Goran Bregović

Goran Bregović is one of the most recognizable modern composers of the Balkans.

Composer and guitarist Goran Bregović has been a household name in the Balkans for over two decades. Bregović has composed for such varied artists as Iggy Pop and Cesária Évora. He earned his fame wielding a guitar with his rock band Bijelo Dugme, a group that rose to stardom and set the groundwork for the Yugoslav rock scene. Known here for his scores for countryman Emir Kusturica’s films (Time of the Gypsies, Arizona Dream, Underground), Bregović commands an ensemble that matches his larger-than-life persona. A rowdy brass band, bagpipes, a string ensemble, a tuxedo-clad all-male choir from Belgrade, and traditional Bulgarian and Roma singers make up his dynamic 40-piece band and orchestra. Bregović’s compositions, extending Balkan musical inspirations to innovative extremes, draw upon European classicism and Balkan rhythms, evoking rock’s searing power as well as the repose of sacred sounds–all fueled by the insistent drive of brass. (Source: Lincoln Center Festival website)