ZIVORAD NIKOLIC
Accordionist for hire & accordion teacher based in London
BIOGRAPHY
Zivorad Nikolic is a professional accordionist and accordion teacher from Serbia living in London. At the age of seven he joined the Miloje Milojević School of Music where he studied with Vesna Djurdjević, Radomir Tomić, Radenka Ristić and Snezana Vlastić. In 2002 he was accepted by the National Conservatory of Music in Marseille, France and was invited to play at the Napoleon Palace in his first year. Zivorad then studied with Owen Murray at the Royal Academy of Music in London, graduating in 2009. During this time, he received the Sir John Barbirolli Foundation Award.
Since 2007, Zivorad has been a member of Paprika, a six-piece band performing traditional Eastern European music. He is also a member of the Fugata Quintet, Accordduo and She’koyokh, the award-winning Klezmer ensemble. Zivorad has performed as a soloist and in chamber groups in some of the most prestigious venues such as St. Martin in the Fields, St. John’s Smith Square, Royal Festival Hall, Kings Place, Royal Albert Hall, Buckingham Palace, New Morning (Paris), The Forum (Melbourne), Enmore Theatre, and Brisbane Powerhouse. He has also performed at renowned festivals such as Glastonbury, WOMAD, Cheltenham, Norfolk & Norwich, Deal, Canterbury, Cambridge, Auckland, and Edinburgh Fringe. In 2006 Zivorad was privileged to perform at György Kurtág 80th birthday concert in Budapest.
Zivorad has recorded on the albums of several artists including David Gomez, Aiden Love & Forty Thieves Orchestra and Marti Pellow. In 2011 Zivorad performed in the premiere of Prophet and Loss, a community opera written by Julian Grant. He has also featured on Channel 4’s How Music Works and in a live performance for the BBC Radio 2 programme, Friday Night Is Music Night. Recent highlights include live performance of Kurt Weill’s ‘Threepenny Opera’ conducted by Ilyich Rivas as well as ‘Tobias and Angel ‘a Church Opera by Jonathan Dove. Zivorad also played in some theatre productions in UK such as ‘Fiddler on the Roof ‘at the Crucible theatre in Sheffield as well as ‘Piaf’ at the Curve theatre, Leicester. He has also recorded soundtracks for films and some of the most recent collaborations are with Anne Nikitin and Michael Chanyi-Wills.
Zivorad also works successfully with students of all ages. He was featured in a World Encyclopedia of Accordionist "Accordion and World's Best Contemporary Accordionist" published in New York in 2020. In the same year, Zivorad was elected as an Associate of Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) for his contribution to Music.
RECORDING SESSIONS
A musical experience
Zivorad Nikolic loves collaborating with other musicians as well as performing solo for individuals and companies. If you’re looking for a top musician who will be a pleasure to work with on Recording Sessions, look no further. Whatever your musical need, Zivorad is here to make sure yours are met in the most professional way.
"Zivorad played accordion on my score for This Beautiful Fantastic. He was a pleasure to work with - friendly, enthusiastic and extremely talented. He interpreted the mood I was aiming to create perfectly, as well as offering several alternatives. A fantastic musician! I look forward to working with him again."
Anne Nikitin, Composer
ACCORDION LESSONS
'Do you know why I love this monster, so much? - It breathes' - Sofia Gubaidulina about the accordion
"I have known Zivorad Nikolic for over 4 years since I began receiving accordion tuition from him as an undergraduate student. He is a superb and dedicated teacher with an incredible talent for communicating deep understanding and creative sensitivity. With a true mastery over his craft, Zivorad is an inspiration and a joy to work with on both technique and musicality in almost every genre of music. I wholeheartedly recommend him as a teacher at any level, from the most basic building blocks of musicality to the advanced virtuosic craft of his standing."
Thomas Black-Roff
BA (Hons) Music
LIVE PERFORMANCE
Professional sounds
As an experienced musician, Zivorad Nikolic is able to offer clients a wide range of services, including professional live sessions. Zivorad specialises in Classical, Tango, Balkan, and Klezmer music. Get a taste of his sound and feel free to get in touch to schedule a personal meeting.
AUDIO
VIDEO
Interview for "Bach to Baby"
MUSICAL PROJECTS
PAPRIKA
Balkan Music
Hailing from Romania, Serbia and the UK, Paprika unite traditional Eastern European, Balkan, Gypsy and Classical Music. The band has toured extensively across Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, and featured at WOMAD festivals around the world. Highlights have included concerts at London’s Purcell Room, the Royal Albert Hall, Sydney Opera House, Glastonbury Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe. Paprika were recently featured on BBC Radio 3’s World on 3.
SHE'KOYOKH
Klezmer & Balkan Music
“...amongst the finest klezmer ensembles on the planet.”
The Australian
Hailed as “one of London’s musical treasures, playing the best Balkan and klezmer music in Britain” (Evening Standard), She’Koyokh have spent fifteen years absorbing the rich folk music traditions of Jewish Eastern Europe, Turkey and the Balkans.
ACCORDDUO
Accordion Duo
Serbian Accordionists Miloš Milivojević and Zivorad Nikolic have played together for more than 20 years. As best friends, they enjoyed playing this wonderfully expressive, extremely sophisticated and increasingly popular instrument. AccordDuo is focusing on original works, masterful arrangements for classical accordion as well as Eastern European music and Argentinian Tango.
While studying at the Royal Academy of Music they have performed concerts across UK and appearances at the festivals include: Norfolk and Norwich Festival, Devizes and Deal Festival. Since 2009 they have been selected to perform for Yehudi Menuhin’s charitable scheme “Live Music Now!” which supports young musicians of all genres at the outset of their professional careers while making high quality live music as widely accessible as possible.
FUGATA QUINTET
Nuevo Tango
The Fugata Quintet was born out of a shared passion for the music of Astor Piazzolla and a desire to champion his name as a great composer of the 20th century. Drawing upon backgrounds in classical, jazz and world music, they have thoroughly assimilated the Nuevo Tango style and are now building on this rich tradition with contemporary works specially commissioned for the group.
“One completely memorable and emotionally overwhelming evening.”
Jon Snow, Channel 4 News
CONTACT
Are you looking to hire a professional and experienced accordionist for your event, recording session, or ensemble? Zivorad Nikolic has got what it takes to deliver the right kind of tunes everyone will love listening to. Get in touch to learn more about his musical styles, repertoire, rates and available dates.