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Deda
Deda is Serbian for Grandfather and this composition is written in honor and memory of my late grandfather. My grandfather passed away in September of 2023. Due to paperwork reasons, I was not able to travel back to Serbia when he was sick and was not able to attend the funeral. This has, naturally, robbed me from a sense of closure and the only place I could find peace in is music.
My grandfather was not a man of many words. He lived a simple, peaceful, yet sometimes difficult life - as many farmers do. He cared for his family, animals, and land. He was a man of many principles. He had so much love for his work and has worked until the day his body gave up. The last time we saw each other he barely recognized me because his vision was long gone, but he smiled upon hearing my voice. The movements in Deda represent the beauty I saw in my grandfather - his love for God and church, his family, and his cows.
Gospodi pomiluj [Lord, Have Mercy] begins with a form of recitative that Serbian Orthodox priests would sing and that theme is present throughout the entire movement. The second theme that is present and is continuously woven into the recitative is the headjoint melody from etude "Nana" from my etude collection Mayka. Nana is Serbian for grandmother. Nana has suffered from a stroke many years ago that she never fully recovered from. Later, she was diagnosed with dementia and could not recognize him while he was still alive. On the day of his funeral, she said that it's such a shame that nice man passed away and that she would have married him if she wasn't already married. I wanted her melody to be in his piece so they will have a place where they will always remember each other.
Zvona [Bells] are another representation of church and what church meant to my grandfather. He was a devout Orthodox Christian and has passed down his knowledge and traditions to all of us. Krave [Cows] represent his dear cows. Whenever he would pass by the barn all the cows would moo knowing he is somewhere near. He would yell: "Calm down, I'm coming!" and they would stop. When he passed away, I wondered if the cows knew
For Flute Quartet
Deda is Serbian for Grandfather and this composition is written in honor and memory of my late grandfather. My grandfather passed away in September of 2023. Due to paperwork reasons, I was not able to travel back to Serbia when he was sick and was not able to attend the funeral. This has, naturally, robbed me from a sense of closure and the only place I could find peace in is music.
My grandfather was not a man of many words. He lived a simple, peaceful, yet sometimes difficult life - as many farmers do. He cared for his family, animals, and land. He was a man of many principles. He had so much love for his work and has worked until the day his body gave up. The last time we saw each other he barely recognized me because his vision was long gone, but he smiled upon hearing my voice. The movements in Deda represent the beauty I saw in my grandfather - his love for God and church, his family, and his cows.
Gospodi pomiluj [Lord, Have Mercy] begins with a form of recitative that Serbian Orthodox priests would sing and that theme is present throughout the entire movement. The second theme that is present and is continuously woven into the recitative is the headjoint melody from etude "Nana" from my etude collection Mayka. Nana is Serbian for grandmother. Nana has suffered from a stroke many years ago that she never fully recovered from. Later, she was diagnosed with dementia and could not recognize him while he was still alive. On the day of his funeral, she said that it's such a shame that nice man passed away and that she would have married him if she wasn't already married. I wanted her melody to be in his piece so they will have a place where they will always remember each other.
Zvona [Bells] are another representation of church and what church meant to my grandfather. He was a devout Orthodox Christian and has passed down his knowledge and traditions to all of us. Krave [Cows] represent his dear cows. Whenever he would pass by the barn all the cows would moo knowing he is somewhere near. He would yell: "Calm down, I'm coming!" and they would stop. When he passed away, I wondered if the cows knew
For Flute Quartet