About Valentina

Valentina Gajić-Tirmenstein, violinist and violin teacher, began her musical education at the School for Musical Talents in Ćuprija, studying under Professor Ljubivoje Nikolić. She continued her secondary education at the "Mokranjac" Music School in Belgrade, also under the guidance of the same professor. Between 1973 and 1984, she took part in numerous competitions, winning many first prizes.

She pursued her higher education at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, in the class of Professor Pavel Vernikov. During her studies, she met Professor Abram Stern from the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Kyiv, with whom she collaborated for many years and further developed her artistry.

After completing her studies in Novi Sad and spending time in Kyiv, she returned to Belgrade, where she earned both her diploma and master’s degree in violin under Professor Maja Jokanović.

In addition to her academic pursuits, she was highly active in the field of chamber music — founding the piano trio "Amorosso" and the baroque ensemble "Camerata di Musica," with whom she performed regularly over the next 25 years. At the same time, she was deeply committed to teaching, successfully preparing numerous students for competitions and entrance exams at music academies across Europe.

Alongside these activities, she also explored other musical genres. She performed klezmer music and, for a time, tango compositions by Astor Piazzolla. As a versatile artist always open to new challenges, she founded her own jazz band in 1987. Initially, the band focused on swing inspired by Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli — the so-called gypsy jazz. Later, she also began singing jazz and expanded the ensemble into a sextet performing a wide range of jazz styles, from swing to bebop. With this band, she gave acclaimed performances on stages throughout Europe and around the world.

All of these projects and musical endeavours have been documented on audio recordings.