Radio Television of Serbia Big Band will perform as part of a large jazz spectacle, that will be organized by CEBEF, on December 16, in the Kombank Hall, starting at 8 p.m.. The famous opera „Tosca“, which was composed by the Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, will be performed this time in the jazz arangement by Peter Reiter-Schaub. Famous jazz musicians Martin Auer, trumpet player, Francesco Santucci, tenor saxophone and Adrian Mears, trombone, will perform as soloists and the sound of their instruments will represent the main opera roles – Tosca, Cavaradossi and Scarpia. The audience will have the opportunity to see Petar Reiter-Schaub in the role of a conductor.

Peter Reiter-Schaub is one of the most significant German jazz artists of today. Besides being recognised as an exceptional saxophonist, which has performed with many prominent musicians, he is also known as a composer and arranger of music for the Big band.

Martin Auer studied trumpet, composition and arrangement in Manheim and Berlin. Since 2008 he has been teaching jazz trumpet at the Leipzig University of Music. He collaborated with many jazz ensembles in Germany and he also performed with the greatest musicians of this genre.

Francesco Santucci is one of the leading Italian jazz musicians. At the age of seventeen, he performed for the first time at the Rome Jazz festival, and since then he acquired a rich performing experiance, by sharing the music scene with many famous jazz ensembles and soloists.

Adrian Mears has the title of „best Australian Trombonist“. After he finished his studies in New York, he started to build his career in Europe. He is a member of international sextet „Ugetsu“, with whom he recorded four CD-s. He is also a composer and arranger.

Radio Television of Serbia Big Band is the only professional jazz ensemble in Serbia. Since it’s founding in 1954., the ensemble has colaborated with the most famous domestic and foreign artists. Eminent conductors, composers and arrangers: Mladen Bobi Gutesa, Vojislav Bubisa Simic, Zvonimir Skerl, Dusko Gojkovic and Stjepko Gut were leding the orchestra for many years.

Throughout the years the orchestra recived exceptional awards and recognitions. Orchestra won the first prize at the Jazz Festival in Juan Les Pins in 1960. After it’s first tour in 1957., the orchestra was performing at the worlds most famous festivals (Tel Aviv, Montrael, Marseille, Thesaloniki, Munchen), and at a few UNICEF concerts (Belgrade, Paris, Geneve) and always with exceptional succes and praiseworthy reviews.

Over the years, the world’s biggest names of jazz music such as: Clark Terry, Benny Golson, Johnny Griffin, Maynard Ferguson, Tony Scott, Jerome Richardson, Ernie Wilkins, Alvin Queen, Reggie Johnson, Eddie Henderson, Hank Mobley, Jon Hendricks, Roy Hargrove, Brad Leali, Diane Schuur, Don Menza, Steve Turre, Ronnie Cuber, Randy Brecker, Jon Faddis, Chuck Findley, Bobby Shew, Ack Van Rooyen, Peter Herbolzheimer, Ed Thigpen, Philly Jo Jones, Sal Nistico, Nathan Davis, Don Byas, Larry Vuckovich, Lee Konitz, Heinz von Hermann, Kenny Drew, Aladár Pege, Vic Vogel, Karlheinz Miklin, Adrian Mears, Peter King, Christoph Lauer, Erling Kroner, Ilja Reijngoud, Bert Joris, Gregory Hutchinson, Jens Winter, Jesse Davis, John Fedchock, Andrea Tofanelli, Simon Rigter, Samuel Blaser,… and also the worlds show business stars Ray Charles, Danny Kaye, Josephina Baker, Mireille Mathieu, Enrico Macias, Anni-Frid Lyngstad (ABBA) and others performed with the orchestra.

RTS Big Band has made numerous studio albums, as well as permanent recordings fot the sound archive of Radio Belgrade.