“MACEDONIAN HEART BEATS IN 7/8” IS A MUSIC DEDICATION TO OUR COUNTRY

The task to conceptualize the introduction for an interview with Garabet Tavitjan is both, easy and very difficult. It is easy because the communication with him runs smoothly, thus thinking that one knows him our whole life, but difficult because one realizes that there are no words which can vividly capture his temperament.

Sitting in the cozy coffee bar “Kino Karpos” in Skopje, the conversation with him over SKOPSKO beer was endless. At certain moments, it seemed as if we are browsing through a music encyclopedia, and at times we had the feeling that we are in company of a person that one can never get to know completely because he had so many things to say. However, one thing is clear. Garabet Tavitjan is a musician who has left unfading trace on the Macedonian, as well as Yugoslav music history. One cannot measure what he has experienced with the drumsticks in his hands. Please allow us to convey at least small part of his rich 50 years long career. Allow him to tell the story about the popular project “Macedonian heart beats in 7/8”, as well as, about his love for beer and interesting hobby that few people know about.

You stand behind one of the most successful music projects in Macedonia, “Macedonian Heart Beats in 7/8”. How big was this endeavor for you and your sons who were also part of the project? Did you know that you would achieve such a big success from the very beginning?

The project “Macedonian heart” is а sort of dedication, i.e. historic contribution to our country and promotion of its cultural heritage, here and beyond its borders. Having had most of the renowned Balkan legends as associates in my long career, the realization and cooperation run with great mutual respect. However, this was a challenge because a project of this size goes through several phases and constituent parts, which have to be successfully merged, so that the outcome of the project is of highest quality. Frankly speaking, my two sons Diran and Garo came up with the idea about the project, and they are also the creators of the music part, i.e. arrangement and production. The project was completely realized by our production. This is the best-selling album in the last decade, and the Macedonian and Balkan public feedback gives us a great pleasure. However, one thing that means a lot to me is that we had a chance to do something for our country and leave something valuable, artistic and timeless.

Indeed, you managed to do that. In this project you cooperated with Pivara Skopje. What was the cooperation like and what is your opinion about this company and its brands?

Pivara Skopje has been our associate and partner for many years and proved to have sense for the best music and artistic works. This is also witnessed by the fact that Pivara Skopje gave its support and trust to many projects and brands.
I would not try to explain their products because SKOPSKO beer and the range of beverages speak for themselves and it has become an important part of the life stories of generations of consumers in the country. Since the very beginning, Pivara Skopje supported the project “Macedonian Sun,” and it is not a coincidence that it grew into one of the most successful projects in our region. However, it is far more important that the team of the company is very compact, with professional efficiency and communication, as well as, fast and quality realization, which enables the company to be part of the few such leaders in the beverage industry worldwide.

The rearrangement of traditional songs which are impressed upon the DNA of the Macedonian nation is a stick with two ends. How knowledgeable about the music history should one be in order to accept such a big challenge?

I have been actively working for 50 years in the field of music. I started my career with the first Macedonian bands, and later together with “Leb I Sol” I had the pleasure to be the one to firstly and seriously present the Macedonian rhythm and folklore outside of Macedonia on more than 2.000 concerts and in more than 30 albums, some of which are platinum and golden records. Later, I cooperated with almost all famous artists on the Balkan scene. Brothers Tavitjan have excellent music education and so far they had 400 concerts and performances in the prestigious halls worldwide and cooperation with world renowned artists. It is a great responsibility, but we know what we are doing and we are doing it out of love.

In your case, there was another, let’s say, an obstacle. Many of the singers that you cooperate with are not Macedonians. Although Macedonian music is not unknown to them, yet there was some kind of risk. What was it like and how long did you work with them to make sure that it finally sounds so professional and emotional?

That was the idea of the project. The most prominent names to give tribute to our cultural heritage by respecting our language and song. In this way, they show recognition and respect for what our country created. Macedonian folklore is the creation of our homeland. We worked very hard on this project for more than 2 years. It was a complex task to organize and book performers such as Josipa Lisac, Zeljko Bebek, Oliver Dragojevikj, Masimo Savikj, etc. and work with them on correct pronunciation and performance. We traveled a lot, but I could feel the great pleasure on their part. They were all excited by our idea and there was some kind of special energy in the creation of the whole story. It is true that the native language has some limitations, but that was the authenticity of the project, one can be from any place and one can be anything, but what matters is that one has Macedonia in his/her own heart.

Did you manage to instill in them, i.e. enhance the love for Macedonian music? Did something change about them after the project?

We are all associates for many years on the Balkan, and once upon a time we all used to be the same nation and culture. Just like we do, they often come to our country and make concerts. We know each other very well, and this was also a nice chance to show respect to each other and show the example that music is uniting people and it is infinite. We do love our country and introduced them with many new things from our culture, and we managed to prove it in practice.

Lately, many Macedonian musicians tend to make retrospection of the Macedonian folk music by making rearrangements or inserting this music in their songs. From your point of view, are they on the right track?

Speaking quite frankly, I am glad that after our project, the trend of rearranging the traditional music in new shapes and creation of new Macedonian songs and variances has become so prominent, and many artists on the domestic scene have taken the same path. This only verifies the success and originality of our idea. Indeed, that would be normal as the cultivation of the tradition is also obligation of the modern musicians, but it should not be their only goal and creative expression. That is why we have folk musicians and performers who do it in the most authentic way.

Wherefrom did you develop your love for drums and what did your first drum look like?

I come from a family where music was always present. My aunt was a pianist, my uncle was a violinist and my father, who went to a French college, was opera lover. In my early childhood I started playing the guitar, but later as chance would have it, I took the drums in my hands. At an organized dance where I was the guitarist, the drummer got sick and did not come. My friends made me play the drums so that the party would not end. That was the turning point. I had my first drum at the age of 13, made of lambskin and metal rim, and had to put it on fire in order to tighten it and be able to use it. At that time, one could hardly get an instrument, not to mention a quality one. I had to go through many performances and concerts, as well as, sacrifices to be able to get a better instrument, and the drum was my biggest love and I dedicated myself to it. Later on, the major engagements and professional instruments followed. Nowadays, I have the best quality set of Sonor drums.

We heard that you have an interesting hobby. Would you like to tell us something more about that?

I assume you think of my painting. I love painting and have been doing this for the past 20 years just for relaxation. I am self-taught, and one thing that is interesting about my paintings is the technique I use. I use only natural colors i.e. colors made of food spices, herbs and natural materials. Besides the visual moment, my paintings are also aromatic 🙂
I have more than 50 paintings and soon I plan to make an exhibition for my relatives and friends.

I hope you will invite us to your exhibition. Blood is thicker than water. Your two successors Garo Junior and Diki do you credit wherever they go. Did you secretly want them to become musicians? How did you transfer the love for music to them?

Brothers Tavitijan grew up with music since early age. Diki traveled with us on all the tours of “Leb I Sol”, and Garo with “Paramecium”. They were in music environment since early age. I wanted them to become musicians, but did not make a direct influence. Diran decided to play piano as his primary instrument, although he is good at percussion, and Garo is my successor when it comes to the instrument. They are educated, renowned and internationally recognized names and they earned the quality thanks to the dedicated and long lasting efforts. That is why I am proud of them.

You have Armenian origin, but your heart beats in 7/8. What is common for these two cultures, the Macedonian and Armenian culture?

There are many similarities between these two cultures. We are very alike when it comes to the culture and character, gentle, talented and good people, but at the same time very tough and cunning.

Do you drink beer and what do you think of this magic drink?

I am a moderate consumer of alcoholic beverages, but when it comes to beer, SKOPSKO is my first choice. Coca-Cola is the drink that I mostly consume. I grew up with the brand of SKOPSKO, and have traveled and played all over the world and have had a chance to try all kinds of beer. Yet, SKOPSKO is the beer I like, that is my choice.