GIPSY STRINGZ
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Tamburitza
Tamburitza's origins can be traced back to Europe the mid-1800s, when along the central Danube River and its tributaries, tamburasi (tambura musicians) began to form ensembles. While it is believed that Hungarian Roma were the first to play tamburitza instruments in groups modeled on their famous violin ensembles, the first known ensemble was formed in 1847 in Osijek in eastern Croatia. They played a repertoire much like that known today: Croatian folk songs, and circle dances, folk songs and dances from neighboring peoples, light classical songs and instrumental pieces, and popular music of the day.
Five instruments are key to tamburitza music: the small lead prima (or bisernica), the alto bra_ (or basprim), the tenor celo, the chordal bugarija or kontra, and the large fretted bas or berde. It is not unusual to find other instruments in a tamburitza orchestra; violin and accordion are most common.
When massive immigration from eastern Europe to North America peaked in the years 1870-1910, tamburitza ensembles began to make their appearance in the immigrant's new country. The first known American ensemble was active in the early 1890s around Steelton, Pennsylvania. It is no wonder that Pennsylvania is the home of today's acclaimed group Gipsy Stringz.
2005 National Heritage Awardee Jerry Grcevich, a native of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, is generally recognized as the premiere prim player in the world. He studied tamburitza with his father and uncle, both musical directors and performers, and at age 21, made his first of many pilgrimages to Yugoslavia to study with the famous prim player, Janika Balaz. Recognized for his unheard-of accomplishment of mastering each of the five instruments in the tambura orchestra, Jerry is also a member of The Tamburica Association Hall of Fame.
George Batyi is a genuine Gypsy violinist of the finest, and fastest, caliber. Hailing from a multi-generational musical family, George is largely self-taught, but following his acceptance to the Chatham College School of Music at the age of 10, he studied with Jack Goldman of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. George has been leading various orchestras since the age of thirteen and is a 2006 recipient of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Fellowship in the Folk and Traditional Arts.
Bob Sestili was raised in Pittsburgh in a home located between a Croatian club on one side and an Italian club on the other. Although of Italian descent, Bob gravitated to the Croatian side of the street and has been playing tambura instruments since the age of six. Bassist for Gipsy Stringz and the Jerry Grcevich Orchestra, Bob is also a co-founder of Tamburaland, dedicated to the promotion of ethnic music.
brác player Robert Sestili Jr. was born in 1978 in Pittsburgh and is living proof that the beauty and love of tamburica music is trans-cultural, and is carried down through generations. Like his father, Robert is a protégé of Jerry Grcevich, and has become a very gifted prim player. Robert also has played in several tamburica bands, and has recorded and produced numerous tamburica recordings.
Ryan Werner plays brác with Gipsy Stringz. Born in Milwaukee in 1981, he learned to play in the Milwaukee CFU Tamburitzans, a junior tamburica ensemble, and has become very respected for the quick virtuosity and strength in his playing.
Links
http://www.slavonicweb.org/events/tamfest_hist.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tambura
http://www.nea.gov/honors/heritage/Heritage05/Grcevich.html
www.tamburaland.com
http://larkinthemorning.com/article.asp?AI=31&bhcd2=1179517967
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