Tamburitzans Perform for Croatian President

Ivo Josipović, president of the Republic of Croatia, toured the Duquesne University Tamburitzan offices and cultural center on Sept. 27 and was treated to a 20-minute performance by the ensemble.

After the performance, Josipović introduced himself to each member of the Tamburitzans and, at times, talked with students from Croatia in their native tongue.

Josipović, who was elected president in 2010, has collaborated with numerous Croatian and foreign state, scholarly, university and artistic institutions around the world. Prior to his election, Josipović was a university professor, a member of the Croatian Parliament and a composer. He has taught courses in criminal procedure law, international penal law and misdemeanor law. He taught harmony at Zagreb Music Academy and has written nearly 50 compositions for different ensembles.

The Tamburitzans, America’s longest-running multicultural song and dance company, is a unique ensemble of student folk artists dedicated to the performance and preservation of the music, songs and dances of Eastern Europe and neighboring folk cultures.