Goara Lazić

 

As part of the 2025 prize fund, the organizers of the WORLD OPEN MUSIC COMPETITION honored Goara Lazić, a piano teacher from Serbia, for her outstanding achievements in teaching. Her award was a 15-day trip to Batumi on Georgia’s Black Sea coast.

Goara Lazić has served on the WORLD OPEN jury since the competition was founded in 2010, with a few brief breaks. From 2010 to 2026, she entered more than 30 of her students in WORLD OPEN. Some competed several times, and many earned top awards.

One of her students, Momčilo Tomić, was twice named the absolute winner in the Piano discipline at WORLD OPEN and represented the discipline in the Masters Final on both occasions. He was the absolute winner of the Masters Final in 2013 and placed second in 2015.

From Goara Lazić’s letter of thanks

Dear WORLD OPEN organizers,

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this award and for fifteen wonderful days in Batumi. It meant a great deal to me that you recognized my work with my students in such a warm and thoughtful way.

I have many fond memories of WORLD OPEN. I remember the early years of the competition, how nervous I felt for my students, and how happy I was to see them succeed. Over the years, WORLD OPEN has become an important part of my professional life. I’m grateful to be part of the competition both as a teacher and as a jury member.

I’ll always look back on my trip to Georgia with great warmth. I fell in love with Batumi, with its seafront promenade, its old streets, and those evenings by the Black Sea when there was no need to hurry.

Thank you for those days, for the chance to unwind, and for the care you took in choosing this gift for me.

The 2025 prize fund totaled US$5,000. Two-thirds of the fund is allocated to selected absolute winners of the WORLD OPEN, EUROPE OPEN, and AMERICAN OPEN music competitions. The remaining third is allocated to awards for teachers who have achieved outstanding results with their students. The prize fund recognizes the work of teachers and gives young musicians opportunities to develop as artists and gain international experience.

We congratulate Goara Lazić on her award, thank her for her many years of service on the jury, and wish her and her students continued success in music!