The Savannah Music Festival, a cornerstone of the city’s vibrant cultural landscape, is ushering in a new era with Sinisa Ciric as its new President and CEO. Ciric steps into a role poised for a “refresh” as the festival builds towards its monumental 40th anniversary.
Ciric’s transition has been a whirlwind, moving from his general manager position with The Savannah Philharmonic to leading the festival. The past weeks have seen both organizations in flux, relocating offices in a logistical ballet that saw Harmonic move into the former festival space, and the festival settle into new digs.
Despite the change, Ciric notes, “Everybody welcomed me. They’re super nice. It was not a as bad of a transition or as a frustrating of a transition, because I know most of the staff”. This familiarity, stemming from past collaborations between The Philharmonic and the Festival, has eased his entry into a team he deeply respects. “I think they’ve been doing such a great job over the years,” he affirms, expressing profound respect for the festival’s 36-year legacy.
With a background as a classically trained musician and prior experience booking artists and programming seasons, Ciric brings a unique perspective to his new role. His vision for the Savannah Music Festival is not about overturning the established order, but rather joining and building upon its strengths.
“I really enjoy working with experts in their field, super professional people who know what they’re doing, top to bottom,” he shares. The immediate goal is to “refresh the festival, maybe some new ideas and a bit of a new approach to overall programming, to maybe the format of the festival a little bit”.
While specific details are still being solidified as Ciric settles in and connects with Artistic Director Ryan McMakin, some exciting directions are emerging. The festival will continue its tradition of balancing well-known artists with new talent, always keeping an eye on “a new crop of talented, super talented young musicians”.
A significant focus for Ciric is building towards the festival’s 40th season, which he envisions as a “special” and “modern version” of the event. Over the next three years, the aim is to introduce new components that “match the demand” of the Savannah audience while also “introduce them to new… bands and new performers that they don’t know about”.
One of the challenges and opportunities for the festival lies in attracting Savannah’s younger generations and the significant SCAD student population. Ciric believes the key is emphasizing the irreplaceable nature of live performance. “This is once in a lifetime chance to see a performer,” he stresses, contrasting it with the on-demand consumption of music today.
He aims to tell the story of live music as an experience that cannot be recreated, highlighting the unique energy, the improvisational elements of a performance, and the singular mix of people in the room.
Ultimately, Ciric wants the festival’s message to be one of “openness” and accessibility for all.
He aims to counter any perception of the festival as being oriented to a narrow audience, emphasizing that “everybody can sign up for and feel like they belong to every performance”.
For Ciric, the goal is for attendees to “recharge, to experience new things and open… their horizons, about music in general, and then have an experience about the festival”. It’s not just about the performance itself, but the entire atmosphere – the welcome, the treatment, the feeling of belonging – that will make people want to return. “I want my team and us to make sure that everybody are treated… the best way we can possibly have them treated. When they come to the concert, they recognize, they, they are welcomed and they they feel like they belong,” Ciric concludes.
