The 17th International Vlach Music Festival “Gergina 2026” will take place on April 13 and 14, 2026 in Negotin, at the Stevan Mokranjac Cultural Center, standing as one of the most significant events dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Vlach musical heritage.
The first festival evening, on April 13, will feature a competition program for young vocal soloists and instrumentalists up to the age of 25, who will present authentic Vlach songs, melodies, and dances, performing in traditional costumes. Vocal soloists will perform one song, while instrumentalists will present a program lasting up to four minutes, accompanied by an orchestra led by Boban Pecić. The expert jury, chaired by Dimitrije Golemović, with members Marija Vitas and Maja Stojanović, will decide on the festival laureates, including awards for the best vocal soloist, best instrumentalist, the overall winner of the festival who receives the “Božidar Janucić” plaque, as well as the best international participant for preserving authentic Vlach music, all accompanied by monetary prizes.
The second evening, on April 14, will be a revue program gathering some of the most prominent performers of Vlach music, who will present a broader repertoire in traditional costumes from their regions, accompanied by the festival orchestra conducted by maestro Slobodan Pecić.
This year’s edition of the festival is dedicated to the legendary Vlach singer Branko Olar from Slatina near Bor, whose voice, preserved in the archives of Radio Belgrade, left a lasting mark and set high standards for the interpretation of traditional music from Eastern Serbia. By dedicating the festival to this artist, “Gergina” reaffirms its long-standing mission of preserving and promoting Vlach musical heritage and honoring its most important bearers.
Link:
