YOUNG DERVENTA WOMAN CREATES A UNIQUE BLEND OF CLASSICAL AND ROCK MUSIC

Katarina Ćelić is one of the top students at Derventa and the Academy of Arts in Banja Luka. With an endless passion for music, she successfully balances her academic duties and her role as the bassist in the band Deminutiv.

PHOTO: Derventa cafe

Although she did not grow up in a family of musicians, Katarina decided to enroll in music school on her own in third grade, choosing the piano as her first instrument. Despite the piano not being her first choice, music remained a constant in her life. After completing elementary music school, she briefly stepped away from formal music education but found her way back to it during her high school years through her involvement in a school band.

"In my second year of high school, I first felt the magic of playing music together, which motivated me to enroll in the ‘Konstantin Babić’ Music School in Prnjavor. As a student who commuted, it was challenging, but my love for music overcame everything," Katarina recalls in an interview with Derventa Cafe.

During this period, the band Deminutiv was formed, originally conceived as a one-time project for a charity concert. However, the chemistry between the members and their enthusiasm for music led the band far beyond their initial plans. Five years later, Deminutiv has evolved into a serious authorial band preparing to release two new singles and an album.

In addition to her dedication to the band, Katarina is an excellent student at the Academy of Arts in Banja Luka, where she studies Music Theory and Pedagogy. Among her favorite subjects are arranging and harmony with harmonic analysis, and she expresses special gratitude to her professors Mladen Janković, Saša Pavlović, and David Mastikoša, who have had a significant impact on her development.

Her hard work and academic success were recognized by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Higher Education of the Republic of Srpska, which awarded her a scholarship.

"I applied on the recommendation of a friend, but also because I believed I had a real chance given my grades and the effort I’ve put in. The scholarship means a lot to me as it makes studying in another city easier," Katarina shares.

Though music takes up most of her time, Katarina finds space for other hobbies as well. She enjoys films, TV series, books, and has recently taken up sport climbing.

She has clear goals for the future – to continue her academic success and grow through her work in the band.

"Music is everything to me, and I want to fully dedicate myself to it, whether through teaching or creating original works," Katarina concludes.

Given her enthusiasm and dedication, the music world can expect even more from her in the future.