graduate from in order to even appear on our [Yugoslav] [music] scene. It was a dream for all of us that had played our guitars on our [apartment buildings]' stoops and stairwells. I was even naive enough to mail my material [to Subotica] several times, believing that they've got a commission there that carefully combs through it all before sending out invitations. But the first time they actually invited me was after some of my, let's say, hits had already brought me some attention: first "U razdeljak te ljubim" with Žetva [...] then "Prva ljubav" with Rani Mraz. No one [from the festival] even asked me what we [Rani Mraz] would be performing. I did some 3 or 4 songs, one of which was "Računajte na nas", which at that point in time and in that place really resonated because we all loved that country back then. It wasn't a pro-regime, communist song. Later on it got a little twisted, receiving some other labels, and I stopped performing it when I realized it was being used for [political] sloganeering. However, beck then when it functioned as a patriotic song, it had a certain [true] emotion... I remember, that year, the festival [also] had Galija, Atomsko Sklonište, etc. and when I came off stage [following the performance] into the backstage area I recall everyone being on the verge of tears. Looking back on that song now, its emotion is probably somewhat clumsily undercut by my decision as its author to mention Tito explicitly in the lyrics. I shouldn't have done that. The songs was strong enough even without him. However, the times back then were such that even a douchebag off the street like me, having never been a member of any communist organizations, decided to bring him up in a song. Who could've thought at the time that my songs would have a longer shelf life than Tito [and Titoism]. But that song really did leave a strong impression in Subotica that year. Getting that reaction there stayed with me as a big moment and success in the initial part of my career. Considering how much that festival meant to me, I really haven't been mentioning it enough, probably due to all the subsequent weirdness that song generated.
The eighteenth edition of the festival was held from 11 to 13 May, in Subotica National Theatre and Subotica Sports Hall.[25]
Rani Mraz's performance on the evening of patriotic tunes would go on to become one of the most memorable moments in festival's history.[25] On this occasion, the band for the first time publicly performed their song "Računajte na nas" ("We Can Be Counted On"), which—in addition to expressing devotion to the Yugoslav lifetime president Josip Broz Tito—praises his guerrilla fighters' participation in World War II (known in the Yugoslav historiography as the People's Liberation War (NOB)) from the perspective of the country's youth born after World War II, embodied in the band and its 25-year-old singer Đorđe Balašević who also authored the song. Despite not winning any of the prizes at the festival, the song left the biggest impression on its audience and would go on to wide-spread popularity in Yugoslavia.
Released as a seven-inch single later that year, "Računajte na nas" became an unofficial anthem of the Yugoslav youth, receiving extensive air play in the country's electronic media. It would further be generally extolled in the country's public sphere as a positive example of the post-war communist youth respecting its elders and their "ultimate sacrifice in the struggle against fascism".[26] The song further became omnipresent at various communist events, national holidays, and commemorative anniversaries in Yugoslavia such as the running of the Relay of Youth, Liberation Day, and Republic Day.[26] Eventually, by the mid 1980s, the song would also be heard at student protests and political rallies via being chanted by protesters and political party activists. By 1987, its author and singer Balašević—who had by this point built a successful solo career in Yugoslavia—stopped performing the song live and semi-renounced it.[26]
Awards
First Prize – "Kad prođe vreme" by Miomir Pavlović; performed by Miomir Pavlović and Icina Deca
Second Prize – "Igraj, Makedonko" by Sotir Spasevski; performed by BT Top
Third Prize – "Zbogom, Bijelo Dugme" by Jerko Šunjko; performed by Vitomir Petković
Audience's Choice First Prize – "Uz huk mora" by Mirsad Huljić; performed by Zoran Miladinović
Audience's Choice Second Prize – "Ne mogu srce da prevarim" by Bodin Starčević; performed by Mira Ostojić
Audience's Choice Third Prize – "Neko te drugi ljubi" by Ivica Čotić; performed by Ivica Čotić
The nineteenth edition of the festival was held from 17 to 19 May.[27] It was crucial in festival's transition from competition of young composers to competition of young rock acts. Prior to the nineteenth edition, unaffirmed rock bands were invited to perform at the festival, but only in the non-competitive part, with mostly pop, pop rock and soft rock acts competing for awards; in 1979, the organizers decided that from this edition all unaffirmed acts which were invited to perform would be competing for awards.[27] The competition featured 37 compositions.[27]
The bands Pekinška Patka and Prljavo Kazalište were the first punk rock acts to perform at the festival. These two bands did not apply for the competition, but, alongside progressive rock band Boomerang and jazz rock band Den Za Den, got special invitation from the festival director Vitomir Simurdić, who wanted the festival to move away from pop format.[28] Boomerang won the First Prize, Pekinška Patka won the Audience's Choice Second Prize,[1] and Prljavo Kazalište was disqualified from the contest after performing gay-related song "Neki dječaci".[29][30] Then little known musicians Robert Funčić and Vesna Vrandečić, who performed Funčić's song "Veruj mi" and won Audience's Choice First Prize, would two years later form the band Xenia.[31]
Awards
First Prize – "Živjeti iznad tebe barem dan" by Zlatko Klun; performed by Boomerang
Second Prize – "Dubina" by Aleksandar Dujin; performed by Meta Sekcija
Third Prize – "Stiže poslednji autobus" by Branko Kovačić; performed by Branko Kovačić
Audience's Choice First Prize – "Veruj mi" by Robert Funčić; performed by Robert Funčić, Vesna Vrandečić and Marijan Balina.
Audience's Choice Third Prize – "Stiže poslednji autobus" by Branko Kovačić; performed by Branko Kovačić
Best Interpretation Award – Obećanje Proleća (performing "1979" by Branko Bogunović)[27]
1980
It had never happened before, nor would ever again this many hot, new performers arrive to Subotica in a single year. This edition of the festival would be remembered as exceptional in every way, including the date—the festival had regularly been held in May, in accordance with the practice of holding youth events in the month of relay and Tito's birthday. But that year, May was the month of nationwide grief, so Omladina Festival was postponed until autumn. Thanks to that rescheduling, a lot of bands that had just been making their first steps in the May of that year entered the program: Električni Orgazam, Idoli, Šarlo Akrobata, Haustor, and if we add Film and Na Lepem Prijazni [...] it becomes clear that Subotica in the autumn of 1980 was one of the most interesting and most important meeting points in the history of Yugoslav rock. Most of those musicians, arriving from different cities, would meet each others and hear each other perform for the very first time here. Fuzzy and foggy ideas musicians from Zagreb had about the new scene in Belgrade—and vice versa—would be given image and tone here.
The festival in Subotica was a key event, because we spent several days with those guys [from the other bands], and those several days seemed like several weeks. It was very motivating [...] we were some sort of newly-found heroes to each other, and we tried to live up to that heroic mission.
Due to the death of Josip Broz Tito on 4 May, the twentieth edition of the festival was, instead in May, held in October.[1] Twenty-four compositions competed for the awards. All three prizes by the jury and all three by the audience were given to rock bands.[33] The festival anniversary was celebrated with performances of numerous artists who received acknowledgment after appearing on the festival: Bisera Veletanlić, Dalibor Brun, Kemal Monteno, Tomaž Domicelj, Lutajuća Srca, Miladin Šobić, Jadranka Stojaković, Leb i Sol, Boomerang and others.[33] On its anniversary, the festival received numerous accolades: the Seven Secretaries of SKOJ Award, the Liberation of Subotica Award, the Radio Belgrade Golden Microphone Award, the PGP-RTB Silver Plaque, the FIDOF Award and several others.[33]
The twentieth edition of the festival is notable as one of the most important moments in the history of Yugoslav new wave scene, as it included performance of some of the most notable new wave acts from Belgrade and Zagreb: Šarlo Akrobata, Idoli, Električni Orgazam, Film and Haustor.[1][32] As on the previous edition of the festival, young bands did not apply for the competition, but got special invitations from the festival director Vitomir Simurdić.[28] Other bands which got the invitation were the jazz rock band Na Lepem Prijazni and ska band Kontraritam.[34] Film would be Awarded the First Prize, Šarlo Akrobata the Second Prize and Idoli the Audience's Choice Third Prize.[33] The organizers initially did not take Električni Orgazam into consideration, but were persuaded to include the band into the program by Riblja Čorba leader Bora Đorđević. Električni Orgazam caused a scandal with their performance, which included damaging microphones and cymbals and destroying colored light bulbs which were part of the scenery, and were disqualified from the competition.[35]
First Prize – "Ogledalo" by Petar i Zli Vuci; performed by Petar i Zli Vuci
Second Prize – "Moj prijatelj ide u vojsku" by Zlatko Đurašin; performed by Stidljiva Ljubičica
Third Prize – "Jutarnji modeli" by Vjeko Zajec; performed by Modeli
Audience's Choice First Prize – "Uzalud te čekam" by Milorad Nonin; performed by Dragica Stankov and Radio Television Novi Sad Big Band
Audience's Choice Second Prize – "Moj prijatelj ide u vojsku" by Zlatko Đurašin; performed by Stidljiva Ljubičica
Audience's Choice Third Prize – "Biće bolje" by Dimitrije Maksić; performed by Osma Sila
Best Interpretation Award – Lačni Franz (performing "Šank rock")
Journalists' Award for Best Lyrics – Radivoj Šajtinac[36]
1982
Awards
First Prize – "Kar si skuhal, pojej" by Andrej Turku; performed by Martin Krpan
Second Prize – "Sladoled za vrane" by Đorđe Vasić; performed by Makakus
Third Prize – "Volim svoju povratnu kartu Sisak-Zagreb" by Mladen Šestić; performed by Zmijski Ugriz Mladog Lava
Audience's Choice First Prize – "Sladoled za vrane" by Đorđe Vasić; performed by Makakus
Audience's Choice Second Prize – "Čupave glave" by Metro; performed by Metro
Audience's Choice Third Prize – "Za dan, za san" by Vlasta Topličić; performed by Život
Best Interpretation Award – Meri Trošeljeva of Tadaima (performing "Pitaš li me kuda odlaze ptice")
Journalists' Award for Best Lyrics – Tadaima (performing "Pitaš li me kuda odlaze ptice")[37]
1983
At the twenty-third edition of the festival, held from 19 to 26 May, 36 compositions competed for awards.[38] On this edition, rock compositions and pop compositions were finally separated. Two separate competitions were held: Rock Evening and Schlager Evening.[38]
The hard rock band Kerber, which won the Rock Evening First Prize, would two months after the festival release their debut album and become one of the most popular bands on the Yugoslav hard rock scene.[39] The best Interpretation Award was won by little-known young singer Mladen Vojičić of the band Top, who would a year later gain nationwide popularity when he became the new singer of Bijelo Dugme.[38]
Awards
Rock Evening First Prize – "Mezimac" by Zoran Stamenković; performed by Kerber
Rock Evening Second Prize – "Nekje k votu" by Đorđe Vasić; performed by Ultimat
Rock Evening Third Prize – "Karasko" by Ljupče Karo; performed by Tokmu Taka
Schlager Evening First Prize – "1. maj" by Miljenko Šercer; performed by Miljenko Šercer
Schlager Evening Second Prize – "Sve je muzika" by Ivana Vitaljić; performed by Ivana Vitaljić
Schlager Evening Third Prize – "Doviđenja, doviđenja" by Ljupčo Stojanovski; performed by Ljupčo Stojanovski
Audience's Choice Award – "Cesta" by Dragan Pavković; performed by Parudaštri
Best Interpretation Award – Mladen Vojičić of Top (performing "Lagala si")[38]
1984
The twenty-fourth edition of the festival was held from 17 to 20 May.[40] A smaller number of awards was given than during the previous editions, partially due to funding problems.[40] On the Rock Evening, for the first time the award was given to the band for their complete performance, not for one composition.[1]
The First Prize on the rock evening was won by the band Automobili. The prize included the recording of a studio album. As they were already working in studio on their debut album, they decided to give up on the prize in favor of the runner-up, the band Beta Centaury.[41] With the release of their debut album later that year Automobili would rise to popularity.[41] The band Zabranjeno Pušenje was invited to perform in the non-competitive part, but refused due to the fact that their applications from the time when they were an unaffirmed band were regularly refused.[42]
Audience's Choice Award – Rock Street (Belgrade)[1]
1986
In 1986, the concept of competition of composers was officially abandoned, the festival was renamed to Festival pop i rok muzike (Festival of Pop and Rock Music) and became a competition of young unaffirmed bands.[1]
The 1987 edition of the festival was marked by the jury's decision that all the bands which entered the finals – KUD Idijoti, Indust Bag, Mizar, Tužne Uši and Grad – are the winners.[43] With the exception of Tužne Uši, all of the bands would rise to prominence, KUD Idijoti becoming one of the most notable punk rock bands and Mizar one of the most notable dark wave bands on the Yugoslav scene. The alternative rock band Center Za Dehumanizacijo, which would later also rise to prominence, also competed, but did not manage to enter the finals.[44]
Both the First Prize and the Audience's Choice Award were won by the band Zijan,[43] which, a year later, also won both the First Prize and the Audience's Choice Award at the ZaječarGitarijada Festival.[1]
Journalists' Choice Award – Deca Loših Muzičara[43]
2011
In 2011, in order to mark the festival's 40th anniversary, a concert was held in Subotica Sports Hall, featuring numerous artists who gained first acknowledgements after their appearance on the festival. The performers were accompanied by orchestra led by Gabor Bunford.[45] The bands Lutajuća Srca, Suncokret and Rezonansa all made reunions just for this occasion,[46] while the band Generacija 5 reunited in the original lineup.[47]
