Mirza Redzepagic

 

 

When and how did you first become interested in flamenco guitar?

When I was a child my father was listening recordings of Paco de Lucia on our old family gramophone, and I remember myself looking at the booklets and covers with Paco's pictures and imagining myself playing like Paco. Since I had my first guitar lesson at age of 8 my actual interesting in flamenco music started at the time when I was on my last year at University studiyng classical guitar. I was playing some spanish classical guitar piece and I realized that something is missing in composition. I've started to explore more about spanish music, and deeper I went there the more I started to enjoy and feel a that special passion that flamenco gives. Then I realized that I want to become a flamenco musician.

 

 

How long have you been playing flamenco guitar?

I am playing flamenco guitar for 2 and a half years. 

 

 

 

What are your flamenco guitarists influences?

As I said before, I felt in love in guitar listening to Paco de Lucia, so I found him as my primary influence. Beside Paco, I enjoy the music of Vicente Amigo, Tomatito, Pepe Habichuela, Manolo Sanlucar and others. Also, I enjoy a lot listening to flamenco cante: Camaron de la Isla, Diego Cigala, Potito, Nina Pastori, Marina Heredia and many others...

 

 

Does anyone in your family play music?

None of my parents plays any instrument, but my mother was always telling me that I got my talent for music from my grandfather, who played accordion quite good.

 

 

What else do you do besides play flamenco guitar?

I play classical guitar, and also playing traditional Balkan music and music from my country. Beside that I am exploring ascpects of world music, especially music from East (music of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, India etc). I am working as guitar teacher here in Sarajevo and in my hometown.

 

 

Why did you choose to play this kind of music?

When I first heard flamenco cante i felt a blast of emotions inside of me. Singer was singing so sad, but also very passionate and so proudly at the same time. After that what I heard, I realy felt that that's the path that I want to take in music, to become a flamenco guitarist. That mix of different emotions you can find only in flamenco.7 Tell us your opinion about SFGS (Spanish Flamenco Guitar Programmes). SFGS programme is a great way to get all the knowledge you need about flamenco. With SFGS you will not learn only how to play flamenco guitar falsetas, but also to understand flamenco as a culture, as an art. With Jose Deluna, who is a great guitar player and also an exceptional teacher, with his academic approach to flamenco art and great pedagogic talent I am learning not only the technics and palos needed to play flamenco, but I am also learning to understand the philosophical concept of flamenco, which could be very difficult to understand to somebody who is not from Spain.

 

 

Do you feel you are getting your objetives?

Yes, with SFGS program I feel I am on the right path to become a serious flamenco guitarist.

 

 

Is SFGS (Spanish Flamenco Guitar) worth the money?

Every penny of it. Lectures are systematic and very good organized. All the video and printed material are at the professional level and skype lessons are also at the professional level.