Serbians: Love their music, love their food!

Isn't it funny the connections you make in life? Last fall, I started carpooling to (Phoenix Symphony)choir with a woman who lived in my zip code, and that was all I knew about her. As we spent time talking together in the car, I got to know Gordana as she went through a move, a graduation and the transition from foreign student to full-time employee as an engineer. We shared recipes, stories, music, beliefs, and stresses. And now she has welcomed me into her Serbian "family."

Tonight, at Gordana's invitation I sang in a Serbian Choir (named "Riznica" which means "treasure chest") that was part of a Concert of Classical Serbian music. I'm not Serbian, but they let me sing with them anyway. Everyone else was Serbian, and the whole night was Serbian people performing Serbian music. We had guitar, violin, piano and vocal solos as well as the choir. It is great stuff - all the choral music is very Russian-esque - a capella with beautiful rich bass tones and light upper voices. Also, unusual rhythmic patterns are natural to them and very common in their music. One of the basses told me during intermission tonight, "For not being Serbian, you sure are doing a good job with this music!"

We ended the concert tonight with a piece originally written for instruments called
"Niska Banja". It was wild, I tell you, wild. (Chorally speaking). It had no words, just do-ba-do's. It was in 9/8 time, which felt like 4/4 with an extra half beat in every measure. Every variation got faster and more complicated and it was terribly fun to sing!

Then the concert ended and the reception began. The spread was impressive! All kinds of foreign yummies that I don't dare try to pronounce, let alone spell. Delicate, fluffy layers of goodness - ahhhh. So good! Serbians know how to throw a party, I tell you what!

So, here's to taking a chance on a carpool, expanding cultural horizons, and singing in 9/8 time.