For many readers of Klassiek Centraal, Nemanja Radulović is still a name that arouses curiosity. However, anyone who has seen him perform on stage will not soon forget him: a presence that is as pronounced as his playing, and a musicality that is difficult to capture in conventions. But behind that intensity, it turns out, lies above all a simple driving force: joy. On the occasion of his concert on Friday, April 24 with the Belgian National Orchestra in BOZAR, Werner De Smet spoke with him.
"First and foremost, I am a happy person," Radulović says without hesitation. "And a happy musician." It sounds almost disarming, but it characterizes him completely. His path – from Serbia to France, and from there to the international stage – has shaped him into an artist who is not limited by origin or tradition. On the contrary, he embraces influences from everywhere. For him, music is not a clearly defined identity, but a constantly evolving landscape in which every experience leaves a trace.
This openness goes back to his earliest memories. After just a few months of violin study, he was on stage. "That first experience, playing for people, gave me so much joy. From that moment on, I knew: this will be my life." It is a rare moment of clarity, an intuitive certainty that has since been his compass.
When you listen to his playing, you often hear words like intense, spontaneous and unpredictable. Radulović himself remains modest about it. "It is difficult to speak about yourself," he smiles as if between the lines. Yet he acknowledges that spontaneity is an essential part of his personality – both on and off stage. His interpretations move between extremes: intensity and stillness, surprise and simplicity, always in dialogue with the score. He tends to give himself completely, yet he is equally guided by the score when it calls for restraint.
He does not see the balance between faithfulness to the text and personal freedom as a contradiction. On the contrary: one feeds the other. "I always try to dig deeper into the emotions in the music. And often that ultimately brings me back to simplicity." It is a remarkable thought: that complexity is not the endpoint, but a path to clarity.
His stage presence – striking, but never forced – also grows organically from that attitude. For Radulović, freedom is a condition for being able to share. "If I try to impose something that doesn't fit my personality, it limits creation." Authenticity is not a strategy, but a necessity.
His youth in Serbia, during a period of political and social unrest, has undoubtedly left its mark. Without focusing explicitly on this, he acknowledges that every life experience finds its way into the music. Music thus becomes a mirror of existence – and at the same time a language that reaches beyond words. "With music we can share emotions that cannot be expressed."
This broad perspective also translates into his listening habits. From historical recordings to contemporary productions, from world music to jazz, rock and pop: everything feeds his imagination. Boundaries between genres are porous for him, perhaps even irrelevant.
Yet the core of his repertoire choice remains surprisingly simple: beauty. "I play music that I really love." It is a criterion that is both personal and universal – and that also characterizes his work with the ensemble Double Sens. Since its founding in 2008, he has built there a musical collective that feels almost like family. "I wanted to make music with people I like to see, and who together want to explore new interpretations." The idea of connection – between people, between cultures – is central to this.
He does not shy away from risks. Or rather: he sees them as an essential part of the process. "Freedom to try different interpretations is important. That way we become braver, and we find the best way to share our passion." It sounds almost like a life philosophy, not only in music, but equally in life itself.
On Friday, April 24, Radulović will perform in Bozar (and later in Hasselt and Paris), together with the Belgian National Orchestra under the direction of Antony Hermus, works by Sergei Prokofiev, a composer who is close to his heart. "I love the imaginary world he takes you into. So many characters, so many stories without words." More information: https://www.nationalorchestra.be/nl/kalender/antony-hermus-nemanja-radulovic
With the Belgian orchestra, he has a special bond. His debut dates back fifteen years ago, and since then he has returned regularly. "I love their flexibility, their ability to change sound and expression depending on the repertoire." The interplay feels like a natural dialogue to him, rather than a hierarchical relationship between soloist and orchestra. "I never really see myself as a soloist, but as part of a larger whole." He also looks forward to collaborating again with conductor Antony Hermus, whom he praises for his positive energy and musical intelligence.
Even in solo repertoire, that sense of polyphony remains present: different voices, characters and perspectives that together form an inner dialogue. For Radulović, music is always a network of connections.
The venue also plays a role: a hall like BOZAR means more to him than just a stage, but also a special acoustics, a history and the people who work there.
And what does music mean to him today, after all these years on the international stage?
The answer is as simple as it is all-encompassing:
"My oxygen. My life. My happiness. My joy."