AlmaNova Press

“AlmaNova's Giuliani is some of the best I've heard."
-American Record Guide

”…Flautist Jessica Pierce produces a most beautiful clear and pure
tone, has impeccable intonation, and an idiomatic and stylish way of
ornamenting the melodies….”
-Pan - The Flute Magazine (The Journal of the British Flute Society), U.K.

“Imamovic’s cadenzas were virtuosic masterpieces”
-Oakwood Register. Dayton, USA

“Imamovic wowed his listeners with an ageless virtuosity”
-Glendale News Press. Glendale, USA

"Excellent technique and virtuosity"
-Oslobodjenje. Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina

"American flutist, Jessica Pierce gave a ravishing performance at
Nice's historic Cloitre de Nice"
-Nice Matin. Nice, France

"Mr. Imamovic left audiences stunned with his 10 magic fingers!"
-La Perche. Mamers, France

"AlmaNova is redefining the flute/guitar genre. Their recordings provide
wonderful acoustic sounds and innovative arrangements that listeners
will love to hear."
Jim Walker, Flutist/Teacher/Performer (Colburn Conservatory & USC Thornton School)

"Jessica Pierce and Almer Imamovic have given me tremendous pleasure
with their music-making. Their sensitivity and musicality combined with
impeccable ensemble will delight and captivate all those who hear them"
Pepe Romero, International soloist

"The AlmaNova Duo, Jessica Pierce and Almer Imamovic, bring us a
refreshing new look at a classic and favorite ensemble combination, and
energize it with exhilarating concert programs magnificently played.
They are both masters of their instruments, and, as a team, are electrifying!"
Scott Tennant, founding member of the Grammy® award-winning LA Guitar Quartet

Review of AlmaNova's "Classic Giuliani"
-American Record Guide by K. Keaton

In May/June I reviewed a similar program by a Danish violin-guitar duo, Kim Sjorgen and Lars Hannibal. I responded warmly to that performance, but this one is even better. I was prepared not to like this, a self-release of a pair of young players with little information about the music or performers. I had to go to their website to get the last names, beyond Almer and Jessica (come on, folks, the world needs adults). But I thoroughly enjoyed these performances. Though the scores do say "for flute or violin and guitar", I think the music works better on flute than violin. Certainly there are no double stops or specialized bowings that might be idiomastic for violin but impossible on flute. Actually, any melody instrument can do these, but the parts seem especially right for flute.

These are really elegant, tasteful performances. Pierce is a fine player with a lovely sound and a great sense of balance with her partner. She phrases subtly and beautifully and really understands this style. Imamovic is a fluid, somewhat understated player, but a solid partner who never seems to struggle.

Another advantage to this recording is that the program does not include the frankly odd set of variations played by Sjorgen and Hannibal, but does include the Grand Duo Concertant, Opus 85. That is not as virtuosic or imaginative as the Gran Duetto Concertante, but it is quite lovely and has a ravishing melodic slow movement.

AlmaNova's Giuliani is some of the best I've heard.

-AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE

Review of AlmaNova's "Classic Giuliani"
by James Scott, Minor 7th

AlmaNova's second release, "Classical Guiliani," offers masterful interpretations of the late Italian guitar virtuoso's enduring work. AlmaNova is an innovative duo consisting of American flutist Jessica Pierce and Bosnian guitarist Almer Imamovic. Both musicians are classically trained and faithfully perform Guiliani's cannon with both grace and passion. Jessica Pierce's virtuosic flute is prominently featured throughout this recording. Her rich, warm intonation draws the listener deeper into each composition. Imamovic's supportive pianistic approach is also noteworthy, providing an excellent backdrop for his partner's melodic cadenzas. The guitarist also creates intricate rhythmic patterns and dazzling solo flights demonstrating a solid fluency on his instrument. Together the two eloquently produce impeccable performances of classical music which are sure to please even the most discerning listeners of this genre.

BUY "Classic Giuliani"Click Here!

Review of AlmaNova's "Debut"
by Patrick Ragains, Minor 7th

Bosnian guitarist Almer Imamovic and flautist Jessica Pierce comprise AlmaNova. Imamovic composed and arranged all the selections on this disc, which reflect his love of sevdalinke, a Bosnian form of romantic song and dance. Pierce supplies warm, clear melodies and broadens the music's appeal. The opening track, "Sarajevo Nights," showcases Imamovic's strengths as a composer and player, featuring spirited rhythms and overdubbed single string lines. The next piece, "Moj Golube," is rhythmically more simple, but no less satisfying, as Pierce executes a lyrical melody, broken up by both solo and double-tracked guitars. Each piece is well developed in terms of melody, shifting tempos and dynamics, often with a more popular sound than one is accustomed to hearing from classical musicians. "Scott's Guitar" is a solo piece for Imamovic, continuing the romantic flavor of the program in a slower, more reflective setting. "Tapkalica" follows, with a pensive guitar introduction, followed by a fast section led by Pierce's flute. The duet takes time to fully develop each piece. Several tracks exceeding five minutes hold the listener's attention, thanks to the compositions, arrangements and flawless performances. I recommend this disc to casual listeners and musicians alike.

BUY "Debut"Click Here!

Reviews of Almer's North American Debut with the Dayton Philharmonic
Orchestra with Maestro Neal Gittleman
Dayton Daily News, Review by Ron Rollins, April 29, 2007

...The evening’s middle piece was a concerto for guitar, Concierto de
Aranjuez, by Joaquin Rodrigo. Divinely played by Bosnian guitarist
Almer Imamovic, the piece was interesting for the way it carefully
blended the music of the solo instrument and the larger orchestra …
unlike so many compositions that seem to put the orchestra in a
supporting role there to set up soaring solo flights by the guest star,
Rodrigo’s writing sensitively melded them together into a complementary
whole that brought out the best in everyone. Imamovic was one of the
least-showy and yet most praiseworthy of the DPO’s guest soloists this
season...

Oakwood Register
Review by Burt Saidel

“…Joaquín Rodrigo has produced the very soul of Spanish music. So much
of our “Spanish” music is the brilliant result of composers such as
Frenchmen Jules Massenet and Édouard Lalo. Rodrigo’s Concierto de
Aranjuez is an immensely popular work. We hear it regularly on Dayton
Public Radio but not often enough from the concert stage.

Last heard by the DPO in 1973, Maestro Neal’s reintroduction was a
complete triumph. He invited Bosnian guitar master Almer Imamovic as
soloist. In 2004, Imamovic played with the DPO in the special concert
for Bosnian President Tihic.

The combination of a great guitarist, a great orchestra and a perfect
performance hall made this concerto one of the truly memorable musical
events of the year. The familiar themes sprang from the guitar and
every section of the orchestra.

Imamovic’s cadenzas were virtuosic masterpieces. The kinetics of the
orchestra made the visual experience almost match the musical one…”

Almer featured in Guitar Teacher Magazine!
Article by Sean McGowan, Guitar Teacher Magazine

Bosnian guitarist Almer Imamovic is part of a new generation of
progressive classical guitarists who inform their playing and teaching
with influences from inside and outside classical music traditions.
Like many contemporary classical artists, Imamovic understands the
relevance of folk styles, jazz, flamenco, and even rock, integrating
them into his arrangements and performance style. Imamovic's musical
diversity crosses many stylistic and international borders: he has
performed with the London Mozart Players, the Sarajevo Philharmonic,
Bosnian pop star Al'Dino; played solo jazz guitar in Paris cafes; and
worked as a studio guitarist.

Imamovic's teaching style reflects this diverse, multicultural
approach. His broad range of experience has helped shape his teaching
philosophy and the cultivation of open-mindedness, uniqueness, and
musical expression in his students.

A DIVERSE MUSICAL UPBRINGING CREATES A DIVERSE TEACHER
Born in Foca, Bosnia, Imamovic began playing guitar at age seven, and
later engaged in serious study under renowned teacher Mila Rakanovic.
With Rakanovic, Imamovic received extensive instruction in the Italian
tradition with a focus on musicality and artistic expression. Later, he
studied at the École Normale de Musique de Paris and earned a master's
degree from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Now living in the US, Imamovic is continuing his graduate studies at
the University of Southern California under Scott Tennant, who taught
him the importance of open-mindedness in becoming a complete musician. Imamovic credits Tennant and others with being part of a "new school of classical guitarists" who incorporate many different methods, in addition to classical guitar technique, to articulate their ultimate musical expression.

THE TIME DIFFERENCE
One difference between guitar pedagogy in Bosnia and in the US is the
time devoted to lessons. In Bosnia, if a young person showed interest
in an artistic discipline, he could enroll in a state-funded school
that fostered arts education to a greater degree than schools in the
US. Imamovic, who spent two or more hours of every school day studying guitar in Bosnia, wishes students in the US could devote more time to arts studies. Most Americans are accustomed to taking a single weekly music lesson. In that amount of time Imamovic finds it difficult to accomplish as much as he wants with serious students and encourages them to meet two or three times a week for a minimum of an hour. The fast pace of life in the US has moved Imamovic to caution parents of younger students against saturating their children's schedules, since music demands a considerable amount of time spent practicing at home, not just at the lesson.

THE TEACHER AS ROLE MODEL
Many guitar teachers in Bosnia, especially before the war years in the
mid-1990s, held state-funded, salaried positions at schools such as the
one Imamovic attended. Imamovic points out how teachers acted as
cultural role models throughout the war's darkest days. He relates
stories of how teachers continued lessons and student recitals, even
during times of frequent bombing or sniper attacks. Under such
conditions, Imamovic stresses the importance of art and music in
keeping a community's spirit alive.

Imamovic's own guitar teacher, Mila Rakanovic, was once a victim of
cross fire on her way to teach a lesson and sustained permanent arm
damage. "Her bravery and care for her students above all was limitless
and continues to inspire me now," he says. "From her, I learned never
to give up on your students."

Imamovic once served a three-month residency in England teaching group lessons to people who had suffered serious brain trauma. As part of therapy, they could choose between two hours of art or classical guitar a day.

His residency culminated in a concert featuring patients in duo and
ensemble formats—remarkable considering many had deficiencies in memory and communication skills. "I remember the joy in their eyes," Imamovic recalls. "It was a fantastic day, and one of the most beautiful things I've ever been part of. I felt proud that I helped bring some happiness to them through music. As a teacher, it's extremely important to support your students and let them know you're always there for them."

THE IMPORTANCE OF RECITALS
"By the time I was 15," Imamovic recalls, "I had played several times
on television and traveled to other countries performing in guitar
ensembles of all sizes." He provides similar experiences for his
students.

"When your students play in ensembles, they learn to be professional in
a performance situation. They learn how to listen, to play with others,
and to be connected to the music and with each other, and it definitely
improves their reading. These experiences are unforgettable because the students become part of a community. This is what I'd like them to
experience."

To this end, Imamovic places great emphasis on student recitals with
his current students. He believes in the pragmatic application of
lesson material and prepares his students for several recitals
throughout the year.

"I always like to have a recital ending a session or season," says
Imamovic. "After that, we can open new doors and work on new concepts to prepare for the next one. That way, students stay focused and have something to work toward. Plus, it makes them feel comfortable performing because they're doing it regularly. I always perform with them as well, so it's a collaborative effort."

INTRODUCING FRESH MATERIAL
Finally, Imamovic emphasizes keeping lessons fresh by constantly
introducing new repertoire that resonates with each student. "There is
so much great material out there now," he says. "I don't necessarily
subscribe to the older tradition of having students learn the same
pieces with the same fingerings and perfecting them for the next ten
years. I prefer to constantly expand the repertoire to help the student
find a unique voice through diversity of material."

Rather than strictly adhering to standard material from Carcassi to
Tarrega to Bach, Imamovic gives his students pieces from different
cultural sources as well as contemporary guitar music from new
composers. Imamovic believes strongly in players creating their own
unique repertoire that reflects their personality. "As my teacher in
Bosnia used to say," he remembers, "'If you copy somebody, you're
always going to be a very bleached copy—you'll never be original.'"

ALMER'S ADVICE: THE THIRD WEEK CHALLENGE
Although he favors a casual lesson atmosphere, Imamovic uses this
technique to prevent lessons from becoming predictable. "Even with very talented students, you need to maintain a focus," he says. "So, usually around the third week of the month, sometimes randomly, I become tough and really push them. Maybe I'll force them to sight-read or give them a very demanding piece. They will usually start practicing harder and perform better in the next lesson. You have to be tough, but also fair, and give them a break from time to time."