Meet Ksenija Komljenović | Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ksenija Komljenović and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ksenija, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Because nothing else kept my curiosity as vibrant and as challenged as music has. Music is an art form that permeates everything in my life – and apart from being a vehicle to developing a better understanding of the world it is also just so bloody fun.

What sets you apart from others? Was it easy or was it hard?
I’ll preface this by saying that I have somewhat of a distaste for “setting myself apart” from people. One of the reasons why I do this is because music is one of the most wonderful ways to connect with people. I like to think that music is how I am A PART OF something, not APART FROM others.

Was the road to today easy? It depends on who you ask – I am sure some people would find my path to be a nightmare, while others would consider it a breeze. Ultimately, I don’t care to ask myself whether something is easy. I want to know if it is worthwhile – that is what determines my commitment to the journey.

Whether they are my chamber ensembles (Vesna Duo, PNEUMA) or organizational efforts within the arts (helping run SoundWaves Music Festival or heading this year’s edition of the Tierras Percussion Competition), I am most excited about collaborations. A recent project, the publication of Vesna Duo’s debut album The Rite of Spring for marimba and piano was a huge joy – most of all because that album blossomed from the efforts I got to share with some of the most incredible people (Liana Pailodze Harron, piano, Antek Olesik, video, Justin Chervony, audio).

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family, friends, chamber music partners, mentors, former teachers — they have all been incredibly generous with me. Artists everywhere have my gratitude as well – writers, filmmakers, visual artists, dancers, musicians – my life is endlessly richer because I have been lucky to witness some breathtaking art.

If this is about mentioning some recognizable names – Rothko, Kandinsky, and David Foster Wallace have strongly impacted my world in the past couple of years.

Website: www.ksenijakomljenovic.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/ksenijakomljenovic

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ksenijakomljenovic/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Xendza

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KsenijaKomljenovicPercussion

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/Xendza

Image Credits
Antek Olesik, Edgar De La Garza