Miloš Jakovljević, Serbia

Miloš was a student of Vladimir Simić (plays tambura in this photo). Miloš works in Zaječar, Serbia.

Aleksandar Milutinović, Serbia

Aleksandar plays many instruments. He also plays in a folk band Runo, makes sculptures and instruments.

Dušan Popović, Serbia

Dušan plays many instruments. He is a teacher, painter, writer and instrument maker.

KAVAL LEGENDS IN SERBIAN TRADITION

Pitali jednom kaval:

-Zasto imas dvanaest otvora?

Kaval odgovori:

-Kada je Gospod Isus Hristos raspet na krst, vaskrsao i vazneo se na nebesa, ljudi su bili jako tuzni zato sto On vise nije sa njima. Narocito su bili tuzni apostoli,ljudi koje je Gospod blagoslovio da sire Njegovo ucenje. Da bi ublazili svoju tugu za Gospodom,apostoli uzese jedno drvo kako bi napravili sviralu koja ce svirati tugovanke I stalno podsecati na Gospoda. Jednoga dana uze jedan od apostola drvo,probusi ga I probusi jednu rupu, drugi-drugu, treci-trecu i tako svih dvanaest apostola izbusise dvanaest rupa na meni,dadose mi ime kaval i zalise sto Gospod nije sa njima. Eto tako sam nastao i sve do danasnjeg dana rupe na meni podsecaju ljude na dvanaest apostola, a moja tugovanka na Gospoda kojeg cekamo I koji ce, jednog dana, nasu tugovanku pretvoriti u radovanku, rece kaval. 

(Priča na osnovu srpske narodne legende sa Peštera, priredio Dušan Popović iz sela Suvi Do)

Vladimir Simić

After playing guitar for many years, in 1997 he discovered his musical expression in playing the kaval, dvoyanka, tambura and bagpipes. Since 1997 he deals with research and production of traditional musical instruments, that is wind instruments (kaval and dvoyanka) and string plucked instruments (different types of tambura and lutes).

Several shepherds with kavals used to gather together while herding sheep. While one played a tune, the others would accompany him by playing a flat tone. Later on another shepherd would take over the tune. This kind of playing is called “ezgija” in Macedonia (from the Turkish word meaning music playing). Neither parallel intervals nor several different accompanying tones are played at the same time. Apart from shepherds’ tunes, line-dances are also frequently played on the kaval.

Aleksandra Radonich