Festival Omladina (English: Youth Festival), also known as Omladinski Festival, is a music festival held in Subotica, Serbia. The festival was founded in 1961 as a competition of young composers of popular music. Their compositions were initially performed by pop singers, but soon the performers of competing compositions became rock bands. In the 1970s, the non-competitive part, featuring established rock acts, was added to the program, and in the 1980s the festival became a competition of young rock bands. During the years, some of the most notable acts of the Yugoslav pop and rock scene performed on the festival.
In 1990, at the beginning of the breakup of Yugoslavia, the festival ceased to exist. In 2011 the festival anniversary was celebrated with a concert of famous acts who made their first steps on the festival, and in 2012 the festival was reestablished.
1961 The festival was founded by the members of Mladost (Youth) Society for Culture and Arts, as a competition of young popular music composers. More than 120 compositions by composers from all parts of Yugoslavia were sent to the competition, 9 of which were chosen to be performed at the festival. The festival was held on 4 and 5 December at the Subotica National Theatre. The songs were performed by young singers who were members of Mladost society. The youngest of them was six-year-old Evika Stražarković. The singers were accompanied by Mladost Brass and String Pop Orchestra conducted by Josip Kovač. The festival was recorded by Radio Belgrade.
Performers Marika Matijević Franjo Niderholcer Katarina Dorožmai Dijana Jančikin Eva Stražarković Marija Vuković Ernest Zvekan Viktor Sabo Ilija Vorgučin Vladimir Štulić Gabor Gencel
Awards First Prize – "Daj mi osmeh" by Kornelije Kovač Second Prize – "Zvezde sreće" by Sylvester Levay Third Prize – "Leto je prošlo" by Živko Janjić and Vlado Ljubičić Audience's Choice Award – "Macko" by Lajoš Kurai Best Lyrics Award – "Traganje u kiši" by Vojin Dolinka Youngest Performer Award – Eva Stražarković (six years old)
1962 Around 120 songs were submitted for competition with 10 of them chosen to be performed at the festival. They were performed by budding singers. The festival was held on 17 and 18 November in Subotica National Theatre. The jury featured Radio Television Belgrade journalists Žika Dimitrijević, Stevan Markićević, and Aleksandar Korać, Mladost magazine journalist Gordana Jakovljević and Subotica city representatives Pavle Bačić and Josip Kovač. Each song was performed in two versions, by two different singers.Omladinski festival 1962
Competition Composition Composer Lyricist First performer Second performer"Vedri nokturno"Marija RadićTona AndinKatarina DorožmaiMarija Vuković"Samo iluzije"Ferid MujkovićIvan PerčićMarija VukovićBalaž Aranjoš and choir"Sumrak"Sylvester LevayBranko TemunovićMarika Matijević and choirNaum Brzanov"Susret"Kornelije KovačBogdan StojadinovićEva BerlekovićSvetozar Litavski"Priča barke"Kornelije KovačBogdan StojadinovićTeri Kovač and choirStevan Nađ"Poljubac kraj reke"Anton ZupancAnton ZupancKatarina DorožmaiDuet Stevanov"Sve devojke"Anton ZupancAnton ZupancMargita PastorSvetozar Litavski"Maturant"Sylvester LevayBranko TemunovićMargita PastorMarika Matijević"Mala kafana"Sylvester LevayBranko TemunovićMarika MatijevićFranjo Niderholcer"Vizija"Gojko NovakovićGojko NovakovićTeri KovačImre Juhas
Awards First Prize – "Susret" by Kornelije Kovač Second Prize – "Vizija" by Gojko Novaković Third Prize – "Sumrak" by Sylvester Levay Audience's Choice Award – "Sumrak" by Sylvester Levay Best Lyrics Award – "Susret" by Bogdan Stojadinović Youngest Composer Award – Sylvester Levay Most Rhythmic Composition Award – "Poljubac kraj reke" by Anton Zupanc
1963 The festival was held during 13, 14 and 15 September in Subotica National Theatre.Omladinski festival 1963 224 compositions were sent to the contest, 16 of which were performed on the festival. The performers were accompanied by Mladost orchestra. Once again, every song was performed in two different versions.
Competition Composition Composer Lyricist Arranger First performer Second performer"Radoznali sunčev zrak"Lajoš KuraiLajoš KuraiStevan RadosavljevićMargita KovačMargita Pastor"Nova ljubav"Vladislav KanićVladislav KanićIlija Genić / Milan KostićVladislav KanićBiljana Pilić"Opet sam sam"Svetozar RadićSvetozar RadićJosip Kovač / Stevan RadosavljevićMargita PastorStevan Zarić"Proleće ljubavi"Srećko ZubakArpaš sistersJožef Arpaš / Predrag StevanovićDuo ArpašDuo Stevanov"Čežnja"Jovan AdamovŽivko PopadićJožef Gubicak / Josip KovačBalaž AranjošTeri Kovač"Dođi"Margareta GoborMargareta GoborIlija Genić / Josip KovačSlavko LalićMirjana Stilinović"Kandidat"Roman ButinaBlanka HudobaIlija Genić / Milan KotlićDuo MDuo Radosavljević"Zapisano u vetrovima"Vera Radman and Veljko VujčićBranko KucinićStevan RadosavljevićRatko BoškovićNevenka Ivošević"Osvajač"Roman ButinaBlanka HudobaJosip Kovač / Milan KotlićNada RadojevićDuo Stevanov"Jesen"Zvonko ČulinaZvonko ČulinaStevan Radosavljević / Josip KovačTeri KovačSvetozar Litavski"Medison, Medison"Srećko ZubakBlanka HudobaStevan RadosavljevićMargita KovačKatarina Dorožmai"Kao varka"Lajoš KuraiIvan JovanovićStevan RadosavljevićStevan ZarićRatko Bošković"Nakon studija"Roman ButinaBlanka HudobaIlija Genić / Milan KotlićBiljana PilićVera Radojević"Vrbe"Zdenko RunjićZdenko RunjićJosip Kovač / Jožef GubičakErnest ZvekanSvetozar Litavski"Bez oproštaja"Zoran RambosekVuk StambolovićIlija Genić / Alojz SkeriZoran RambosekVuk Stambolović"Oči boje lešnika"Kornelije KovačKornelije KovačStevan Radosavljević / Josip KovačMirjana StilinovićStevan Zarić
Awards First Prize – "Zapisano u vetrovima" by Vera Radman and Veljko Vujčić Second Prize – "Dođi" by Margareta Gobor Third Prize – "Oči boje lešnika" by Kornelije Kovač Audience's Choice Award – "Vrbe" by Zdenko Runjić Best Lyrics Award – "Radoznali sunčev zrak" by Lajoš Kurai Youngest Composer Award – Svetozar Radić Most Cheerful Melody Award – "Nova ljubav" by Vladislav Kanić
1964 The fourth edition of the festival was held from 14 to 16 May, in National Theatre.Omladinski festival 1964 It was the first edition of the festival to be held in May, which would become a tradition in the following years. Eighteen songs were performed at the festival, once again in two different versions. The performers included some of the future stars of the Yugoslav pop scene, like Bisera Veletanlić, Zafir Hadžimanov and Zoran Rambosek.
Competition Composition First performer Second performer"Plave kovrdže"Silvija FrancStevan Zarić"Ti si opet tu"Silvija FrancStevan Zarić"Mister Morse"Jarmila CikotskaStevan Zarić"Hol a szerelem?"Emilija SaboJarmila Cikotska"Ona voli samo tvist"Zoran RambosekZafir Hadžimanov"Prvi školski dan"Elvina ŠtelcIvanka Pavlović"Izgubljeni put"Mirjana BeširevićBisera Veletanlić"Voli me"Zafir HadžimanovZoran Rambosek"Pevaj pesmu"Vladislav KanićBisera Veletanlić"Naš put"Antika StipićBiljana Pilić"Tiha Luna"Ervina ŠtelclJurica Pavuković"Znam"Biserka SpevecGordana Dimitrijević"Mari"Jurica PavukovićMarjan Mumelaš"Školsko zvono, mi i tvist"Ivanka PavlovićKatarina Dorožmai"Mislim o tebi"Gordana DimitrijevićMirjana Beširević"Sećanje na susret"Katica BidlegBiserka Spevec"Ja danas neću doći"Marjan MumelašBiljana Pilić
Awards First Prize – "Sećanje na susret" by Vera Radman Second Prize – "Mister Morse" by Brana Honjec Third Prize – "Školsko zvono, mi i tvist" by Laslo Balaž Audience's Choice Award – "Sećanje na susret" by Vera Radman Youngest Composer Award – Laslo Balaž Best Interpretation Award – Biserka Spevec Best Composition about Life of the Youth Award – "Znam" by Jovan Adamov
1965 The fifth edition of the festival was held in Subotica National Theatre.Omladinski festival 1965 Besides the Mladost society and Mladost magazine, the Society of Jazz and Pop Musicians and Ritam magazine also took part in the organization. The jury featured composers Bojan Adamič, Vojislav Simić and Aleksandar Korać and poet Miroslav Antić.
Competition Composition Composer Lyricist First performer Second performer"Cvetić"Lajoš KuraiStevan PupovacBlaga PetreskaMahir Paloš"Kraj Tise, sam"Tibor BalašTibor BalašTibor BalašMirjana Beširević"Prvi randevu"Tibor BalašTibor BalašTibor BalašKatarina Dorožmai"Žalim"Jovan AdamovTibor BalašBiserka SpevecSilvija Franc"Nedovršene Misli"Jovan AdamovTibor BalašAntika StipićVladislav Kanić"Sreli smo se"Jovan AdamovTibor BalašMarjan MumelašKatica Bidleg"Uspomena još o tebi priča"Jovan AdamovTibor BalašMirjana BeširevićJurica Pavuković"Divno je to"Laslo ŠpangLaslo ŠpangBisera VeletanlićVesna Ugar"Priča o izletu"Laslo ŠpangLaslo ŠpangJelica KukićBlaga Petreska"Miris lipe"Stojan NenadovićStojan NenadovićMahir PalošAntika Stipić"Oči neba"Marko TipurićMarko TipurićTamara ŠarićIvanka Pavlović"Proljeće"Emil GlavnikLjubo SlavkoJurica PavukovićMarjan Mumelaš"Možda te volim"Želimir KalanjŽelimir KalanjIvanka PavlovićKatarina Dorožmai"Šetajući s tobom"Vladislav KanićVladislav KanićTamara ŠarićAlbertina Trbojević"Semiramida"Zdenko RunjićMarija MandićVinko IvanovićStevan Zarić"Ja samo tebe volim"Želimir DamićŽelimir DamićAlbertina TrbojevićJelica Kukić"Posle tvog odlaska"Stevan ZarićStevan ZarićStevan ZarićSilvija Franc"Čas koji čekam"Svetozar RadićSvetozar RadićVesna UngarBisera Veletanlić"Kiša je počela"Miroslav VeličkovićMiroslav VeličkovićVladislav KanićVinko Ivanović"Naš dan"Zvonko ČulinaZvonko ČulinaKatica BidlegBiserka Spevec
Awards First Prize – "Naš dan" by Zvonko Čulina Second Prize – "Nedovršene misli" by Jovan Adamov Third Prize – "Oči neba" by Marko Tipurić Audience's Choice Award – "Šetajući s tobom" by Vladimir Kanić Best Lyrics Award – "Šetajući s tobom" by Vladimir Kanić Most Cheerlful Composition Award – "Šetajući s tobom" by Vladimir Kanić Youngest Composer Award – Tibor Balaš Best Interpretation Award – Biserka Spevec Youngest Performer Award – Tamara Šarić
1966 The sixth edition festival, held in Subotica National Theatre, featured 18 compositions performed by 21 artists.Omladinski festival 1966 Once again, each song was performed in two versions, by two different singers.
The festival featured the very first public appearance by 17-year-old Kemal Monteno who would later go on to become one of Yugoslavia's most notable singer-songwriters."Festival Omladina 1966 – Filmske novosti", YouTube.com
Competition Composition Composer Lyricist First performer Second performer"Otkud tebe znam"Tibor BalašTibor BalašMića NovakovićVladislav Kanić"Dan koji pamtim"Tibor BalašTibor BalašVladislav KanićIvana Nikolić"Izbeledeli san"Tibor BalašTibor BalašRadoslav RukavinaKatica Bidleg"Želim da znaš"Petar BahunPetar BahunStevan ZarićKemal Monteno"Taj grad"Jovan AdamovStevan ZarićIvana NikolićStevan Zarić"Daleko od tebe"Jovan AdamovAlbertina TrbojevićMarjan MumelašKatica Bidleg"Ne budi tužna"Laslo ŠpangLaslo ŠpangVjekoslav JutIgor Jakac"Serenada"Laslo ŠpangLaslo ŠpangKemal MontenoRadoslav Rukavina"Pred odlazak tvoj"Laslo ŠpangLaslo ŠpangAranjoš BalažVjekoslav Jut"Oči neba"Marko TipurićMarko TipurićTamara ŠarićIvanka Pavlović"Ti sanjaš večeras"Vladislav KanićVinko Ivanović and Vladislav KanićVinko IvanovićMarija Beširević"Čuj me, devojko"Vladislav KanićVladislav KanićMihajlo DimitrijevićDragan Jović"Moje obećanje"Vladislav KanićVladislav KanićMirjana BeširevićMarjan Mumelaš"Odrasla si"Jerko RošinVanja KraljevićIgor JakacMilan Mutavdžić"Ti si deo mene"Kornelije KovačZdravko OstojićBiserka SpevecMihailo Kovač"Sjena na plaži"Zdenko RunjićVinko IvanovićDragan JovićVinko Ivanović"More i ti"Svetlana IvanovićVinko IvanovićKatarina DorožmaiZlatko Golubović"Ti i tvoje oči"Slave DimitrovVinko IvanovićMirjana BeširevićBiserka Spevec"Srećna ljubav"Mihajlo ApostolovskiMihajlo Apostolovski and A. StošićZlatko GolubovićMihailo Dimitrijević
Awards First Prize – "Želim da znam" by Petar Bahun Second Prize – "Odrasla si" by Jerko Rošin Third Prize – "Ti i tvoje oči" by Slave Dimitrov