Guča
Guča is a small, sleepy town for most of the year, but it comes to life and transforms into a kind of Balkan Woodstock for a week in August during the world’s largest trumpet festival—the Guča Festival. With tents scattered everywhere and the streets filled with stalls and revelers, countless glasses of beer are poured down throats roaring with singing and laughter. Sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, and more are roasted on the grill to satisfy the hunger of the revelers (Serbs are considered the biggest meat eaters in Europe and are serious competition for the Argentinians). Nearly half a million people participate in the festival each year, which provides inspiration for the entire year.
The origin of Balkan trumpet music lies in Ottoman military music called Mehter, a tradition that began in the 13th century and was prevalent among the Janissary soldiers, who used it for military marches, the Sultan’s appearances, and festive events.
Two hundred years ago, the trumpet was adopted by the Serbian rebels led by Black Hand Karađorđe—the trumpets led the rebels into battle and inspired courage. The first Serbian king, Miloš Obrenović, founded the first trumpet orchestra as part of the royal splendor, and since then, a love story between the Serbian people and brass bands began, with the Gypsies in particular excelling in this art. Trumpet music also influenced the classical music of Central Europe.
The world-famous brass band is that of Boban Marković, which plays in Kusturica’s films and won the Guča Festival award in 2001. Every year, this band performs at the festival alongside hundreds of other excellent bands. Another big name associated with the festival in particular, and Serbian Gypsy music in general, is Goran Bregović.
The trumpets accompany every stage of an average Serb’s life, from birth to funerals and everything in between—weddings, birthdays, holidays, church visits, and more. The happy and lively nature of the brass band fits the Serbs like a hand in a glove. The Serbs are a warrior people, and the trumpets led them into battle, but they also accompanied them in times of peace. Folk music was adapted to the trumpets, which play the traditional kolo dance and pump huge amounts of adrenaline into the blood—it is said that even the dead rise from their graves to dance and frolic.
The Guča Festival began in 1961 and has been held continuously ever since. The main event is the competition for the best trumpet band, where about 20 bands from different regions perform, showcasing the differences between the styles of southern and northern Serbia. No band misses this important event, and even those who do not officially participate in the competition perform in the streets and on various stages throughout the town. The competition is held in the town’s football stadium, which accommodates tens of thousands of people.
During the day, there are parades of bands in the streets and performances on various stages, and in the evening, everything culminates in the main performance. “Guča represents the best of Serbia today—its openness, its faith in people, its hospitality, its music, and its celebrations,” said former Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica. “The Brass Band Festival is a confirmation of our courage and joy in good and bad times.”
