Marija Balubdžić

Belgrade-based composer Marija Balubdžić is performing mainly under the alias Umbra. Through sound intervention and poetic experiment, she is confronting voice and synthesizers, drifting between noise and melodic idioms.

As a member of Efemerne Konfesije, a drag collective in Belgrade, she is developing the character of the virtuoso pianist Fritz Klein.

As the author of the monthly radio show Zvuk Ispod on Radio Belgrade 3, Balubdžić is presenting fellow experimental electronic music artists that she has been encountering through her tours. For the Zvuk Ispod show, she is drawing inspiration from the fancy of yet another of her characters - DJ Krem, a music selector and promoter.

Marija Balubdžić has recently been focusing on composing and musical direction for theatre productions internationally (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Serbia, etc.). In the past, she has been working individually, and as part of various collectives since year 2000. Studies of classical music, public rehearsals, international choir concerts and tours, music for theatre, home production and vocal workshops have sometimes been left to oblivion, or occasionally recorded, both as official and unofficial releases.

Past and present collectives and projects include: Unter Grund (by Sanja Mitrović), Dr Ausländer (by Bojan Đorđev, Tanja Šljivar & co.), Kad je bio mrak (by Dušan Radović, Bojan Đorđev, Tanja Šljivar & co.) Crna Ovca (by Vida Davidović, Snežana Trišić & co.), Demeter Calling (by Sanja Mitrović & co.), Conversations Opera (by Dejan Kaludjerović & co.), Radio Belgrade 3, Efemerne Konfesije, Radio Aparat, Kino Pleme – Live Soundtrack ensemble, improvisational collective ImprovE, band Bitlsti of the collective Matrijaršija, improvisational quartet Beli Talas, duo of composers Halbstar and Umbra, GRUBB collective of Roma teenagers, independent choir and orchestra Horkeškart, radio podcast Lepi Ritam Srca, band Činč, Faculty of Music – University of Arts in Belgrade.