Sixteen-year-old Stefan Tomić from Leposavić is in his second year of the “Miodrag Vasiljević” Secondary Music School in North Mitrovica and, in parallel, attends secondary school – the motor vehicle technician program. He dreams of staying in his hometown of Leposavić and becoming an accordion professor so that he can pass on his knowledge to future young talents who want to play this instrument.
He believes that one day his wish to buy a better and higher-quality accordion will come true. However, he doesn’t complain, he practices diligently and says that his love for the instrument overcomes the fact that the accordion is somewhat older than him.
With this “aged” instrument, he recently won first place in Gračanica.
“I’m 16 years old, and I started playing the accordion when I was seven. It’s my first love in music. I got a piano accordion when I was seven and everything started from there,” says this young man.
When it comes to folk music, he takes private lessons from professor Dragan Badnjar, who holds a special place, while he learns classical music at the “Miodrag Vasiljević” Secondary School in North Mitrovica.
He enrolled in two schools to “upgrade” the subjects that the Secondary Music School does not have in its curriculum.
“I regularly attend two schools, due to the difference in subjects, because, unfortunately, in Kosovo and Metohija, music school is considered secondary. We don’t have subjects like Serbian, math, English, and that’s why I also attend another school to cover all my knowledge,” says Stefan.
He explains that classical music is more “virtuosic” because, after mastering the material, you can play all genres.
He admits that he loves it the most.
“I love playing classical music the most, I even think I’m more dedicated to it and that I play it more virtuosically. It means a lot to me because folk and classical music are closely related, so everything I do in classical music I partially do in folk music and vice versa,” he adds.
He is proud of the award he won at the “First Accordion of Gračanica” competition.
He plans to apply next year as well and “defend the title”.
“The award means a lot to me. At my age, that’s very important, even some positive criticism. This is an incentive for further success,” says Stefan.
He recalls that when he had the opportunity to choose which accordion to play, he decided on the one he first picked up by chance. But he didn’t want to change it later.
“I chose the piano accordion because, when I enrolled in elementary music school, it was the only one we had available at the school in Leposavić. But I fell in love with it. In high school, I had the opportunity to switch to the ‘button accordion’, but first love is first love,” he says with a smile.
He modestly points out that his goal is to one day fulfill his wish and buy a better accordion, because the one he practices on has shortcomings.
“I hope that in a year I will get a better instrument and what I need. You can play and compete with this accordion, but a good instrument certainly means a lot,” adds Stefan.
He believes that in addition to talent, perseverance is important, which he demonstrates with his work.
“Talent is important, but without hard work, effort, and love for music, it’s difficult to achieve results,” he is confident.
He plans to enroll in college and sees himself as a pedagogue.
“I would like to expand my knowledge and make capable and good musicians out of other children and I would like to pass on my experience and knowledge in music to children from Leposavić, in fact to children from Kosovo and Metohija,” concluded Stefan.
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Source: Kosovo online, Photo: Printscreen Kosovo online