For many readers of Klassiek Centraal, Nemanja Radulović remains a name that sparks curiosity. But anyone who has seen him perform on stage won't forget him easily: a presence as striking as his playing, and a musicality that defies easy categorization. Yet beneath that intensity lies, it turns out, a simple driving force above all: joy. On the occasion of his concert on Friday, April 24th with the Belgian National Orchestra at BOZAR, Werner De Smet spoke with him.

"First and foremost, I'm a happy person," Radulović says without hesitation. "And a happy musician." It sounds almost disarming, but it defines him completely. His journey—from Serbia to France, and from there to international stages—has shaped him into an artist who refuses to be limited by origin or tradition. On the contrary, he embraces influences from everywhere. For him, music is not a fixed identity, but a constantly evolving landscape where every experience leaves its mark.

This openness traces back to his earliest memories. After just a few months of violin study, he was already 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's a rare moment of clarity, an intuitive certainty that has been his compass ever since.

Those who listen to his playing often use words like intense, spontaneous, and unpredictable. Radulović himself remains humble about this. "It's difficult to talk about yourself," he smiles, reading between the lines. Yet he acknowledges that spontaneity is an essential part of his personality—both on and off the 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 equally allows himself to be guided by the score when it calls for restraint.

He doesn't see the balance between fidelity to the text and personal freedom as a contradiction. On the contrary: one nourishes the other. "I always try to dig deeper into the emotions in the music. And often that ultimately brings me back to simplicity." It's 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 this attitude. For Radulović, freedom is a condition for being able to share. "If I try to impose something that doesn't match 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 explicitly focusing on this, he acknowledges that every life experience finds its way into his music. Music 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 put into words."

This broader 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 choices remains surprisingly simple: beauty. "I play music that I truly love." It's 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 a musical collective that feels almost familial. "I wanted to make music with people I enjoy, and who together want to explore new interpretations." The idea of connection—between people, between cultures—is central to this.

He doesn't shy away from risks. Or rather: he sees them as an essential part of the process. "The freedom to try different interpretations is important. That makes us 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 24th, Radulović brings to Bozar (and later to Hasselt and Paris), together with the Belgian National Orchestra under the direction of Antony Hermus, works by Sergei Prokofiev, a composer close to his heart. "I love the imaginary world he takes you into. So many characters, so many stories without words." More info: https://www.nationalorchestra.be/nl/kalender/antony-hermus-nemanja-radulovic

With the Belgian orchestra, he also has a special bond. His debut with them dates back fifteen years ago, and he has returned regularly since. "I love their flexibility, their ability to change tone and expression depending on the repertoire." The collaboration feels to him like a natural dialogue, rather than a hierarchical relationship between soloist and orchestra. "I never really see myself as a soloist, but as part of something larger." He also looks forward to working again with conductor Antony Hermus, whom he praises for his positive energy and musical intelligence.

Even in solo repertoire, that sense of multiple voices remains present: different voices, characters, and perspectives that together form an inner dialogue. For Radulović, music is always a network of connections.

The venue itself 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."