Romano Oro from Anamesa by Anamesa

As a young girl, Esma Redzepova had a remarkable talent for learning complicated rhythms, but growing up in the Romani community in the 1950’s, in the Socialist Republic of Macedonia, it was not self-evident that she would become a world-renowned performer. Women playing music were frowned upon in a male dominated culture, but Esma Redzepova persisted, encouraged by her husband, Stevo, who recognized her talent. She and Stevo, who was the composer, arranger and director of her band, could not have children of their own. Instead, they adopted dozens of orphans over the years, and gave them a musical education. In this way, Esma could start touring and performing with a band filled with her children, right until the very end, when she passed away at the age of seventy- three.

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