General information

The Academy of Music at the University of East Sarajevo has started operating in the 1994/1995. academic year, on territory of the municipality of Ilidža, and since 1996. premises of the Academy of Music are located in the building of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in East Sarajevo. First dean of the Academy of Music was academician Vojin Komadina. The selfless efforts of him and his associates, in difficult, wartime conditions, enabled the teaching to take place and created the preconditions for the Academy to develop into a respectable institution in the coming years, with results that gave its reputation, both domestically and internationally.
Classes at the Academy of Music take place within two study programs: Vocal-Instrumental (VISP) with 8 study fields (Solo Singing, Piano, Accordion, Violin, Viola, Violoncello, Flute, Guitar) and Musical-Pedagogical-Theoretical (MPTSP) with 3 study fields (General Music Pedagogy, Composition, Church Music and Chanting), in the first and second cycle of studies. The teaching process is performed according to the 4 + 1 system – four years of the first cycle of studies (bachelor) and one year of the second cycle of studies (master). The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) has been implemented in all subjects of the study program, and was introduced in the academic year 2007/2008. The distribution of ECTS credits was done according to the importance of the subjects that are classified in the main, mandatory and elective and are thus presented in the Curriculum. All courses have an individually defined credit value in accordance with the European Credit Transfer System, with one credit corresponding to approximately 30 hours of total student activity. Most subjects are organized in two semesters and represented throughout the study due to the specifics of studying at music academies.
First cycle of studies includes 240 ECTS credits (30 ECTS credits per semester), and second cycle of studies – 60 ECTS credits (for two semesters). Studies at the Academy of Music are organized as full-time, and are held in the premises of the Academy. The educational process of the first cycle continues in the second cycle of studies with which it represents a harmonized whole, and the plan is to start the third cycle of studies (doctoral studies), which would complete the entire educational system at the Academy of Music.
In the past period, special attention has been paid to the enrichment of instruments and library fund, equipping the premises of the Academy of Music, organization and realization of important international professional gatherings, achieving a high degree of cooperation with prestigious European and world academies, exchange of experiences, etc., to the greatest extent possible. Reputation, achieved thanks to exceptional results in the work, enabled the Academy of Music to be the organizer of important international gatherings and competitions such as: Meetings of young pianists of Southeast Europe (October 2007. and 2009.), 58th Trohpee Mondial – World Accordion Trophy (October 2008.), and one of the most important European festivals for accordion soloists in the field of academic music Akordeon Art. Akordeon Art festival has been held continuously at the Academy of Music since 2010., and since 2018. it has been expanded, so that in addition to the previous accordion competition, it also contains the International Piano Competition, all under the name AKORDEON ART plus. New competition categories have been introduced in the field of piano (piano solo, piano duo and piano practicum), as well as in the field of accordion (variete), chamber music and accordion orchestra; now the Festival has a total of 36 competition categories, which certainly led to significant popularization of the Festival.
The Academy of Music is a legatee of the eminent composer and music pedagogue Vlastimir Peričić, according to his personal wishes. Within the legacy, one can find personal writings, manuscripts, notes, documents, letters, concert programs, musicology literature in several world languages, publications of music material by domestic and foreign composers, collections, and publications of various classification content. The total number of legacy publications is 1458.
The Academy of Music is a member of the CIA (Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes) and the Music Council of UNESCO/membership of the Association for the Nurture of Academic Music New Sound (European Music Council-UNESCO).
The Academy of Music has signed agreements and protocols on cooperation with the Gnesins Russian Academy of Music (Moscow, Russia), the State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “Belgorod State University of Arts and Culture” (Belgorod, Russian Federation), Odessa National A. V. Nezhdanova Academy of Music (Odessa, Ukraine) and signed a multilateral agreement with music academies in the region: Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Belgrade (Serbia), Split (Croatia), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Novi Sad (Serbia), Skopje (North Macedonia), Osijek (Croatia), Cetinje (Montenegro), Banja Luka (BiH), Zagreb (Croatia).
Within the signed Agreements on Cooperation, mobility of students and teaching staff was achieved between the Academy of Music at the University of East Sarajevo and the music academies from Belgorod (Russian Federation) and Lugansk (Ukraine); eminent lecturers held professional lectures, also, world-famous composers presented their work, and on the basis of the above agreements, in the past period, numerous concerts of important artists from Russia and Ukraine were held.
Significant are the results of our students and professors and the numerous awards and recognitions that are won, which in the most beautiful way reflect the dedication and expertise in the work we do. We emphasize the results achieved by our students in the fields of Solo Singing, Piano, Accordion, Flute, Guitar, Violin, as well as the outstanding results of our Chamber choir, which was founded within the Department of Church Music and Chanting, unique in the Balkan. The Chamber choir has had an extremely rich concert activity in its work so far, and it can be stated with satisfaction that the ensemble has gained a great reputation, not only domestically, but also internationally. We highlight hundreds of concerts and performances in the country and abroad, as well as achieved top results, winning the biggest awards and recognitions at many prestigious European competitions and festivals.
During 27 years of existence and work, the Academy of Music has had a number of significant activities that have contributed to its growth into a serious artistic institution. With its work and results, Academy of Music significantly contributed to the affirmation of musical art in general, representing itself, the Republic of Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina in domestic and international frameworks. This affirmation is achieved through the rich concert activity of students and professors of the Academy of Music on the domestic and international concert scene, participation in domestic and international competitions, festivals, joint projects of music academies from countries in the region, participation of the Academy’s teaching staff in the work of the jury in domestic and international competitions, activities at international congresses and scientific gatherings, as well as successful cooperation with domestic cultural institutions, international organizations and diplomatic and consular missions, as well as various media houses.