Kef Times

Location: Philadelphia, Pa.

Occupation: I currently work for Liberty Bellows in Philadelphia, which is a full-service accordion repair and sales shop. I specialize in accordion repair, which covers both technical service and repair as well as fine-tuning. Additionally, I am a freelance drummer in Philadelphia and play in a number of ensembles and organizations. Most weeks look like three to five days at the accordion shop, with an average of three gigs a week and the odd rehearsal, so life can feel a bit hectic, but I definitely feed off of all the variety in my working life.

Connection to Balkan music/dance: My introduction to Balkan music came from my joining the West Philadelphia Orchestra in the summer of 2012. Before that, I had a part in Pig Iron Theater’s production of Twelfth Night, which incorporated a roaming band, based loosely on/inspired by Balkan music and the Romani diaspora. So, I did some research and made a tupan, which eventually got me a spot in WPO. We play regularly. We have a weekly dance party in center city Philadelphia every Tuesday at Franky Bradley’s (do come if you find yourself in Philly on a Tuesday), and some 30-odd weddings/parties/bigger shows every year. Our book is nice and fat (and getting bigger) at this point so it keeps everyone busy, learning the style(s) and keeping the music fresh for our audience. http://wpo.westphiladelphiaorchestra.com/

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

Studied at camp: My first year at camp was certainly eye opening. There is so much offered and I sampled quite a bit of it, but eventually narrowed myself down to Brass Band with Demiran [Ćerimović] in the percussion section and Čalgija ensemble on accordion and voice. I attended both Serbian and Bulgarian dance classes as well (and by midweek, a healthy dose of partying…).

Memorable moment at camp: My cabin was directly next to the dojo-esque building (I think it was titled alt gym or something) and in the morning were the BG folk ensembles, so every day of camp I woke up or prepared my day to the sounds of gudulkas, gaidas, kavals, and all of the wonderful sounds and instrumentation of this particular iteration of the music. I was completely enchanted by the experience of hearing this every day. I have a particular fondness for Bulgarian music and hope to insert myself more directly into it next year.

Location: Denver, Colo.

Occupation: I have been working as a professional musician and instructor, teaching accordion, ukulele, piano and music theory as well as teaching Ashtanga Yoga.

Connection to Balkan music/dance: I have a group, Passersby, that draws on some Balkan influence. I’m challenged by Balkan music, its intricate time signatures, the rich harmonies, and the overall feeling of something familiar keep me interested in playing the accordion and sharing it with my world. The influence of Balkan music makes my artistic writing process much more exciting. I just recently moved to Colorado and have had the opportunity to sing with the group Planina (Planina.org). The rehearsals leave me inspired and excited to learn more and sharpen my skills. Also, dancing every chance I get keeps me feeling light in my body and my heart alive with inspiration (helps with weird time signatures, too).

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

Studied at camp: I was really interested in being as focused as possible on the accordion. Camp can be overwhelming in the amount of content and nuance being presented; I wanted to be as receptive as possible.

Memorable moment at camp: I was quiet this year at camp and it brought me to a more reflective place. I watched more than last year and I asked many more questions. The most significant part of camp was one of the board meetings where we came together to speak about the future of the EEFC. The question of, “What are we doing here?” came up and the subsequent discussions were illuminating. We were all there for different reasons, very few lined up, and it left my head spinning a bit. Later that night as I reflected on why I was there, I came across a teacher’s cabin with lightning-fast accordion songs, singing and dancing all around. I stayed quiet as I observed these friends and strangers alike dance and cackle, drink and yell out song names that were met with laughter. We were all there for the same reason even though earlier in the day we had so many different responses. We were coming together to sing and dance and learn, to get away, to celebrate, but it was all built on the foundation of connection. It’s in the celebration of culture that we have the chance to celebrate our humanness, of what makes us all fundamentally the same. We raise our voices, join hands and let the spirit of our human bond come to life. The world stops and we are granted a glimmer into the endlessness of being; the gift of this human life and all life that has come before us, the life that will press on in song long after us.

Location: Rochester, N.Y.

Occupation: Copyediting/indexing

Connection to Balkan music/dance: I sing with a local Balkan women’s choral group (Sladki Doumi) and dance with the Rochester international folk dancing group. On my own I play the gudulka nearly daily and connect with other musicians to play music of Bulgaria.

Number of times at Balkan camp: I came for three days in 2016. That was the first time I had attended. So, two years.

Studied at camp: Gudulka, Bulgarian singing, all dance

Memorable moment at camp: Every night the dance party and live music were electric; if I had to pick one thing—this is difficult—the dance party would have to be my favorite. Ivan [Handzhiev]’s singing class (Thracian) was great fun! The song selections were varied and interesting and Ivan always has a twinkle in his eye. I also loved dancing around the gajda players; so nice to connect with people in that way. Listening to the young soloist (girl) from Čoček Nation was really inspiring. I love that people of all ages come to the camp. I particularly enjoyed listening to the woman who played Scandinavian tunes in the kafana one night and watching the dancing—so beautiful! Playing gudulka in the student concert was a big step for me; I have performance anxiety. Nikolay [Kolev], my teacher, and the other students in the class were very supportive, so I felt brave enough to do it and it went well!

Location: Mexico City

Occupation: Kindergarten teacher

Connection to Balkan music/dance: As I work part-time in the morning and I have the rest of the day free, I am always creating things with people interested in Balkan music. Rehearsing new songs, studying styles, taking lessons, sharing materials, practicing and teaching classes. We have a small community interested in Balkan music here in Mexico City and other states such as Guadalajara, Tijuana, Querétaro… We try to gather and make things together when possible… take classes, make study circles, gigs among our groups, etc.
The projects I’m currently involved with are:

https://www.facebook.com/LaBalcatrina
https://www.facebook.com/proyectokunda
https://gypsymothmx.wordpress.com

And I’m just starting a blog where I wrote about the camp and where I’m planning to write about Balkan-related topics for my community to read in Spanish: https://labalcatrina.wordpress.com

Number of times at Balkan camp: This was my very first time at camp and I’m afraid now I’ve become an addict!

Studied at camp: My main focus to study during camp was definitely the Balkan Brass Band. I’m a saxophonist totally fond of Balkan brass bands. I have been crazy about Macedonian saxophonists and that’s pretty much the style I listen to every day. This camp was a perfect chance for me to know about the Serbian style, since Demiran Ćerimović conducted this year’s brass band and I was also able to attend the Čoček Nation class where we prepared Serbian songs, and also (my beloved) Macedonian ones. As you can imagine, I couldn’t be happier from having the opportunity to learn more about Serbian brass band style.

Memorable moment at camp: It was definitely the love people showed me over there. As I was traveling from Mexico, I didn’t have a bedding set with me. My lovely roomies managed to create one for me with their own things. This warming welcoming was priceless. One of them, Natalie [Shear], even asked me if I had a raincoat with me and lent me hers. Every day and night I witnessed the kindness of this community. Many of them were worried about making me feel welcome, inviting me to do things and to share, teaching me the dances with patience. Like, for instance, when I told Matt Moran that I wanted to learn how to play tapan but I hadn’t been able to get the instrument and he offered to teach me after lunch with his; or the night my roomies offered a pedicure service to the girls and women at camp. It was awesome to see this kind of energy and love being shared. This community is just awesome! I have always thought that at the end of every trip or experience, what’s left in our heads and hearts is the connection we made with people of those places, and this is the exact example of this theory of mine.

Location: Montreal, Quebec

Occupation: Anti-poverty community organizer

Connection to Balkan music/dance: Am performing in Balkanville, a Montreal Balkan band, just starting a series of monthly jams.

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

Studied at camp: Music, drumming and playing in the brass band.

Memorable moment at camp: I was quite impressed by the many amazing music jams that happened in so many different venues and at all hours of the day and night. It was a magical experience. It was also very inspiring to get to play with Demiran [Ćerimović], the trumpet player who led the brass class. Of course, the soccer game was completely delightful and goofy. It was heartwarming to see all the people who pledged money for future scholarships during the auction.

Location: Brooklyn, N.Y.

Occupation: I’m a professional musician; I play Balkan and Balkan-influenced music and also jazz and contemporary composition. I’m a bandleader, so a lot of my work time is on administrative tasks, but I try to find time to practice, too; I also work on bringing music education and performance opportunities to people in prison.

Connection to Balkan music/dance: I’m very fortunate to have integrated Balkan music into my daily life, mostly by playing tapan with my brass band Slavic Soul Party! I also play tenor horn with Veveritse Brass Band, teach tapan, and occasionally give presentations on Balkan music and brass band music to students (from elementary all the way up university level). I try to make sure that I also speak about the sources of the Balkan music that most inspires me, when I’m a bandleader—which isn’t always easy at a dance party!

Number of times at Balkan camp: This year was my 20th anniversary of coming to Balkan camp! I’ve been at East Coast camp almost every year since then.

Studied at camp: This year I focused on Serbian Roma music and dance as taught by Demiran Ćerimović (brass band) and Alex Marković (dance). I also tried to be available and helpful during classes for kids.

Memorable moment at camp: This year Demiran’s set in the dance hall stood out to me as representing many of the best things about camp. First of all, we had a teacher who was not only new to camp but was the first teacher from the Balkans to teach brass band. This was wonderful growth for our community, and Demiran filled the role beautifully. Secondly, he was touchingly dedicated to demonstrating the older brass band traditions of his community—values we often assume of Balkan musicians, but which are not a given in the living tradition that is Serbian brass and the accompanying market forces. Thirdly, the set brought staff and campers to new heights, as Demiran inspired the several generations of campers that accompanied him—members of Zlatne Uste Balkan Brass Band—to their most musical and compelling performance I’ve ever experienced, while Alex Marković shined a new light on many of the dances that our community has done for years. The dance hall radiated joy and appreciation, expertise and openness, roots and possibilities.

Location: Garrett Park, Md.

Occupation: My day job is…. nothing. I do freelance writing here and there and am looking for a full-time job. That’s why there’s no way I could have afforded to come to Balkan camp without the scholarship I received.

Connection to Balkan music/dance: I am a member of Orfeia, a women’s Balkan vocal ensemble. We currently have 10 members, not including our director, Tatiana Sarbinska. I don’t dance regularly but would like to do more of it in the future.

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

Studied at camp: My main focus was voice. I took two voice classes and for a couple of days also took accordion. If I come back I really want to learn zurna (I grew up playing oboe so it’s especially appealing to me).

Memorable moment at camp: I think my favorite thing about camp was sitting on porches in the evening after dinner, listening to folks playing, or sitting on my porch singing with other members of my cabin…. It felt so intimate and I love informal, non-staged performing—things that break the fourth wall. I loved the dancing every night and performing at the end of the week, but if I had to choose just one thing, I think the porch playing/performing would be the thing.

Location: Gainesville, Fla.

Occupation: I’m a jazz singer but also have been working in politics lately.

Connection to Balkan music/dance: There is no Balkan scene here in Gainesville. I do think it’s a place that Balkan music would be appreciated and hope to get musicians together and start playing music!

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

Studied at camp: Coming in, I was most excited to learn Bulgarian repertoire and to meet and hear a Rhodope singer in person for the first time. For that reason, at first, I was really tuning into Donka [Koleva]. But while there I became enchanted with the vocal ornamentation of Greek singing. Coming from a vocal classical background, being able to listen to the ornamentations of all styles and hear singers in person was very important and informative for me.

Memorable moment at camp: On the whole, this experience was unforgettable and unique and special. I recall one moment when I was on the porch of my cabin and listening to a Lithuanian ensemble and in the middle of the field a brass band with accordion was playing and thinking to myself what a unique and special village the EEFC creates every year.

But I think the most amazing moment of the week was once very late at night at kafana with one of Ruth and Christos’s ensembles. Although I was exhausted I decided to join this smaller dancing circle and locked into the steps although since I was new to the dances I had occasionally had trouble with other dances that week. It was such a feeling of connection that I had to this group; the band found a perfect groove and it felt like time was suspended. It was very spiritual experience for me and I want to thank the EEFC scholarship committee for enabling me to have it.