| Folk Arts - Master Artist - Tino Sakota
Tino Sakota currently lives in Vancouver, Washington. Sakota grew up in Bosnia where he learned to play traditional music on guitar. Both Sakota’s father and grandfather played traditional Yugoslavian folk music and played in a band together. Years later Tino formed his own band and returned to Bosnia to compete in a guitar festival. Sakota’s band received third place two years in a row at the guitar festival in Bunjaluka, Bosnia. The form of traditional folk music, once common in former Yugoslavia, is rare here in the United States. Sakota keeps the traditional art form alive by teaching Yugoslavian folk music to others in his community.
As a recipient of a 2003 Apprenticeship grant, Sakota taught apprentice Edin Smajlovic to play Yugoslavian folk guitar music. Sakota focused on teaching Edin scales on the guitar (major minor, natural minor, etc.), and specific Bosnian folk rhythms. Edin also grew up in Bosnia where he often listened to his father play the accordion. Now that Edin is far from home he listens to familiar tunes, and has started to play them on his guitar. Still a beginner, Edin is looking to advance his skills, so that he may better celebrate the music of his homeland. Once Edin has perfected his skills as a member of Sakota’s band, Sakota plans to include Edin in the band’s performances at a local Bosnian restaurant in Vancouver.
As a recipient of a 2004 Apprenticeship grant, Sakota taught Smajlovic a specific Balkan folk musical style. This specific Balkan folk music was influenced by other cultures such as: Ex-Yugoslavian, Hungary, Greek, Macedonian and Italian. Neighboring countries have a history of influence on Bosnian culture. | |||
