Nikola Begovic

Doctor of Musical Arts, Guitar Performance (Candidate)​

Nikola Begovic is a professional guitarist, educator, and arranger. Before joining Orpheus, he taught guitar for over 10 years in various venues, including Indiana University, Indiana State University, and Music School Subotica. During these years of teaching, Nikola worked with students of different ages (young beginners to advanced students) and from different cultures. Nikola is experienced in teaching private guitar lessons and conducting guitar ensembles. In addition, Nikola is an active arranger who collects folk music from the Balkan area and arranges Balkan folk music for guitar. He has also transcribed classical pieces originally written for different instruments and arranged them for solo guitar performances, such as CPE Bach Sonata in A minor for Solo Flute, Chopin’s Nocturn (op9 n1) and Waltz (op64 n2).

Nikola’s journey through music is a tale of dedication, passion, and accomplishment. Born in Yugoslavia (1991) and raised in Subotica, his musical education began early with a focus on classical guitar. His diverse range of performances, from rock 'n' roll to jazz, demonstrates his versatility and commitment to exploring various genres. During his formative years, Nikola's studies were primarily based at the Department of Classical Guitar in Subotica's School of Music. Under the guidance of esteemed guitar Professors Petar Milovic and Marko Srdjevic, he honed his skills and developed a strong foundation.

Nikola pursued higher education at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, Serbia, under the tutelage of Zoran Krajisnik, and graduated with the highest honors. He further refined his skills by attending master classes conducted by world-renowned guitarists, including notable figures like Marco Tamayo from Cuba, Jean-Marc Zvellenreuther/Roland Dyens from France, Sante Tursi from Italy, Gerhard Reichenbach from Germany, Ernesto Bitetti from Argentina, Sergio Assad from the USA and more. During his graduate studies in the United States, Nikola was mentored by esteemed Maestro Ernesto Bitetti. Nikola received his Performance Diploma and Master of Music Degree in Classical Guitar from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and is finishing his doctoral studies.

​In addition to his passion for teaching, Nikola is a successful performer and has won various competitions. He achieved the top prize at the Guitar Open Festival by competing and emerging victorious as a freshman, surpassing even his college guitar instructor. Both participated in the same category, which had no age limits. He later won the Guitar Art Festival in Belgrade with his chamber group by arranging and expanding the repertoire for a trio that included two guitars and a flute. He clinched third and second prizes at the International Tremolo Guitar Festival and the Sarajevo Guitar Festival, demonstrating his consistent excellence on the international stage. Notably, he was honored as a laureate and winner at the 11th annual International Guitar Competition in Leskovac, Serbia. His remarkable accomplishments even caught the attention of the government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which awarded him the prestigious Award for Young Talents in 2014 and the Dositej Obradovic Scholarship/Award for Young Talents in 2015. Besides being a solo guitarist, Nikola actively participated in various musical ensembles. He was a Guitar Orchestra (AUNS) member and the Guitar Ensemble at Indiana University in the USA. Additionally, he held the esteemed position of First Guitar of the Serbian National Opera from 2012 to 2015.