Zoran Šćekić received his BFA in Jazz Guitar from the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz in Austria. In 1998, he was awarded the Bruxelles Stipendium, allowing him to study in Helsinki and Vienna. He completed his MA in Jazz Theory, Composition, and Arrangement and represented the Sibelius Music Academy at the International Summit of Music Academies.
As a composer, arranger, and guitarist, Šćekić has a diverse portfolio. His work spans written and improvised music, recorded on both official and unofficial studio and live CD albums. He has performed in various ensemble settings, including duos, trios, and quartets, and collaborated with light and stage designers, choreographers, and visual artists. His compositions have been featured in theatre and film music, jazz and free jazz festivals, and music biennials. Šćekić has written scores in standard, graphic, and hybrid notation for different orchestras, including jazz, chamber, symphony, choirs, and tambura orchestras. He has also worked with renowned international musicians such as Miroslav Vitouš, Pascal Rophe, Chriss Jarrett, Michael Abene, Bill Dobbins, Bob Brookmeyer, and Jon Irabagon.
In the realm of microtonal music, Zoran Šćekić has premiered compositions in various European capitals. He has conducted seminars on microtonal harmony, based on his book "Five Limit Intervals - Theory & Praxis," and presented a prototype of a microtonal keyboard (Z-board) built in San Diego from his design. His multimedia project, "Panmonism," premiered in Zagreb's Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall in 2015. This project included a concert of original compositions for piano in five-limit just intonation, an animated film exploring the connection between mathematics and music, a lecture on just intonation harmony, and an exhibition of the Lira Spectrum harmonograph prototype, now permanently displayed at the Museum of Nikola Tesla in Zagreb.
Šćekić won the Croatian Composer Society’s International competition in 2015. He released "Just Music," his first CD album of microtonal pieces for solo piano in just intonation, in collaboration with USA Ravello Recordings and NAXOS. This album was featured on Grammy-award winner John Schneider’s "The Best of 2015" list, alongside artists like Harry Partch, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Wynton Marsalis, and Brad Mehldau.
Zoran Šćekić is a co-founder and the chairperson of the Croatian Association of Microtonal Art. The association is dedicated to promoting and developing traditional and contemporary microtonal music, initiating systematic research, preserving cultural heritage, and fostering the intersection of science and art. Through his work, Šćekić continues to push the boundaries of music and inspire future generations.
Winner of the 'Franjo Ksaver Kuhač' award in Zagreb, Croatia for the concert for orchestra and choir "Harmony of Dissonance"
Winner of the 3rd Annual European Big Band Composer Competition in Copenhagen, Denmark for the piece "Sphinx Avenue"
Winner of the Croatian Composer Society contest 'International' for the CD album "Just Music"
Porin Award for the Jazz Song of the Year for the piece "Boy Joe" by Maja Grgić, with Big Band arrangement by Zoran Šćekić
Croatian Theatre Award for Best Dance Performance for "Sjena" by Histeria Nova, with music composed and performed by Zoran Šćekić
Bruxelles Stipendium for Best Student of the Year
– Concert "Koncert u kvartu: Večer Improvizirane glazbe" - Slide guitar, MO Malešnica, Zagreb
– Premiere of the theater play "King Gordogan" - score composer, Concert Hall Vatroslav Lisinski, Zagreb
– Cantus Ensemble concert "And now something completely different..." - performer - Stringboard, Concert hall Vatroslav Lisinski, Zagreb
– Premiere of the short art music film "Silentium ex Certissa" as part of the 47th International Festival of Tambura Music - conceptual author of the project and composer, Croatian National Theatre, Osijek
– Concert “Abstract Construction Collective”, New Croatian Jazz, cinema Urania, Osijek
– First performance of the composition for the tambura orchestra "Silentium ex Certisa" as part of the New Year's concert at Studio Bajsić, Croatian Radiotelevision, Zagreb
– Workshop and concert “Graphic and hybrid scores” – Providurova Plug-in, Zadar
– „Concert – live at Jazz klub Mezzo-forte“ – Cirkulacija 2, Ljubljana
- "MIKROTÖNE: SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL” SYMPOSIUM 2023" – lecture and book presentation, “The art of spectral groups” at Mozarteum, Salzburg, Austria
- "miCROfest@biennale2023" – organizer, composer and artistic director of the 5th International Festival of Microtonal Music, world premier "Ad formam spectralem - part II", Cultural Information Center, Zagreb
- '32. Music Biennale Zagreb', author of the hybrid composition "Construction 6.1" for chamber ensemble and electronics. World premiere at the Močvara club, Zagreb.
- "Encounter of tradition" - composer, arranger and orchestrator of the music of the world concert premiere in the great hall of Varoslav Lisinski in Zagreb for three orchestras (HRT Jazz Orchestra, HRT Tambourine Orchestra and Sudar Percussion Ensemble from Samobor)
- 'Zoran Šćekić & friends' - organizer, composer, arranger and music performer for the humanitarian concert "HNK for Petrinja"; HNK, Zagreb
- 'Where tenderness is bought' (M. Herceg) - composer, arranger and performer of music for a theater play directed by Rena Medvešek; HNK, Zagreb
- The Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Ljubljana published the book "Microtonal Music in central and Eastern Europe" with a lecture by Zoran Šćekić "Introduction to the Five Limit Intervals Harmony"
– Composer, arranger and performer on the CD album "Compression - decompression" published by the Cantus recording company, Zagreb
– Artistic director of the 4th International Microtonal Music Festival "miCROfest", world premiere of the composition for string orchestra, 36 Tibetan bowls and 2 pianos "Ad formam spectralem" and presentation of the unpublished microtonal study "The art of spectral gropus", Zagreb
– Concert season Zadar 2019/2020 - concert for solo piano in just intonation "Just music" and lecture "Introduction to Panmonism"
– World premiere of "Slavonian dance No.2" performed by Croatian Radio Television Symphony Orchestra, conducted by maestro Pascal Rophe at Big Concert Hall Vatroslav Lisinski, Zagreb
– Releasing CD album "Harmony of dissonance" with Ravello Records
– Author of article "Introduction to the five limit intervals harmony" from the book "Mikrotone: Small is Beautiful" and author of composition "Hybrid states" from the CD album "Vom Leben das Beste". The book and the CD is published by University Mozarteum Salzburg and Internationai Ekmelic Music Society
– ‘30th Music Biennale Zagreb’
Composer of the “Construction 5.1“ for Zagreb Saxophone Quartet featuring Jon Irabagon. Premiere concert at Gavella Drama Theatre on 10th April 2019.; Zagreb, Croatia.
– ‘miCROfest’ – 3rd international festival of microtonal music in Croatia,
Artistic director
– “J.K.” music for “Process” by F.Kafka – directed by Rene Medvešek for Gavella Drama Theater, Zagreb
– “The harmony of dissonance” – concert for chore and jazz ensembles of the Musical Academy Zagreb at Big Concert Hall Vatroslav Lisinski, Zagreb
– ‘miCROfest’ – 2nd international festival of microtonal music in Croatia,
Artistic director
– ‘International symposium of microtonality, Microtones – small is beautiful’,
Salzburg, Austria – Holding lecture “Hybrid Harp Tuning”
– ‘The XIII Moscow International Slavic Musical Festival’,
Russia – member of the jury at contest and holding masterclasses about microtonal music
– ‘10th Europe Week & 4th International Music Week at Yaşar Üniversitesi’,
Izmir, Turkey – holding masterclasses about improvised and microtonal music
– ‘29th Music Biennale Zagreb’
Author and performer of graphic compositions performed by Abstract Construction Collective featuring Chris Jarrett on piano
– ‘Modèles: Microtonal Music for Violin and Viola’
organized by Boston Microtonal Society at Cambridge, Massachusetts,
USA – world première of the composition ”Tempus Spectrale” for violin and viola
– The Hidden Gem Concert 2017 in Warwick, UK – composition “Hybrid States” performed by the harpist Vera Khait
– ‘53. Music Festival’; Opatija – world première of the composition „Tiki“ for solo guitar and Croatian première of the composition “Sphinx Avenue“
– Concert and CD promotion ‘Šafrun’; Samobor city band;
Premier of the composition “Istrian dance for big orchestra”
– ‘miCROfest’ – 1st international festival of microtonal music in Croatia,
Artistic director
– Presenting ‘Panmonism at AudioArt 07’ – experimental and improvised music festival
– Winner of the ‘3. annual European composer competition for the BigBand’,
in Denmark with a composition “Sphinx Avenue”
– Presenting ‘Panmonism’ within Science Festival in Zagreb dedicated to the
‘Art & Science’ theme in technical museum Nikola Tesla in Zagreb
– Releasing CD album ‘JUST MUSIC – music for piano in five limit Just intonation’ with Ravello Records
– ‘International symposium of microtonality, Microtones – small is beautiful’,
Salzburg, Austria, Holding lecture “Introduction to the Five Limit Harmony”
– Founder of the Croatian Association of Microtonal Art (CAMA)
– Premiere of multimedia project ‘PANMONISM’
in partnership with EUROMicroFest 2015, Zagreb, Croatia.
Author of multimedia project ‘Panmonism’ (music – innovation – education)
– CD ‘Fragments’ by Berislav Antica, Croatia Records
Composer of microtonal piece “Nine fragments for alto sax” based on micro-intervals from the traditional chant from island Hvar.
– ‘51. Music Festival’ ; Opatija
“Five limit intervals” – microtonal lecture;
– “Sky, Apples & Dance” – Concert for Big Bend and Plucked strings orchestra
Premiered by Croatian National Television Jazz and Plucked strings orchestra
– ‘50. Anniversary of music highschool Stevan Mokranjac’;
Kraljevo, “Five limit intervals” – microtonal lecture;
– Croatian National Television Jazz orchestra for EBU jazz season
Presenting 4 pieces: Old Ringelspiel, When Stalker becomes a Walker, One – 1st piece, and Istrian dance
– Co-author with prof.dr. Zvonimir Šikić on book: ‘Mathematics and Music’;
Profil, Zagreb
– Autor knjige “Five limit intervals – theory & praxis”;samostalno izdanje
– ‘(DA)(NE)S Festival’; Maribor, European Capital of Culture 2012
“Five limit intervals” – microtonal workshop;
– Concert with Amira Medunjanin and band REKA; London, UK
– Concert with Renza Bo; Centre International de Deauville; France
– Concert and CD promotion ‘U sredi naseg sela’; HRT Big Band; Zagreb;
Premier of pieces arrangement for Big Band: “Istarski ples” and “Nebesko kolo”
– Concert ‘Studio Bajsic – HRT’; HRT Big Band; Zagreb
Premiere of the concert “Spiral Chronicles” – eleven pieces for Big Band
– Concert ‘Art Academy’; Osijek
Premiere of “Five pieces for solo piano in Just intonation”; piano – Ana Zgur
– ’ARTMUSFAIR’ Warshaw
Premiere of the composition “23.10.” for solo piano in Just intonation
Seminar on the theme: “Geometrical Scale System”
– ‘International symposium on microtonality’ Vienna
Presentation and seminar about “Geometrical Scale System”
– ‘The best soup, the best soup!’
Composition, arrangement and performance of the music for theater piece by Rene
Medvešek. Premiere: 29th March 2008. at ZKM , Zagreb, Croatia
– Lecture at International symposium on microtonal music in Vienna on 5 limit intervals and author of article "Geometry scale system" from the addition "Osterreichische Musikzeit Schrift 2007/8".
– ‘Geometrical Scale System’ - author of the prototype of the microtonal keyboard built by ‘StarrLabs’ in San Diego, California, USA
– ‘24th Music Biennale 2007’
Composer and performer of the “Rhythm of Low Harmony“
Premiere concert played at ‘Theater & TD’ on 22nd April 2007.; Zagreb, Croatia.
– ‘23rd Music Biennale 2005’
Composer and performer of the “Music for chamber orchestra and free jazz quintet“
Premiere concert played at ‘Mimara Museum’ on 16th April 2005.; Zagreb, Croatia.
– “Ludic Space”
Composer, performer and music director / interactive theater;
Introducing new self-made electric string instrument (Modified slide guitar)
Premiere: 15th January 2005. at ‘Cinema Lika’- Zagreb, Croatia
– ‘Sjena’
Music composition and interpretation for contemporary dance & Butoh performance.
Collaboration with contemporary dance choreographer Marija Šćekić.
Premiere: 18th July 2004. Osijek Summer Festival of culture.
Produced by Histeria NOVA Dance Prod.
– ‘Graz - Cultural Capital of Europe 2003’
Premiere of “Music for metal percussion” performed by ”Studio Percussion”, Graz (Austria)
– ‘Jedno’
Composer of “Five pieces for string quartet” – Collaboration with contemporary dance choreographer Marija Šćekić. Premiered on 7th-8th July at ‘19th Week of Contemporary Dance’ in Zagreb. Produced by Histeria NOVA Dance Prod.
– ‘Zoran Scekic Quintet’
Founder and leader of the experimental band working with original graphic scores and free improvisation. Zoran Scekic Quintet participated at ‘Free Jazz Festival’, Graz 2001.
– ‘Zoran Scekic Duo/Trio’ - Founder, guitarist and bandleader.