Winds of Change enjoyed the successful completion of their Triangle Tour from during the week of November 10th to 16th in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Croatia.
The week started off with a bang on Monday the 10th as Willem van Merwijk, Jaume Gavilán Agulló and Shira Majoni from abroad and Tina Korać-Hasanović, Oliver Pinter, and Tanja Malić from various parts of BiH all arrived in Sarajevo to begin rehearsal for the Tour. From the moment the musicians picked up their instruments to begin practice at the Youth Center in Grbavica, there was a new excitement and energy in the air. Novo Linđo, the very first song the ensemble rehearsed together and which incorporates traditional Dalmatian elements, promised to be a real show-stopper. Those watching from the side-lines struggled to sit still.
Tuesday and Wednesday brought continued progress in preparation and an exciting press conference where donors had to chance to express their motivations for supporting the project. His Excellency, Ambassador Karel E. Vosskühler of the Netherlands attended as well as Mr. Gonzalo Luque, Cultural Attaché of the Spanish Embassy. To conclude, Winds of Change performed to offer a taste of the concerts to come to the press and their supporters.
A mini-performance was given on Thursday night, November 13th at the Radon Plaza Hotel in Sarajevo. The ensemble's presence was requested for a regional UNDP Conference there to showcase for international guests both the talents of Bosnian and Herzegovinan musicians and the importance of cultural collaboration. The group played an abbreviated version of the Triangle Tour repertoire which was met with an overwhelming demand for encore. The evening was a positive omen for things to come.
On Friday morning the group packed onto a bus bright and early (nothing new after their adventure to the Netherlands last spring) to head to their first concert venue in Trebinje. The road wound precariously through the mountains and the weather became increasingly gray, but everyone arrived safe and sound and ready for action.
The audience that night at Dom Mladih in Trebinje was small- but this was no surprise. The adventurous blend of music Winds of Change performs, which combines traditional, contemporary, Balkan and Jazz influences was a whole new experience for the citizens of the small town. However, those who were curious and open enough to come investigate were not disappointed- the energy in the hall was palpable. By the time the dancers from Montenegro took the stage to conclude the concert, people could hardly stay in their seats. The Tour was off to an excellent start.Crossing the border into Montenegro the next day to get to Podgorica was a slow process. While Winds of Change may be run and organized by "Musicians without Borders" this title meant little to those at the Border Control. Entering a new country with a large group proved to be tedious. Ultimately the ensemble made it to Podgorica though and prepared for their second concert at the venue Informativni Centar "Budo Vuković."
That evening proved to be a huge success- the hall was full and the audience was excited. The musicians played beautifully, and with the singing of Amira Medunjanin and the dancing of the Montenegran couple combined to create a truly unique and impressive performance. The richness achieved by the uniting of different cultural elements was also evident as the predominantly Montenegran audience clapped wildly for songs from everywhere from Dalmatia and the surrounding region, to France and the United States.
Sunday brought two more border crossings and a final performance at the historic Marin Držić Theater in Dubrovnik, Croatia. It was an excellent final performance, in a venue to match. One of the most exciting things about this particular concert was that a recording was made as the first step in production of a Winds of Change compact disc. The group is greatly excited about the doors having their own CD will open in the future. (Keep an eye on the blog and the Musicians without Borders BiH website for forthcoming information on its release!)
Monday, November 17th saw the departure of the International Musicians from the region- however, the Bosnian and Herzegovinan musicians took advantage of their beautiful surroundings in Dubrovnik and enjoyed a leisurely day in the sun, recovering from the work of the previous week. It was great for them to have some time to just talk, laugh, and enjoy one anothers' company before heading back to their busy routines of school, work, and exams.
The friendships the musicians have are just as important to the project as the music they make because they serve to break down borders between the different groups in the region. This was the main goal of the Triangle Tour and from the smiles on the musicians faces as they spoke with one another, to the cheering of audiences in Trebinje, Podgorica and Dubrovnik, the Tour was certainly a success!
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