Friday, March 6, 2009

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.

Thursday, March 5, 2009