"Spring & Swing"

Preparations for Winds of Change spring 2009 tour began as soon as Triangle Tour ended. Selecting new songs, planning venues, considering guest performers are just a few of the activities which kept the artistic team busy. Last week all the planning came together in the "Spring & Swing" tour in Banja Luka and Sarajevo. The repertoire for the tour featured an eclectic mix of music- including Jazz, Classical, and Traditional Balkan.

The ensemble members came together from all over Bosnia-Herzegovina and various parts of the world to rehearse together. As always, the ensemble was led by Prof. Willem van Merwijk from the Netherlands. He arranged some wonderful new pieces for this tour and included some favorites from tours past. Trombonist, Jaume Gavilán Agulló, rejoined the group (from Spain via the Netherlands) to add his own talent and youthful energy. Shira Majoni, violist from Israel, returned for her second time, as the group's single string player. And for the first time the group was joined by oboist Irma Kort from the Netherlands.

The local members of the group were also mostly long-time members: Tina Korać Hasanović (piccolo), Zerina Herenda (flute), Esma Sulejmanagić (flute), Tanja Malić (oboe), Oliver Pinter (oboe), Tibor Masa (bass clarinet), Belma Kahrović (alto saxophone), Timur Sijarić (Tenor Saxophone), Ivan Sušac (trumpet), Ivan Ščitinski (trumpet), and Sabina Šehović (xylophone). Tanja and Oliver came for the week of rehearsal and performance from Banja Luka. Karmen Pervitić, who performed with the group once before, was able to rejoin the ensemble for "Spring & Swing." Tina, who traveled from Mostar to join the group, came despite being in the final stages of recovering from the flu. The local professional musicians who returned to the group again are Adnan Cico (clarinet), Zlatan Mujkić (piano), Enes Seforović (Acoustic Bass), and Davor Maraus (Drums). Adnan was one of the founding members of the group and continues to be an important source for artistic direction and training of the student musicians.

The ensemble was proud to welcome guest singer, Marija Šestić. Marija is from Banja Luka and was the Eurovision contestant for Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2007. She sang George Gershwin's classic, "The Man I Love" and the traditional ballads "Zajdi, zajdi," "Jovano Jovanke," and "Stade se Cv'jece Rosom Kititi." Her renditions of all of these in Banja Luka and Sarajevo were extremely beautiful and moving. Winds of Change could not have asked for a more lovely guest on their tour- the ensemble looks forward to playing with her again in the future.

Willem and Irma arrived in Sarajevo on Monday afternoon, in time to experience Sarajevo's earthquake in the wee hours of the morning. (We could then joke that the earth moves when Winds of Change gathers together.) Shira and Jaume arrived on Tuesday in the midst of the start of rehearsals. Wednesday, Marija joined the ensemble's rehearsals and the group was complete. Thursday was another full day of rehearsal with travel and concert performances on Friday and Saturday.

It is always amazing how much time and energy the members devote out of their already hectic schedules to take part in the rehearsals and concerts. The group is extremely dedicated to creating the best possible performances. They are also very loyal to one another and clearly enjoy the time spent together- whether it is during rehearsals, traveling on the bus, or celebrating after a performance. When everyone comes together it always seems as though no time has passed since the previous tour.

The concert in Banja Luka was at the Children's Theater, which was a brand new venue for Winds of Change. This was their second performance in Banja Luka, where they first performed at Banjski Dvor in December 2007. Irma was also making a return to the city, where she had previously led workshops and masterclasses for oboe at the Fine Arts Academy. The group played beautifully and enjoyed the opportunity to connect and reconnect with people and musicians of Banja Luka.

The performance on Saturday, was in Sarajevo at the Center for Children and Youth in Grbavica. The ensemble drew a full and very enthusiastic audience, which included friends, family and new fans coming to experience the group for the first time.

The weather also warmed up just in time for the "spring" theme. While it was still gray and even snowing the week before, sunshine and warmer temperatures drew people out to socialize and enjoy some live music. "Spring & Swing" was yet another excellent Winds of Change performance.