Artist Profile: Iva Ugrcic

Photo credit: Anya Kubilus

Dr. Iva Ugrčić (she/her) is one of the most exciting and adventurous flutists in the international pantheon. Described as “a natural star on her instrument,” Dr. Ugrcic has been featured as a solo artist as well as a chamber and orchestral musician, performing throughout Europe, and North and South America. Named the "Musician of the Year for 2018" by the Well-Tempered Ear, Dr. Ugrčić is a musician who has worn many hats throughout her professional career: flutist, educator, activist, executive and artistic director, entrepreneur, freelance musician and recording artist, among others.

After receiving the prestigious Albert Roussel Scholarship, Iva moved to Paris where she finished her master’s degree. In 2017, Iva finished her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at UW-Madison as a recipient of a Paul Collins Wisconsin Distinguished Fellowship. Since then, Iva won the Shain Irving Competition, multiple concerto competitions, and received the James Smith Orchestra Award for excellency and leadership. Additionally, she won the C.R.E.A.T.E. Project Competition at the 46th National Flute Association (NFA) Convention; was awarded First Prize award from The American Prize, Second Prize at the UW Arts Business Competition; Silver Medal at the International Vienna Competition; and was a finalist for the Pro Musicis International Award in NYC.

1) What are the challenges you have encountered as a female classical musician?

As a young musician from the Ex-Yugoslav Republic of Serbia, I experienced many troubling situations that nearly stopped me from pursuing music. While poor political and economic situations were among the issues that ultimately led to my departure of Serbia, one of the most troubling problems I faced was gender inequality, sexual harassment and emotional abuse. Issues that would follow me through my graduate studies in France and life as a young professional in Germany.

I went through an extremely abusive undergraduate program, where for four years I was experiencing emotional maltreatment, mental abuse and lack of support and opportunities. I was called out for being too thin, ridiculed for being too ambitious and too smart for a woman plus punished for being too vocal, passionate and nonconformist. During my graduate studies and life as a young professional in Western Europe, I had a different set of problems: I was sexually harassed, objectified and labeled as a tall blond from Eastern Europe. I felt like a misfit. I was young (in my early twenties) and scared of telling anyone what was happening to me, as we all know usually the woman is blamed in these situations. So naturally, I blamed myself as well.

Then in 2017, I received the Distinguished Paul Collins Fellowship and came to the United States to complete my doctoral program at UW-Madison. It was here that I felt I could be myself for the first time in my life. Yes—I am tall, strong, passionate, smart and ambitious. But I am also kind, caring and extremely sensitive. I finally had the opportunity to show my vulnerability without being crushed, to stay true to myself and my dreams as well as live the life I always dreamt of.

I believe that there is a reason for everything. All these experiences led me to focusing my doctoral dissertation on unveiling and presenting the life (and compositional output) of Doina Rotaru, an extraordinary woman from Eastern Europe. The intent of my dissertation “Doina Rotaru — The Voice of Romania,” was to introduce this Romanian composer to the United States, thereby giving her music the recognition it so richly deserves. The immensely positive responses I received validated what I already knew to be true—that there are many women artists who have much to say, but have not had the opportunity to share their voices with the world. This was the catalyst for the creation of LunART, a nonprofit arts organization I founded in 2017 which celebrates and promotes women’s creativity in the art.

Photo credit: Martin Jenich

2) What professional goals are you currently pursuing?

My first goal for 2022 is to host the fourth annual LunART Festival, which is dedicated to promoting the creativity of women artists. The festival will occur May 31st – June 5th, 2022 in various venues around Madison. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to take a year off. But I am planning for 2022 to be our most ambitious festival to date. Women composers from four continents will travel to Madison to showcase their music and interact with local artists and audiences. Composition students from around the country (and internationally) will attend classes, workshops, concerts, in addition to other events to network, gain new skills plus have their music performed and professionally recorded to be used as marketing material for their careers.

The festival will feature works by over fifty women (representing various nationalities, ethnicities, races, and sexual orientations). It will also showcase many art forms including music (classical and popular), dance, theatre, visual art, photography, poetry and more.

I have seen first-hand how the LunART Festival has already impacted our community. In past years, the music we showcased at our festival is performed again and again by the same musicians, as well as musicians who attended the festival as audience members. New opportunities arise for the women who participate. Connections are made and new music groups are created who continue to perform outside of LunART. This annual event helps to boost female artists’ voices by pushing their careers to new levels. It is a small piece of a much larger puzzle that is aimed at making art an equitable field between men and women. I expect the 2022 festival to push equity for women artists further than ever before. 

My second goal is to form the LunART Chamber Music Collective, composed of high-level musicians that embody LunART’s mission, with plans of touring and performing at national and international festivals and concert series in addition to LunART’s season. This will further our mission of celebrating women composers and expand LunART’s reach beyond South Central WI. This ensemble had its debut at LunART’s event “Resilience” on November 4, 2021. The response has been overwhelmingly positive from audiences and artists. One of the biggest projects this group will take on is to professionally audio and video record brand new pieces that will be premiered at the annual festival with the idea of having a full album of music of festival highlights.

3) Are there collaborative resources you think are particularly useful for career advancement or support? 

I love collaborating. Finding people who share a common vision and mission to contribute their strengths and create something grander than one person can do alone is truly inspiring. So I tend to collaborate and find partners in everything I do. I believe that a person can create opportunities for themselves. This is what helped me find and create some of the most rewarding experiences in my life. Every week I spend time reaching out to people and organizations—trying to find a way we can work and create something together. 

Besides that, we live in a digital era where all resources are at our fingertips, one click away. There are so many groups, forums, clubs and associations out there that can be truly helpful and beneficial. For example, I am a member of the Career and Artistic Development Committee at the National Flute Association. Because of such, I am available to provide career advice and mentorship, CV, resume, biography reviews and other professional development support. 

4) How have you replenished your “creative bucket” recently?

Since I am immersed in the music daily, I turn to reading books in my spare time. So this past month, I’ve read The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi Durrow, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, and Less by Andrew Greer—in addition to some self-development books such as The Power of Concentration by Theron Dumont and Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke. That said, any day of the year, I can put on the soundtrack to Hamilton or Scenes from a Memory by Dream Theater. Those are two of my favorite albums.

In addition to her position as the Founder and CEO/Artistic Director of LunART with the mission of celebrating and promoting women’s creativity in the arts, Dr. Ugrcic currently serves as the Artistic Director of the Rural Musicians Forum; is a member of the Career & Artistic Development Committee and chair of the C.R.E.A.T.E. Project Competition of the National Flute Association; and holds the position of Board Liaison & Strategic Initiatives role at Overture Center for the Arts.