Milenko Paunović

Milenko Paunović (November 29, 1889 in Újszentiván – October 1, 1924 in Belgrade) was a Serbian composer and writer, the author of the first Serbian musical drama. Biography Paunović was educated in the Serbian Grammar School in Novi Sad (1900–1908) where he attended his first violin classes. As a final year violin student, he learned at the Conservatory in Prague in 1909. He studied composition with Max Reger at the Conservatory in Leipzig (1909–1911) and simultaneously attended Hugo Riemann’s lectures at the University in the same town. He was a choir leader in Ruma and Novi Sad (1913) and in the Academic Singing Society Obilić in Belgrade (1923), a teacher of music in the Male Teaching College in Jagodina (1914; 1918–1920) and a professor of the Musical School Stanković (1921–1922). As a soldier at the Thessalonica front line, he was an active participant in Serbian art in refuge. From 1921 he was a conductor in the Orchestra of the Royal Guard and an officer of the Ministry of the Military where he was successful in improving the material status of army musicians. Paunović received a Medal of St. Sava of the 4th Order, a Medal of the Romanian Crown of the 5th Degree and the Alb