Robert Bolyard (MM choral conducting)

Songs in a Strange Land: Our Balkan Musical Odyssey

Our study trip brought many intriguing and enlightening experiences to us all, but undoubtedly the most exciting for me were the musical offerings. We experienced these in almost every sphere, from the professional to the wholly amateur, from indigenous to Western classical music, and each time it was presented with a warmth and generosity that made the music all the better to experience. The performance spaces ranged from basements to cathedrals, and the settings from impromptu demonstrations to lectures, but the sense that music so easily bridged the cultural gap and brought us together was truly amazing.

We attended a folk mass on the second day of the trip, followed by a series of demonstrations of various folk music traditions from nearby regions: it started in the sanctuary with groups of singers in traditional garb singing religious (but not liturgical) songs in various styles. It was very heartening to know that these traditions were being kept alive in spite of so many factors which could so easily extinguish them, and the music itself was rich and performed well. Equally impressive was the spread that awaited us below the church in a dining room, where the music continued as we feasted on local food and liquors. And then the dancing began…

A more sober demonstration of the local musical culture was presented the following day at the Academy of Music, where students presented music from the local culture and beyond. It was inspiring to see so many students involved in art-centered programs, and despite their nerves, their eagerness was infectious. We also heard portions of the Qu’ran recited in a mosque in Sarajevo by a small choir, which was a truly unforgettable experience and an opportunity that I never would have imagined I would get. We had heard, and would continue to hear, many people speak about Islam, but hearing that music in that space spoke so much more directly to me about the similarities to be found in all religious expression than any lecture on the subject ever could.

The concert presented by the Faros Cantors from the island of Hvar was, I dare to say, generally considered one of the highlights of the trip. This group of trained singers presented a traditional style of male a cappella singing that has flourished on the island for centuries, and the seamless transitions between each beautifully-programmed piece made the concert in itself a work of art of the highest quality.

But the most emotional musical moment for me was back in Sarajevo, where we were treated by a performance by the Interreligious Choir Pontanima. It was a transcendent experience all around, not only because the story behind the choir is so inspiring, but also because the music they made was so refined and a true joy to hear. Just as I became hypnotized by the seemingly magical transformation of this group of people from different religious and ethnic backgrounds coming together to sing, as Friar Markovic put it “the songs of their enemies,” my attention happened to be drawn to a woman in the front row. I knew nothing about her, and I was encouraged by the fact that, like everyone else in the choir, she could have been Catholic, Muslim, Orthodox, or none of these and I wouldn’t have known the difference. I noticed her solely because during the Muslim pieces the word Allah was repeated many times in unison, and every time it was her mouth hung in a neutral position to pick up the following words. In so doing, she allowed me to glimpse the reconciliation process not as a miraculous cure, but as a process that is still very much incomplete, and thereby allowed me to appreciate just how much good has been done, and is still being done, to bring peace to this part of the world.