Who is the husband and husband of Divina Lyubovych. Divna Ljuboevich: biography

The name of Divna Ljubojevic is well known in her home country - Serbia and abroad. She also has many fans in Russia: on almost all Orthodox music sites you can listen to the singer’s recordings.

Unlike our musicians, who focus mainly on the singing of the Old Believers and perform medieval chants in a somewhat harsh folk manner, Divna sings very beautifully. She has a soft voice with an unusual tart timbre; I want to listen to him endlessly, without interruption for a minute. But beauty in her singing is not an end in itself - it is very sincere, and the most complex graces sound naturally, like simple human speech. (By the way, this is a sign of “aerobatics” for any singer, and it is very difficult to achieve such mastery).

A different aesthetic is felt in the singer’s appearance. Divna is a beautiful, charismatic woman with a serious and strong-willed expression. However, the thick head of black curly hair, which photographers like to focus on in the singer’s advertising photographs, betrays endless femininity, and a sincere smile is a charm that is simply impossible to resist.

At her concerts, Divna performs not only Serbian and Greek, but also ancient Russian chants. The singer loves Russia and Russian culture very much. When she was 10 years old, she was very impressed by the beauty of Russian church singing that she heard at the Entry into the Temple Monastery Holy Mother of God in Belgrade. Russian nuns who emigrated from Tsarist Russia after the revolution sang in this monastery. Under their leadership, Divna began to learn church singing. Since then she knows a little Russian.

Divna Ljubojevic was born in Belgrade on April 7, 1970, on the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. From the age of ten she studied church singing at the Belgrade Monastery of the Entry of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple. Then she graduated from the Mokranjac music school in Belgrade and the Music Academy in Novi Sad. In 1991, Divna Ljubojević created the church choir “Melody”, named so at the suggestion of the famous singer and philologist Nenad Ristović in honor of St. Roman the Sweet Singer (Roman Melod in Serbian). The repertoire of the Melody choir consists of Orthodox chants: from early examples of Byzantine, Serbian, Bulgarian and Russian chants to works by modern authors. In addition to participating in divine services, over the 17 years of its existence, the choir gave more than 400 concerts and participated in many international festivals.

When Divna arrives in St. Petersburg, she has almost no time to meet with the press. In fact, the singer is not very inclined to give interviews: she is deeply immersed in music and loves to sing more than talk. However, we still managed to “catch” Divna Ljubojevic during a break between rehearsals and talk in a small cozy room behind the stage of the Great Hall of the Philharmonic.

- It is believed that a conductor is a male profession. Is it easy to be a female conductor?

You know, this is, first of all, a musical profession. Of course, in the past, as a rule, conductors were men, but now I know many women who are successful in this. It's not difficult for me.

The essence of the conductor's profession is to impose your will, your understanding of a piece of music on a group of musicians. Therefore, many conductors have a despotic character. Do you have it too?

- Of course not. Our choir is a group of friends. We are together because we are friends, we are united by our love of music and faith in God. It so happens that I know a little more than other members of the team, and therefore I pass on my knowledge to them.

I read that you grew up in a believing family, and from the age of ten you studied at a school at a monastery. Church and music have been with you since childhood. Have you ever had a desire to change your life?

It is true that I grew up in a believing family - and thank God. I naturally came to faith in God. It is also true that I studied at the school at the Monastery of the Introduction Mother of God. I never once thought about going any other way. Everything I did was taken for granted, very natural. I don't wish myself a different fate.

- You happy man?

I'm a very happy person. I have a gift that I received from God, and I am grateful to him for this gift and would not want to change anything in my life. Except in the little things.

- Doesn’t popularity interfere with your personalNoah and spiritual life?

- (Laughs.) No. This is mainly due to Internet popularity. Yes, people go to my concerts, listen to my recordings on the Internet, and discuss them. I know that many phones have melodies performed by me, for example, the Romanian patriarch has “kyrie eleison.” But in ordinary life I practically don’t notice my fame.

- There was a war in your country. How did these tragic events affect you?

This is a very serious and deep topic that requires a separate discussion. You, of course, know that all these events happened for a reason, they were prepared in advance. Even as a child, I knew that the day would come when my homeland would be engulfed in war, and then, one day, it happened. And of course, being a Christian, I understood and understand that everything happens only according to the will of God.

You have probably met many interesting people throughout your life. What meetings do you particularly remember?

There were many meetings that made a great impression on me. Basically, these are meetings with listeners. Very often these are surprisingly touching stories that cannot leave you indifferent, stories about how, after meeting the church music that I perform, something changed in a person’s soul, he turned to God or thought about the meaning of life.

Not all stories can be told, sometimes they are very personal. People told how someone was cured of illness or depression. The most pleasant thing is when mothers say that they put their children to bed while I sing.

- How do you feel when youdo you go on stage? Are you nervous?

I go on stage with the feeling that I have to convey something to people. They take it in and I feel the response from the audience.

- Do you consider yourself to be an AU?tentative performers?

Many people perceive me this way. But the question is: can I authentically perform a chant that was created in the 9th century? Luckily, I don't have to do this. I perform it the way I feel.

Sometimes you perform very ancient music. Do you perceive the creators of these chants as people very far from you or as contemporaries?

Man's relationship with God has not changed during this time. What was important to people then is still important now. In fact, we all live at the same time.

www.luminaortodoxiei.com

Divna Ljubojevic is also involved in the art of conducting and is the youngest conductor in the history of the oldest Serbian choir.

Divna Ljubojevich: “I LOVE IT WHEN THEY TURN THE CHILDREN TO BED TO MY SINGING”

The name of Divna Ljubojevic is well known in her home country - Serbia and abroad. She also has many fans in Russia: on almost all Orthodox music sites you can listen to the singer’s recordings.

At her concerts, Divna performs not only Serbian and Greek, but also ancient Russian chants. The singer loves Russia and Russian culture very much. When she was 10 years old, she was very impressed by the beauty of Russian church singing that she heard at the Monastery of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple in Belgrade. Russian nuns who emigrated from Tsarist Russia after the revolution sang in this monastery. Under their leadership, Divna began to learn church singing. Since then she knows a little Russian.

— It is believed that a conductor is a male profession. Is it easy to be a female conductor?
— You know, this is, first of all, a musical profession. Of course, in the past, as a rule, conductors were men, but now I know many women who are successful in this. It's not difficult for me.

— The essence of the conductor’s profession is to impose your will, your understanding of a piece of music on a group of musicians. Therefore, many conductors have a despotic character. Do you have it too?
- Of course not. Our choir is a group of friends. We are together because we are friends, we are united by our love of music and faith in God. It so happens that I know a little more than other members of the team, and therefore I pass on my knowledge to them.

— I read that you grew up in a believing family, and from the age of ten you studied at a school at a monastery. Church and music have been with you since childhood. Have you ever had a desire to change your life?
- It’s true that I grew up in a believing family - and thank God. I naturally came to faith in God. It is also true that I studied at school at the monastery of the Presentation of the Mother of God. I never once thought about going any other way. Everything I did was taken for granted, very natural. I don't wish myself a different fate.

-Are you a happy person?
- I am a very happy person. I have a gift that I received from God, and I am grateful to him for this gift and would not want to change anything in my life. Except in the little things.

— Doesn’t popularity interfere with your personal and spiritual life?
— (Laughs.) No. This is mainly due to Internet popularity. Yes, people go to my concerts, listen to my recordings on the Internet, and discuss them. I know that many phones have melodies performed by me, for example, the Romanian patriarch has “kyrie eleison.” But in ordinary life I practically don’t notice my fame.

— There was a war in your country. How did these tragic events affect you?
— This is a very serious and deep topic that requires a separate discussion. You, of course, know that all these events happened for a reason, they were prepared in advance. Even as a child, I knew that the day would come when my homeland would be engulfed in war, and then, one day, it happened. And of course, being a Christian, I understood and understand that everything happens only according to the will of God.

— You have probably met many interesting people throughout your life. What meetings do you particularly remember?
— There were many meetings that made a great impression on me. Basically, these are meetings with listeners. Very often these are surprisingly touching stories that cannot leave you indifferent, stories about how, after meeting the church music that I perform, something changed in a person’s soul, he turned to God or thought about the meaning of life.

— How do you feel when you go on stage? Are you nervous?
“I go on stage with the feeling that I have to convey something to people. They take it in and I feel the response from the audience.

— Do you consider yourself an authentic performer?
“Many people perceive me this way.” But the question is: can I authentically perform a chant that was created in the 9th century? Luckily, I don't have to do this. I perform it the way I feel.

— You sometimes perform very ancient music. Do you perceive the creators of these chants as people very far from you or as contemporaries?
— Man’s relationship with God has not changed during this time. What was important to people then is still important now. In fact, we all live at the same time.

Choir-studio of sacred music “Melody”

The choir-studio of sacred music “Melody” was founded in 1991. at the Monastery of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Belgrade. The name of the choir is associated with the name of St. Roman Melod (Sweet Singer) - one of the first and best church choristers. The repertoire of the Melody choir consists of chants of Orthodox spiritual music: from the earliest examples of Byzantine, Serbian, Bulgarian and Russian monophony and polyphony to the works of modern authors. In addition to participating in divine services, during the 17 years of its existence, the choir gave more than 400 concerts throughout the country, participated in international festivals in Novi Sad and Belgrade (the name of the festival in Serbian), where in 2000. received the "Vojislav Ilić" award in the category "Best Choir for Authentic Performance of Sacred Music". The team recorded on many domestic radio and TV stations (BK Television, TV Studio B, RTS, etc.), visited the monasteries of Manasiya, Ravanitsa, Vitovnitsa, Gornyak, Savina, Vrachevshnitsa... The letter of gratitude from the Administration of the Vrachevshnitsa Monastery says: “To yours with inspired singing, many hearts united in the praise of our age-old Marina, which unites the Serbian people and confirms them in pure Orthodoxy.”

The choir also took part in two international projects. These are “Small Festive Mass” (Messa Brevis) by G. Rossini with soloists of the Basel Opera and the baroque opera “Dido and Aeneas” by G. Purcell in collaboration with the Studio of Early Music and outstanding soloists from Great Britain.
In October 1996 To commemorate the fifth anniversary of the choir's existence, the audio cassette “Axion Estin” was released, and in 1999. - cassette “It is worthy to eat”, both published by the Monastery of the Introduction.

Divna Ljuboevich

Divna Ljuboevich, conductor and artistic director of the choir-studio of sacred music “Melody”, was born in 1970. She began learning church singing as a child, at the Convent of the Entry, from nuns who carefully preserved their unique traditions of church singing. Graduated from music. school "Mokranjac" in Belgrade and music. Academy in Novi Sad. Divna has been involved in the art of conducting for almost two decades, first in the singing society “Mokranjac”, and then in the First Belgrade Singing Society, as “the youngest conductor in the history of the oldest Serbian choir.”

In 1997 With the blessing of Bishop Luke, Divna founded a choir at the Church of St. Sava in Paris, with which, in addition to participating in divine services, she conducted active concert activities. In July 1998 At the Academie Musikale d Ete in Amylu (France) she gave lessons in choral singing. The result of her work as a teacher-musician was numerous awards at competitions of music schools (district, city, republican). Divna first presented her solo work on the CD “Life-Giving Source” (2000). Since the founding of the ensemble, work with “Melody” has been the main direction in the creative activity of Divna Ljuboevich.

Create and believe

Orthodox liturgical chants are one of the miracles revealed. They contain love and hope, energy and humility.

An Orthodox church is Heaven on earth for a person who, while staying in it, is immersed in a special world and is spiritually reborn. “In the prayers and hymns of the church, throughout their entire space, the Holy Spirit of truth moves,” said St. John the Wonderworker of Kronstadt. Everything that surrounds a person in the temple is filled with a mystical spirit and lifts the human spirit to unattainable heights. The liturgical art of music and singing also serves the same purpose. The human voice becomes a conductor of God’s grace and joyfully glorifies the Creator, representing a wonderful symphony of the heavenly and earthly.

Church hymns performed by Divna Ljubojevic are perceived as a clear sign of prayer. Prayer to which the whole nature of a believer rushes, which acts like a sharpened sword in the daily battle with oneself, which fills with a special light and warms hearts.

Liturgical singing is called a sounding icon; it, like an icon, reveals the essence of Orthodoxy. Orthodox chants performed by Divna Ljubojevic and the Melody choir create an image of Orthodoxy. The ancient Byzantine and Serbian chants performed by Divna and her team, recorded on CDs “Christ was born”, “The best Easter songs of the Orthodox East”, “Melody” are especially iconic. These melodies, said Hieromartyr Veniamin, Bishop of Romanovsky, give off “... such a distance of time, such a strength of feeling that you cannot exchange for the most fashionable musical melody of our time...”.

These ancient melodies awaken a religious feeling in the listener, who recognizes in these tunes in Greek, Church Slavonic modern and Church Slavonic pre-reform languages that which was put into the soul initially, from birth, which indicates long ago and “well-trodden paths leading the soul to heaven, to God."

Divna's singing is skillful; she hears and reproduces overtones that fill the earthly atmosphere with musical sound. IN Orthodox tradition This phenomenon is called “angelic singing.” The overtone sound of male voices is more common. The overtone sound of a female voice is rare and is perceived as purely sublime. Such singing gives awe and joy to the soul.

The sound of liturgical chants performed by Divna Ljuboevich and her choir testifies to the teaching of the Holy Fathers of the Church, who said that in singing a person can pour out delight and flight of the soul, renounce passions and everyday feelings. Melodies "Kratima" ("Terirem"). “Agni Parfene”, “Aksion estin”, “Christos Anesti”, “Anastaseos imera” give scope to the delight of God’s presence, which does not fit within the boundaries of words, to that feeling that directs towards the achievement of the highest Christian ideal - eternal bliss.

Pleasantness and benefits of sweet singing

The Holy Fathers called church singing not music, but a verbal melody that helps believers educate their souls. The singing of the choir “Melody” and Divna Ljubojevich is surprisingly churchly: its sound helps to perceive the text of the chants, filled with all-encompassing and all-forgiving love, helps to renounce worldly vanity and sensuality, and immerse oneself in the contemplation of eternal absolute truths, in the depths of one’s own spirit.

The excellent diction of the singers helps to educate the soul of the listener. Even ancient Slavic texts with obvious Serbian pronunciation features are well understood.

The musical interpretation of liturgical chants by Divna Ljuboevich is simple, beautiful, and, at the same time, has a strong emotional impact, helping to relive the liturgical feeling again and again.

Church Doctor Clement of Alexandria emphasized the benefits that Christian music should bring. Divna’s performance of liturgical chants can improve and soften a person’s character. The solo melodies performed by Divna are dispassionate and chaste. A constant voice performed by male voices creates inner harmony, which helps in the pursuit of spiritual perfection.

The sound of Divna’s voice is like a quiet candle of prayer, burning with an even, calm flame, without religious exaltation, affect, or sentimentality. Her prayer is an expression of faith and love for God, breathing, without which the soul “dries up,” just as the body dies without air.

The Fathers of the Church presented the music of Christian chants as the only direct way for the soul to communicate with God. Christian song expresses the deep foundations of life in Christ, about which the heart sings. “Be baptized into Christ”, “Like the Cherubim”, “Cathedral of Angels”, “Who saw the Resurrection of Christ” melodically connect a person with Truth, Beauty and Wisdom, calling for the restoration of the harmony of the world destroyed as a result of the Fall of man. All human life should become music, a jubilant song, praise to the Creator.
Currently, the singing of liturgical hymns is not limited to place (temple) and time (worship). Liturgical singing has gone beyond the threshold of the Church and is now performing missionary service. But wherever Orthodox chants are heard - in church, on stage, in headphones - they teach the soul divine truths.

Orthodox singing art has accumulated many different singing traditions over two thousand years. Almost all traditions (except for the specifically Russian one) are represented in the works of Divna Ljuboevich. This is both the choral style of modern parish everyday singing and folk Orthodox singing. The inclusion of folk Orthodox songs in the repertoire of CDs helps to perceive the deeply religious traditions of Serbian culture.

The chants recorded on the “Concert” CD deserve special attention. Here are collected the author's interpretations of the texts of Orthodox chants by Serbian composers S. Mokranets, S. Hristich, D. Ljubojevic, V. Ilic. Their music is original and beautiful. The compositions are written on liturgical unchangeable texts, as well as on the texts of troparions and requiem chants, using various methods of presenting choral texture - from choral to polyphonic.

Chants with music by A. Arkhangelny, N. Kedrov, P. Chesnokov, M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, A. Kastalsky are organically included in the repertoire of Divna Lyuboevich’s CDs. Divna approaches the interpretation of this kind of chants in the same way as an icon painter - solving the problem of transmitting Divine Revelation to believers. Regent expresses content Orthodox faith, revealing the musical form of liturgical texts. The original music performed by the Melody choir became deeply personal. Feelings seem to go inside, and in concentrated experience there is a rebirth and transformation of the personality of both each of the singers and those listening.
Divna’s musical and singing reading of liturgical texts testifies to the wisdom of a mature person. The “Melody” choir demonstrates the singing of a single life, a single breath, a single worldview. It is like the last breath before death, when all deceit, untruth and flattery have already receded. And man stands before Christ and “eye to eye” confesses “with his voice” in final repentance.

"What's in a name?" - asked the poet. “A name is a musical form that can be molded however you want,” answered priest Pavel Florensky.

So what is this - Divna? Is this a miracle? No, it's a name. What does the name Divna convey - surprise or wonder? What did this woman dazzle with her transparent purity of voice?
A special state of inner joy, inspiration and a feeling of universal unity in the face of a bright mystery. A feeling of creative inspiration when the soul creates cheerfully and freely.

The end and glory to God

Doxology - Divna Ljuboevich

DIVNA Ljubojevic

DOXOLOGY - DIVNA Ljubojevic

Divna Ljubojević (Serbian: Divna Žubojević, Divna Ljubojević; born April 7, 1970, Belgrade), Serbian performer of Orthodox sacred music of Serbia, Byzantium, Bulgaria and Russia. Founder, regent, soloist and director of the Melodies choir. Divna Ljubojevic was born in Belgrade on April 7, 1970, on the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

She grew up in a religious Orthodox family. She began learning church singing as a child at the Convent of the Entry, from nuns who carefully preserved their unique traditions of church singing.

Then she graduated from the Mokranjac music school in Belgrade and the Music Academy in Novi Sad. The art of conducting Divna has been practicing for almost two decades, first in the singing society "Mokranjac" and then in the First Belgrade Singing Society as "the youngest conductor in the history of the oldest Serbian choir". In 1997, with the blessing of Bishop Luke, Divna founded the choir at the Church of St. Sava in Paris, with which, in addition to participating in divine services, she conducted active concert activities. In July 1998, she gave lessons in choral singing at the Academie Musikale d Ete in Amylu (France).

20.07.2012 Through the labors of the brethren of the monastery 14 321

- Divna, today you visited Valaam for the first time and gave another amazing concert, please describe your feelings about what is happening...

I didn't believe that I would be here. I thought about Valaam as something completely unattainable for me. But when they approached me with an offer to become a participant in the “Academy of Orthodox Music” festival and told me about the opportunity to visit Valaam, then, you know, a thrill went through my soul. Everything I see here today is amazing, the nature is amazing, the concert is amazing. It was also special for me that at the concert I did not see almost a single monk, because each of them was busy with his obedience at that time. This was also surprising for me, in a good way. My feelings now are indescribable. Maybe it's because it's the first time, but the first time is probably the most important.

- Is this your first time becoming a member of the “Academy of Orthodox Music”?

- How many concerts did you give as part of this festival?

Just two. The first concert was with the St. Petersburg Capella. And the second one today, here on Valaam.

- Divna, could you tell us what directed you to music at such an early age? Was it your parents' wishes or did something else play a role in your early musical development?

First of all, these are not parents, because... they were not professional musicians, although they sing. I think it's a gift. When I was little, I sang a lot, it came very naturally to me. When I was 9 years old, my parents and I were at convent(I grew up in a religious family) where I heard a choir of nuns and was amazed by their singing. This was the beginning of my singing in church.

- You travel a lot now and perform all over the world; could you name the concert that made the deepest impression?

Yes, sure. First of all, this is the Italian city of Bari. It was difficult to stop tears from the sensations that visited my soul then. There were unforgettable concerts in France, and most recently, on May 24, in the concert hall of the Kremlin Palace. The noise of the applause was so enormous that I must admit, I even felt scared for a moment. This was already the second concert. And the first one was a year ago, which I attended His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, and the current President of Russia (then Prime Minister) Vladimir Putin, which was, of course, a very great honor for me. We received many compliments, but, of course, the public's reaction remains unforgettable. The Ukrainian public can also be compared with the Russian public. The way we were received in Kyiv is also impossible to forget: people sang right along with us, as if even for us, in response to us. - In Italy and France, did you perform mainly in front of Catholic audiences? In these countries, yes. But they, even without understanding the words, feel something and perceive us very well.

- I assume that you like classical music?

Very.

- Your favorite composers?

Among the most favorite instrumental music, these are, of course, Bach and Rachmaninov.

- What instrument do you play other than your voice?

Piano. And, unfortunately, only the piano. As a child, I really wanted to play the violin, but I only had a piano and that’s why it so happened that I still haven’t learned to play the violin.

- Divna, could you give advice to people who are beginning vocalists in the classical direction?

It is very difficult. Maybe I don’t even have specific advice. Because if a person has a gift, a talent, then he himself will understand his path and follow it. Every person makes himself with the help of God: first, he must want to make himself, and second, the Lord will definitely help him if the person has decided.

Interviewed by Vladimir Zolotukhin.

Divna Ljubojevic was born in Belgrade on April 7, 1970, on the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
From the age of 10, Divna studied church singing at the Belgrade monastery “Vavedeje Presvete Bogoroditsa” (Introduction of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple). Then she graduated from the Mokranjac music school in Belgrade and the Music Academy in Novi Sad.
In 1991, Divna Ljubojević created the church choir “Melody” at the Monastery of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Belgrade, named after the proposal of the famous singer and philologist Nenad Ristović in honor of Saint Roman Melod. The repertoire of the Melody choir consists of Orthodox chants: from early examples of Byzantine, Serbian, Bulgarian and Russian chants to works by modern authors. In addition to participating in divine services, over the 17 years of its existence, the choir gave more than 400 concerts and participated in many international festivals. The vocals of the singer and the choir she directs are amazing to the core.

Divna Ljubojevic is also involved in the art of conducting and is the youngest conductor in the history of the oldest Serbian choir.

Discography

Aksion estin, 1996
Worthy to eat, 1999
Life-giving spring, 2000
Melody, 2001
Doxology, 2002
Liturgija u manastiru Vavedenje, 2004
Concert, 2006
Christ is Risen, 2007
Christ be born, 2007
Divna en concert
Mysteres Byzantins
Lumières du Chant Byzantin
La Divine Liturgie de Saint Jean Chrisostome
La Gloire de Byzance