Daily Egyptian Spring 05
European musicians bring home countries' sound to SIUC
Leah WilliamsPulse reporter
While onstage, flutist Matej Grahek moves fluidly and lively to the high-pitch tune of his instrument. He said U.S. crowds, who tend to react differently than a European audience, allow him the liberty to perform more creatively. "They are more open-minded," said Grahek, who is originally from Slovenia. "I like it better."
Grahek performed alongside guitarist Tvrtko Saric of Croatia at the Old Baptist Foundation Thursday night during the School of Music's Guest Artist Duo. Two-thirds of the concert represented both Grahek and Saric's home countries. The concert featured music spanning across the 19th and 20th centuries. Songs included "Fantasie Pastorale Hongroise" by Franz Doppler and "Non-sense" by Kresimir Seletkovic. The two men are seemingly different. They reside in different countries and play different instruments. They come from different backgrounds. Although he is the only professional, Grahek comes from a long line of musicians, dating back to his violinist grandfather.
Saric did not.
"But I fell in love with the guitar when I was 8 or 9," he said. What both Slovenia and Croatia have in common is their homeland, Yugoslavia, a nation formerly controlled by the Soviet Union. Suzanne Lord, associate professor of flute at SIUC, said the two countries are in the middle of "their own renaissance," enjoying a period of cultural rebirth and artistic creation. "These people were literally there to witness the beginning of their own countries," Lord said. Overseas, both Grahek and Saric have established themselves as musicians. A principle flutist for the Slovene Philharmonic Orchestra, Grahek graduated from Ljubljana Academy of Music in 1997.
Four years later, he won the Zlati Petelin award, which is the Slovenian equivalent of a Grammy, in 2001 for Best Chamber Album for his "Opus di Jazz." Saric is a permanent member of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra and is also a part of the ensemble Cantus. He has also played with the string quartet Malpera and founded a summer classical music festival in Gospi, Croatia. And though the fluttering flute is not always what first comes to mind as the natural accompanying instrument to the guitar, Lord said the collaboration of Grahek and Saric's music works well together. "It's beautiful music," she said. "And it's new to us. The arts is the best way to find out about new cultures."
Last update: Friday, March 25, 2005 at 2:22:30 PM
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