Kef Times

Location: Portland, Ore.

Occupation: Full-time musician

Connection to Balkan music/dance:  A lot of the Balkan music I have learned over the years I have been able to integrate into current working repertoire with my band Three for Silver. We mostly focus on original composition, but my style of writing and playing is heavily influenced by traditional world folk music. We have recorded a few of these traditional pieces on past albums and plan to do the same on our next album (release date set for Jan 2019).

Before Three for Silver I worked with the band The Underscore Orkestra for eight years. The focus with this ensemble was primarily traditional folk music of Eastern Europe and the Balkans as well as klezmer and swing manouche. There are links to their music on SoundCloud via www.theunderscoreorkestra.com.

Balkan music has played a major role in collaborations I have done with many musicians around the world, in professional settings and casual.

Most recently I have been able to integrate my love for learning and performing Balkan music with the U.S. Embassy Arts Envoy Program, a U.S. State Department cultural promotion program through the Media Relations Department, and the Portland–Khabarovsk Sister City Association. With these programs I have been able to perform in official settings for city officials, in classroom settings for music students in grades ranging from elementary to high school seniors, in college auditoriums, as well as in more typical music venues, and in doing so demonstrate how the integration of folk music with original contemporary composition helps to preserve the relevancy of musical heritage in today’s professional music scene.

Number of times at Balkan camp: My first year at camp was in 2007. I was not able to return until this past year.

Studied at camp: My main focus was accordion and vocal technique.

Memorable moment at camp: For me there were many moments at camp that left a strong impression. I’m not sure how best to single any one of them out. I will say that at the time I was going through a really difficult moment in life, experiencing a lot of doubt about my career path as a musician and was feeling a lot of heartache. The interactions I had, the conversations, the insight and encouragement I received, all of this was immensely validating. And inspiring.

One of the most memorable and joyful moments was being present from start to finish for Raif [Hyseni] and Svetlana [Spajić]’s spontaneous performance at the smokers’ table on the night of Raif’s birthday. That was pure joy. It’s amazing to me the extent of these teachers’ repertoire, that they can pull songs out of each other’s heads and play for two hours straight with barely a break between songs. They all know so much, it’s just incredible.

Location: Vancouver, B.C.

Occupation: I am a professional musician, plus I work several part-time jobs to fill in the blank in my income stream.

Connection to Balkan music/dance: I perform with several groups that have varying levels of Balkan content:

http://www.balkanshmalkan.com/

https://www.facebook.com/somethingaboutreptiles/

https://teapotinthetuba.wordpress.com/

Number of times at Balkan camp: This was my first

year.

Studied at camp: Accordion and voice.

Memorable moment at camp:

Practicing with the Albanian orchestra ensemble in the woods

Sleeping in the beautiful old historic cabins

Deep conversations with new friends over beautiful food

The campfire late at night with impromptu music by the uber-talented teenager/young adult players

Becoming hypnotized by the power of the circle dancing at night

The kafana.

Location: Santa Fe, N.M.

Occupation: I teach music K-6 at Turquoise Trail Charter School, and perform in a few bands around Santa Fe.

Connection to Balkan music/dance:  I play with the band EVET with Polly Ferber, Melinda Russial, Paul Brown, Willa Roberts and Nick Kunz. Last summer, after Mendocino, Billy Giaquinto and I started playing in a small brass band in Santa Fe also, which we call Korvin Orkestar.

Number of times at Balkan camp: I first came in 1999. It was a year that Esma Redžepova brought her band.

Studied at camp: Instruments—Thracian and Rhodope gajda, Macedonian Roma trumpet with Nizo Alimov; and Albanian accordion with Raif Hyseni.

Memorable moment at camp: I was very touched to be able to be included in the Rhodope set with the Gajda Mafia. It was the first time I had been to camp since Vassil Bebelekov passed away, and we had a little circle for him. I was struck by the spirit of playfulness that continues in his memory. I worked hard to learn the melodies at Mendo, and now continue to work on learning the intricate ornaments of the kaba gajda. Thanks to Craig [Kurumada] I was able to purchase one and bring it home!

Location: Hayward, Calif.

Occupation: Teaching Credential Candidate at Cal State East Bay and Middle School Science Teacher

Connection to Balkan music/dance: I have been involved with Greek folk dance from a young age—performing at local festivals as well as the national Greek folk dance and choral competition known as FDF. As a college student, my involvement with Greek dance continued when I prepared a youth group for FDF. Furthermore, I have played the Cretan laouto and mandolin for over 10 years now, performing at FDF and various other occasions throughout the year. In the near future, I plan on learning to play the askomantoura (bagpipe).

Number of times at Balkan camp: This was my first time at camp.

Studied at camp: Since I arrived at camp later in the week, I was not able to regularly attend a specific workshop.

Memorable moment at camp: The entire experience was overwhelmingly inspiring. The vast amount and diversity in musical abilities and types surely broaden my scope. Being surrounded by so many wonderful people and soaking in the music played by so many talented musicians was so inspiring.

Location: Vancouver, B.C.

Occupation: I am a full-time music student! It’s the best thing ever!

Connection to Balkan music/dance: I sing and play violin with Zlatna Mountain. Our repertoire is mostly Macedonian. I also play occasionally with Grupa Dunbarov, the Vancouver Balkan folk dance band that Kate and Erika Gerson started over 20 years ago.

Number of times at Balkan camp: 2018 was my 6th year.

Studied at camp: I always take a mix of violin, singing and ensemble classes. Whenever Jessaiah [Zuré] is teaching I try to squeeze in a couple of her classes too.

Memorable moment at camp: I passed a lot of milestones this year: leading my own kafana set, singing with the brass band in the dance hall a couple times; and I helped out with the auction, which was way more rewarding than one might expect.

I also collaborated with a couple very special people I met for the first time this year. Finding new music buddies at camp is like discovering treasure. Those moments of open-hearted sharing are so very precious, and for me I think that’s what making music is all about.

Location: Arcata, Calif.

Occupation: Musician/Carpenter/Handyman

Connection to Balkan music/dance: I play in the accordion duo Balkan Bellows with Linnea Mandell, and the Macedonian village ensemble Muglagrad with Linnea, Craig Kurumada and Randy Carrico. We usually gig once or twice a month, both to sit-down audiences and to dancers.

I recently did some gigs on tupan and doumbek with the Bay-Area group Arcana, with the likes of Greg Jenkins and Joey Friedman.

I have begun teaching a beginning doumbek class in Arcata that is growing!

I have been the stage manager for Kolo Festival in San Francisco. I have played with the international dance band Chubritza at Veselo Festival in Eugene, OR; and at the Tamburitza Extravaganza in LA.

In the last couple years I have spent every free moment of my life practicing accordion, tupan and doumbek, and learning Balkan languages.

Number of times at Balkan camp: I have been to camp three years.

Studied at camp: My focus this year was all things accordion.

Memorable moment at camp: By far the best thing that happened to me at camp was when Milen Slavov took me aside one day and had me play a little for him. He told me my biggest weaknesses, and charged me with working them out by next year. I can think of no greater gift (aside from a new accordion).

Location: Santa Fe, N.M.

Occupation: I work at an art gallery and also teach art to preschoolers once a week

Connection to Balkan music/dance: I’m a member of Sevda Choir. We’re a group of about 14 people and meet every Sunday from 4 to 6. We’ve had several concerts since our group formed about three years ago and mostly perform at the San Miguel Mission in Santa Fe.

Number of times at Balkan camp: This was my second year!

Studied at camp: Serbian singing with Svetlana Spajić and Albanian singing with Merita Halili.

Memorable moment at camp: One scene or experience?! There are so many! Possibly my favorite was after our Serbian singing class performed, a few people came up to me and said, “Wow, I had never heard you sing before. You sounded great!” I felt so grateful that this time around at camp, I became more a part of the creative community and my singing was heard and seen by others who loved it!

There were moments in Svetlana’s class which still stick with me. One time she stopped me mid-singing, and told me to move around the space to become more comfortable, take a few seconds if I need it, look at a fellow singer in the choir for information (aka Bluetooth transmission as she would call it, we had just learned the songs and weren’t using notation), and then trust that I knew what to sing and do it! It was a powerful experience. One of the takeaways was realizing that the most important thing for a voice to come across as authentic, is to be grounded, connected to the place and especially connected to the other people you are singing with, and singing for.

I LOVED camp. There were so many wonderful, creative and supportive people.

Location: Santa Fe, N.M.

Occupation: I work as a general music teacher for grades K-6 as well as a freelance trumpet player and vocalist.

Connection to Balkan music/dance: I currently perform with the Sevda Choir run by Willa Roberts. I also have recently started a Balkan brass band in Santa Fe with Char Rothschild.

Number of times at Balkan camp: This was my second year coming to camp.

Studied at camp: My main focus at dance was trumpet playing in the brass band and studying with Nizo Alimov.

Memorable moment at camp: This year I had learned enough material to be able to play a bit in the kafana for a large brass band jam. It was an incredible experience to take what I had been working on throughout the year since my first camp experience and apply it to collective music making. The feedback was positive and I felt embraced by my new family. I was encouraged and elated. This was the night that I felt as if I had solidified my newfound relationship to the music and the wonderful brass musicians in the EEFC community. Because of these new deep connections forged by the experience, I am already planning and looking forward to next year’s camp.

Location: Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria.

Occupation: I am a student at the American University in Bulgaria. I came here because I want to learn Bulgarian music. Outside of school I am studying with some players from the Pirin Ensemble. I also have a teacher in Sofia at the National Folk Ensemble.

Connection to Balkan music/dance during the year: There are not too many music-related events in Blagoevgrad. I go see the Pirin Ensemble when they perform and have been to a few mehanas [taverns with folk decorations and sometimes folk music]. It’s not like Balkan camp where there are parties with folk music every day. In Plovdiv things are little more musically active, but it is four hours away by bus. I have been to a few events in Plovdiv and Sofia.

Number of times at Balkan camp: Five years.

Studied at camp: Gudulka. I didn’t go to the gudulka classes because the teacher there was using the same materials that my teacher developed, so I asked him for private lessons in his free time. We did that every day.

Memorable moment at camp: Playing a kafana set with Eleni and Bobby Govetas, Nick Maroussis and Benji [Rifati]. That was probably the thing that stuck out to me. Most the time I don’t get to play with people my age. I grew up in Durham, N.C., and my mother was a folk dancer, and I’ve always been surrounded by people significantly older than me. Playing with talented people close to my age, like those guys, it brought a different feeling that I hadn’t had before. It was really satisfying.

Location: Los Angeles, Calif., and Istanbul, Turkey

Occupation: I’m a Ph.D. candidate in culture and performance at UCLA’s Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance (formerly Dance Ethnology).

Connection to Balkan music/dance: I’m a professional dancer specializing in traditional dances of Asia Minor, Turkish Roma, and Flamenco. Parts of my work and dance research can be seen on my blog, www.terraroman.com

Number of times at Balkan camp: One.

Studied at camp: I have learned new instruments like tapan, practiced singing Albanian songs and I joined almost all dance classes as my main focus. I enjoyed everything that I newly practiced in the camp and these new experiences surely fed my artistic approach and practice.

Memorable moment at camp: The camp was a fantastic experience in its entirety. Living for a week in a beautiful natural forest with no internet was tough yet emancipatory.

Because this was my first time in the camp, I did not know many people before I arrived; however, from day 0 (I mean, even before the camp started, the days during which I was trying to figure out how to go to the camp) until the very last day campers were extremely accommodating, helpful and friendly. Their kind and humble being provided a neophyte camper with the warmest environment, besides the fire set every night outside of the kitchen.

One thing that I would not forget is the deer family accompanying our drum classes and everyday life in the camp. This lovely family composed of parents and little deer kids were very curious about our studies in the camp and showing up particularly in tapan and doumbek classes. It was delightful watching them as they came and went. Their elegance, curiosity and unity as a family were sparking inspiration.