VLADIMIR

Vladimir, named after Sephardic singer Vladimir Mićković, is a five-member ensemble. Their musical journey from Andalusia to the Balkans. They perform songs in Ladino, sung by generations from Dubrovnik, through Sarajevo, to Thessaloniki.

In December last year, Vladimir Mićković and Adis Sirbubalo founded the band VLADIMIR and in less than three months prepared a repertoire and recorded their first album in the production of Gramofon from Sarajevo. The repertoire of the album Vladimir is a musical journey from Andalusia to the Balkans, songs that have been sung for generations from Split and Dubrovnik through Sarajevo and Mostar to Bitola and Thessaloniki. From the rich heritage of Sephardic songs, Vladimir Mićković chose mostly traditional ones, composed before the Second World War, including original songs created during the Holocaust and after the Second World War – three songs by Flory Jagoda: La jave de Espanja, Rikordus di mi Nona and Ragusa, lyrics the latter was written by Bunchi Papo.

Traditional Sephardic songs received numerous influences on the way from Andalusia after the Reconquista, but also left their traces in traditional and songs by famous authors. The song Arvoles joran por luvjas is a medieval Sephardic song that has undergone numerous transformations, taking on elements unknown in the Iberian Peninsula, taking over Macedonian and Greek influences from Bitola and Thessaloniki, such as rhythm or additional refrain. This poignant song performed by Vladimir reveals a new beauty by skillfully hiding the sadness and suffering it permeates…