Katarina Simonović Ivanković, MA, was born in Niš. She graduated and obtained her MA degree at the Music Academy of the University of East Sarajevo, B&H (Republic of Srpska), at the Department of Solo Singing in the class of prima donna PhD Radmila Bakočević, prof. Emerita. She has also upgraded her skills professionally with eminent pedagogues of solo singing – Aleksandra Ivanović, Biserka Cvejić, Olivera Miljaković (Vienna – Austria) and Jozef Loibl (Munich – Germany).
She has performed as a soloist with the following choirs: Chamber Choir of the Department of Church Music and Singing of the Music Academy in East Sarajevo, Niš Chamber Choir, CPD “Branko” from Niš and RTS Choir. The most prominent from performances with these choirs are performances at festivals and choir competitions (Sweden, Italy, USA, Canada, Greece and Russia).
The number of orchestras with which she performed as a soloist is also significant: Niš Symphony Orchestra, “Konstantinus” Orchestra Niš, the Faculty of Arts in Niš Orchestra, Orchestra “Amorozo” Leskovac, Orchestra “Cvrčanin” Kraljevo, “Simfonietta” Sofia – Bulgaria, “Strauss Festival Orchestra” (tour of Spain and Portugal), Orchestra “Impresija” from Niš and the Philharmonic of the Republic of North Macedonia in Skopje.
Her repertoire also includes great vocal-instrumental works such as: 9th Symphony – L. Van Beethoven, Fantasia for piano, choir, orchestra and soloists op. 80, by L. Van Beethoven, “Requiem” by V. A. Mozart, “Gloria” by A. Vivaldi, “Stabat Mater” by D. B. Pergolesia, “My Mother’s Poems” by J. Slavenski and “Pushkin’s Wreath” by G. Sviridov.
In the field of opera opus, she hasperformed the roles of Stanka in the opera “Na uranku” by S. Binički, Lucy in the opera “Telephone” by D. K. Menoti, Adela in the operetta “The Bat” by Johann Strauss, Mikaela in the opera “Carmen” by Georges Bizet, as well as in the role of Violette in the opera “La Traviata” by D. Verdi.
She has collaborated with conductors: Ivana Mirović, Bisera Čadlovski, Svilen Simeonov, Vladimir Kranjčević, Juli Damjanov, Milena Injac, Miroslav Ivanković, Zoran Stanisavljević, Dejan Savić, Suzana Kostić, Rade Pejčić, Hadži Jakov Milutinović and Čedomir Popović.
A significant part of her artistic activities are certainly solo concerts – recitals in the country and abroad, as well as performances at festivals: “NIMUS” – Niš, “IHS” – Niš, “OKTOH” – Kragujevac, “May month of music” – Vranje, “PIANO SUMMER ” – Ochrid, North Macedonia, “SARAJEVO WINTER” – Sarajevo B&H, “LEDAMUS” Leskovac, “KONSTANTINUS” – Niš and “MOKRANJAC DAYS” – Negotin.
Apart from her very active artistic and concert activities, Katarina Simonović Ivanković showed exceptional dedication to pedagogical work. She began her pedagogical work at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Niš in 2006. She is currently in the tirtle of full professor at the Department of Solo Singing, and her commitment to pedagogy and work with students is confirmed by a large number of awards at competitions in the country and abroad.
Professor Katarina Simonović Ivanković is the founder and Artistic director of the International singing competition BELCANTO, of Faculty of Arts, University of Niš.