Kosta Popović, cello

Montenegrin cellist Kosta Popović was born in Podgorica in 2000, where he received his primary and secondary musical education at the PI ASMB Vasa Pavić, in the class of his father, Mladen Popović. In 2017 Kosta came to the UK to study at the Whitgift school as well as Junior Guildhall. He entered his undergraduate studies in 2019 at the Guildhall School for Music and Drama in London, as their scholar, in the class of Professor Louise Hopkins, and graduated in June 2023.

During his studies, he performed on the international stage as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician in numerous concerts. As one of the founding members of the Fibonacci Quartet, he regularly performed at music festivals in Great Britain, Belgium, Spain, Holland and France. Notable performances include performances on BBC Radio 3 In Tune and NPO 2 Podium Witteman, the Schiermonnikoog Chamber Music Festival, as well as the Art Amanti Chamber Music Festival. In the same year they won the First Prize at both Royal overseas League Cometition as well as CAVATINA Intercollegiate Chamber Music Competition at the Wigmore Hall.

In the summer of 2023, he was invited to participate in the Santander Festival in Spain, where he collaborated with pianist Stanislav Ioudenic and Jens-Peter Maintz. He was also a participant of the International Summer Academy in Vienna (MDW) in August 2023, during which he performed at the final concert broadcast live by the Austrian National Radio. He also performed at Maiastra Music, Blackheath Church, Croydon Minster and St James Piccadilly Church. 

He attended master classes and projects led by world-renowned artists and ensembles such as the Endelion Quartet, the Gould Trio, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Adrian Brendel, Alasdair Tate, Alexander Rudin, Jens-Peter Maintz, Eberhard Feltz.

From 2022 to 2023, he studied at the International Institute for Chamber Music Reina Sofia in the class of Gunter Pichler as well as at the Netherlands Academy for String Quartets (NSKA).

He was one of the recipients of the LSO String Experience Scheme, giving Kosta the opportunity to perform with the London Symphony Orchestra.

In addition to the modern cello, he also performs with the Academy of Ancient Music ensemble, performing music on the baroque cello. With desire to expand his artistic horizons, he increasingly performs works of modern music, and in December 2023, he participated in a project with dancers from the London Contemporary Dance School, premiering a work by Zhou Zhouer at The Place.

Kosta is a recipient of the Guildhall School for Music and Drama financial award, the Ian Fleming instrumentalist award (Help Musicians) and the Countess of Munster study award and recital scheme as well as Milos Karadaglić Foundation Scholarship.

Most recently, Kosta performed at Fjord Classics in Sandefjord where he collaborated with Ian Bostridge and Lars Anders Tomter.