The trumpet in a woman's hand in contemporary Serbian traditional and popular music: The case of the "Danijela" trumpet orchestra from Arilje

Abstract

Trumpet orchestra "Danijela" belongs to the type of mixed gender orchestra, in which the women is the leader in men surroundings. This orchestra today mainly plays musical arrangements of the popular music, from folk to pop and rock, jazz and Latin. Danijela and her orchestra do not try to copy already existing interpretation, but they are doing their best to give to their music their personal touch in different musical securements, whether formally or in arrangements. Danijela, herself says that there are not essential difference between male and female trumpet orchestra, all, actually, depends on the personal impact. This personal impact is due to the musical education which helped Danijela's orchestra to, especially in harmony and articulation add its style to already existing interpretation. Regarding the performing of tracks which belong, by its style, to the repertoire of southeast Serbia, it is notable, especially in the aspect of articulation and ornaments marching to the style definitions of the trumpet music in West Serbia, which is general equal for all trumpet orchestras in West Serbia, which play the repertoire of the other trumpet places especially southeast Serbia. This ensemble takes part in most different kind of media, which promotes, not only this orchestra, but also the idea of women's leadership, and the fact, also that the women (in this case a young girl) can play the instrument which up to recently, was considered to be only for men. At the very end, we may conclude that today in Serbia there is no more radical difference in gender regarding musical instruments, the epithet 'male' or 'female' is not explicit any more, as it was before when men had priority. Of course, the prejudices still exist, but they are not any more so important and they are easily overcome, especially if performers get good critics from the audience for their work, no matter what instrument is in question.