Sara Lakičević, Trumpet player
Sara Lakičević reshapes the perception of the trumpet, blending emotional richness with technical mastery to craft a unique soundscape on Montenegro’s musical stage. Her inspiring journey showcases dedication to the arts and the pursuit of authentic cultural expression through music.
In the world of classical music, an instrument such as the trumpet isn’t typically associated with gentleness and elegance – until you hear it in the hands of Sara Lakičević. This accomplished trumpet player from Kotor has spent years challenging stereotypes, shaping a new soundscape on Montenegro’s musical scene. Although her musical journey began at the piano, she found her true calling in the trumpet – an instrument that, as she puts it, combines technical rigor with emotional richness. Sara is a member of the City Music Kotor, a former member of the Montenegrin Symphony Orchestra, and a dedicated teacher who has also transferred her experience into writing an innovative textbook. Her story is a testament to dedication to the arts and a vision of creating space for authentic cultural expression through sound.
Sara, although your formal education began with the piano, your musical path led you to the trumpet – an instrument that’s not a common choice, especially among women. What attracted you to the trumpet, and when did you realise it would become your life’s calling?
Hearing the trumpet at a school concert was my first encounter with its rich, opulent tone. That’s when the urge to learn to play it was born. I was very lucky – my piano teacher was a wonderful educator who responded positively to a child’s curiosity and introduced me to the trumpet teacher at the school, Momir Petričević. In a class of sixteen boys and me – the first girl – our teacher always sought equilibrium, and alongside teaching us trumpet, he also educated us in a broader cultural sense. It was impossible not to fall in love with his world of art, aesthetics, theatre, ballet, and opera. Not long after I started learning the trumpet, I joined the City Music Kotor 1842, travelled through Italy, Spain, Russia, France, and many other countries, playing music and experiencing the beauty of making music together, teamwork, and the joy of connecting through music. Once you feel that, it’s impossible for music not to become your life’s calling.
You are a member of the City Music Kotor, have performed with many regional orchestras such as the Belgrade Philharmonic and the Sarajevo Philharmonic, and were employed by the Montenegrin Symphony Orchestra from 2016 to 2024. As a trumpet teacher, you’ve also worked in secondary music schools “Vida Matjan” in Kotor and “Vasa Pavić” in Podgorica. What is your opinion on classical music in Montenegro today? Do young musicians have enough opportunities for professional development and performance? What should be improved to further promote classical music?
We have outstanding individuals who, through personal projects, tell inspiring stories – but we lack essential systemic support with a clear goal and long-term strategy for the development of the arts in Montenegro. Amid the multitude of ideas, smaller initiatives, and the ongoing pursuit for cultural and national identity, we have lost sight of a clear vision – even for the most refined and most abstract form of art: music. We are the only country in the region without an opera and ballet house. We have just one symphony orchestra and one military band, both of which lack sufficient permanent members. On the other hand, we offer free music education and are blessed with talented children and dedicated teachers. That imbalance alone speaks volumes: we haven’t invested enough in higher education in the field of classical music, nor do we have sufficiently large platforms and projects that could inspire young people to see classical music as a lifelong calling and allow them to build their careers with dignity and stability in Montenegro.
You are also the author of the textbook Trumpet – My Instrument, created for trumpet classes in elementary music schools. What motivated you to write this book, and how did you adapt it for young talents just beginning to discover the magic of the trumpet? How important is it for children to have high-quality and age-appropriate learning materials from the very beginning?
I’m truly happy that the book has seen the light of day and that it is now being used across Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia. The inspiration came from the lack of a modern textbook and appropriately tailored materials for beginners on such a demanding instrument as the trumpet. In addition to covering the basics of playing a brass instrument-such as breathing exercises, long tones, and developing muscular strength – I aimed for the textbook to be engaging and interactive, teaching not only how to play but also how to listen, and awakening a broader love for music as a whole through discovery of its pages.
You’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with artists and musicians from various parts of the world. How would you compare cultural creators in Montenegro to those abroad? Where do you see similarities, and where are the differences? What could we implement from international experiences to further strengthen our local artistic scene?
In order to engage with art in a meaningful way, you have to live it, be immersed in it 24 hours a day. What’s characteristic of classical musicians in Montenegro is that most of us have to strike a balance between two or three professional engagements. In addition to performing, many colleagues also work as educators, while some have even shifted genres and moved away from purely artistic music. In my own case, as the Public Relations Manager of the KotorArt International Festival for many years, I’ve been involved in organisational work, communications, and media. This kind of multitasking is not ideal for focusing solely on performing classical music, and that’s the major difference I’ve observed compared to artists abroad, who – thanks to greater financial stability – can dedicate themselves exclusively to performance. As for the performance level itself, I believe there are some wonderful, successful, and talented individuals in Montenegro who are absolutely on par with artists from abroad. I have great respect and admiration for the colleagues who have chosen to stay in Montenegro – but I also understand those who have left.