The Sound of the Sword Dance

Since 1937, the Moreška sword dance has breathed to the rhythm of music written especially for it by the renowned Croatian composer Krsto Odak. This is no mere accompaniment to the blades and the footwork: the music was created to grow together with the Moreška, to follow every swing, every meeting of the swords, every moment of tension between the opposing sides. It gives the dancers their tempo, the movement its energy, and the scene a solemn power that makes it feel as though, for an instant, some older age were opening before the viewer.

Our orchestra is not bound to the Moreška alone. Throughout the year it gives a series of concerts of its own, chief among them our Christmas concert, the crowning event of the season. The orchestra brings together musicians of every age, from schoolchildren to retirees, proof that music connects people regardless of their years and builds a togetherness that reaches across generations.