He says that the music chose him, not that he chose the music. It happened when volunteers for the music section were wanted at his school and after no one applied, the teacher selected him and he accepted. It is about our living music legend Damir Imeri, who has been involved in hundreds of important music releases that have come out in the past 30 years in our country.

– My teacher Gjurgjica Ugrinovska asked on one class if anyone would like to go to the music section, to learn to play the accordion. Since there were no volunteers, the teacher made a choice and, fortunately, I was among the chosen ones, and because I was obedient, I accepted and thus began my musical history. So the “culprit” is the teacher Gjurgjica Ugrinovska, respectively I did not choose the music, but she chose me – says Damir.

According to the information on the website of the “Music Registry”, Damir has played in 273 releases, starting from 1986 until today. In addition to this rich opus, he and his wife Budimka made sure that Macedonian music remained in safe hands, after their sons Adi and Dino followed in their footsteps and are already established musicians.

From the very beginning he was in love with folk music

Damir was born in Zadar, where he spent part of his childhood, but soon moved to Skopje with his family. He did not grow up in a musical family, but says that everyone at home was musical. He first heard music on the radio and television and initially fell in love with folk and old town songs.

– My two sisters have a beautiful voice and sing beautifully, and in Zadar it was a real pleasure to attend our family celebrations and meetings. They were all musical, and the Dalmatian songs sounded really good. Radio and television were the main source of music, followed by gramophones and tape recorders. Since my first instrument was the accordion, in search of knowledge and companionship I somehow reached KUD “Kitka”, and later a small “Tanec”. I listened to and studied folk, original music, and of course the old town music. To this day, I listen to them with great pleasure.

He started on the accordion

Damir had his first contact with the accordion at the age of ten. But when it came time to enroll in high school music, he had to decide for another instrument, since the accordion was not part of the curriculum. The choice fell on the trombone at the suggestion of his professor, so that this wind instrument remains a professional musical occupation of Damir to this day.

– I was ten years old when I started playing the accordion of my friend Blagojce, and later my parents bought one for me, so I was with her all day. In the elementary school “Bratstvo I edinstvo” I started going on teacher Kosta classes, and later with teacher Blagoja. My first public appearances were there. At the entrance exam in the  music high school, our eminent composer and pedagogue Blagoj Canev asked me a difficult question: “Since we do not have an accordion department, which instrument would you like to study?” The professor suggested a trombone and, of course, I accepted. The piano was mandatory, so I got another very important instrument for me that helped me the most to go deep into the world of music – adds Damir.

As a trombonist and pianist – the most wanted on recordings and concerts

After enrolling in music high school, although the competition was large, Damir devoted himself entirely to music, practicing the instrument for many hours a day. With equal attention to upgrading theoretical knowledge, he quickly became one of the most wanted musicians for studio recordings and concerts.

– I used to know playing piano until the school closed in the late hours. We often gathered around the rooms and played gigs, so we forgot about each other all day. I studied the trombone with my dear professor Gjorgji Stefanovski, the man from whom I probably learned the most, and he later taught me at the Faculty of Music Artс. Playing has always been the most important thing to me, but over the years my interests have expanded. I had the opportunity to study music theory, harmony and counterpoint, and of course, arranging. For the other subjects – I was just lazy, and I did not have much time because at the same time I was engaged in countless performances, concerts of various genres, and in the studio as a studio musician. At these performances I gained significant musical and life experience – says Damir.

In MRTV he studied from the best, Shpato, Dzambazov, Pejovski …

Music education, according to Damir, is very important, but not crucial. He would certainly be a musician, and education only opened many more doors and opportunities for cooperation. Damir spent the first twenty years of his working music career in the Dance Orchestra of the Macedonian Radio, and then he got a job in the Macedonian Opera and Ballet, where he still works.

– My first employment was in the Dance Orchestra of the Macedonian Radio, as the first trombonist and soloist, and later a pianist. I spent a wonderful twenty years in the studio of MRTV. At the same time, I was hired as a studio musician, keyboardist. Unfortunately, music production has gone through many crisis periods and it is still waiting to be reformed. I hope that better days will come for the most important segment of MRTV, which has an incredible past. There I learned from Dragan Gjakonovski-Shpato, Aleksandar Dzambazov, Ilija Pejovski, Kire Kostov and others.

When the Dance Orchestra ceased to exist, I switched to the Macedonian Opera and Ballet and on my great pleasure, I am still here today.

He performed with Ray Charles, Dusko Gojkovic …

The famous trumpet player Dusko Gojkovic, the Italian saxophonist Gianni Basso, the legend Ray Charles are just some of the legendary names with which Damir has performed. To that list we can add almost everyone who means something on the Macedonian music scene. His work as a composer and arranger is also very rich. From a pedagogical point of view, his advice for the younger ones is the one he followed through his career.

– It is really very difficult at this time for a young person to deal with any music at all. It is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the attention of the audience. She has no patience and energy for art, and it takes time to consume music. But young people have the privilege of being filled with energy and passion, which they must control a little at the stage when they need to prepare. I think curiosity and love should be pillars of any study. If you are patient and in love enough with what you do, there is no problem. In my experience, that is what helps me today – Damir concludes.

Author: Nikola Petrovski

Photo: Private archive