School of Balkan Folk Music for Accordion (PDF Book - English Edition)

If you’ve ever wanted to master the authentic sound of Balkan folk music on the accordion, this book gives you the techniques, exercises, and repertoire to get there.

Written by accordionist and educator Vlada Veselinovic, the book explores in detail the techniques, ornaments, rhythms, and styles that define the rich folk traditions of Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Vlach music. It is the first comprehensive school that analyzes the playing style of the greatest accordion masters of the Balkans, with examples, exercises, and carefully notated sheet music.

Inside you will find:

• A practical guide to hand placement, fingering, articulation, and strengthening exercises.
• A unique collection of over 50 ornaments used in Balkan folk music, explained and illustrated with exercises and notation.
• Explanations of Balkan rhythms and left-hand bass playing, from simple time signatures (2/4, 3/4) to complex and mixed meters (5/16, 7/8, 9/8, 11/8, 13/8, 18/8).
• A rich selection of traditional folk compositions, notated with complete ornamentation (small-note notation), full fingering for piano accordion, and harmonies.

This school is suitable both for beginners (with basic music reading skills) and for advanced players who want to refine their technique and expand their repertoire.

Selected compositions included in the book:

• Serbian kolos: Čukaričko kolo, Užičko kolo, Moravac, Miloševsko kolo, Biserka kolo and many more
• Macedonian, Bulgarian, and Vlach dances: Oro gajde, Pajduško oro, Gankino horo, Krivo Sadovsko horo, Hora Căltunarilor, Sârba de la Pitești and others

With more than 30 complete pieces, detailed explanations, and technical preparation, this book is an indispensable resource for every accordion player interested in Balkan folk music.

CONTENTS:

PREFACE

1. PLAYING TECHNIQUE

1.1 PROPER HAND PLACEMENT

1.2 FINGERING

1.3 ARTICULATION AND PRODUCTION (REPRODUCTION) OF NOTES

1.4 ADDITIONAL EXERCISES TO STRENGTHEN ALL FIVE FINGERS

2. ORNAMENTS IN BALKAN FOLK MUSIC

2.1 INTRODUCTION TO ORNAMENTATION

2.2 TYPES OF ORNAMENTS IN THE BALKAN FOLK MUSIC

2.3 PERFORMANCE ASPECT OF ORNAMENT USE

2.4 ORNAMENTATION AND FINGERINGS

2.5 TECHNICAL EXERCISES FOR ORNAMENTS

2.6 ORNAMENTATION - GENERAL TIPS

3. RHYTHMS AND BASS PLAYING IN BALKAN FOLK MUSIC

3.1 TYPES OF RHYTHMS AND BASS PLAYING IN BALKAN FOLK MUSIC

3.2 PLAYING BAS FIGURES

4. PLAYING COMPOSITIONS IN ENTIRETY

4.1 PRACTICAL ADVICE

4.2 SEVERAL REMARKS REGARDING SCORES - NOTATION OF THE COMPOSITIONS

ČUKARIČKO KOLO

KAČERAC KOLO

BISERKA KOLO

STARA ŠAPČANKA KOLO

KOLUBARSKI VEZ

MILOŠEVSKO KOLO

PARAĆINKA KOLO

MORAVAC

DŽUMBUS KOLO (RAZGOVOR HARMONIKA)

UŽIČKO KOLO

RUMENKA KOLO

BANJSKI ČAČAK

ČAČAK

STARA VLAJNA

VLAJNICA KOLO

VLAJNA

BUGARKA

PEMBE

ORO GAJDE

PAJDUŠKO ORO

KARAVLAŠKO ORO

GEORGIEVO ORO

ORO 18/8

GANKINO HORO

KRIVO SADOVSKO HORO

VARNENSKA DEVETKA (SOFIJSKI ČOČEK)

HORA CALTUNARILOR

GEAMPARALELE DIN BARLAD

SIRBA (RUMUNSKA IGRA)

HORA DINSPRE ZIUA

SARBA DE LA PITESTI

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

For more accordion music books, visit https://muzikaharmonike.com/note

Contact email: muzikaharmonike@gmail.com