I was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but for the past 13 years, I’ve been living in Paris, France, where I completed all of my higher education and got my master’s degree from the Paris National Conservatory (CNSMDP)  in 2022, in the class of Jan De Winne.
I currently work as a freelance musician, mostly in France, performing with ensembles such as Les Talens Lyriques, Le Concert d’Astrée, the Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal de Versailles, among many others.
I have a somewhat unusual musical background: I began playing the modern flute at the age of 17, after previously studying classical guitar.
However, history, and especially the Baroque period, has always been one of my greatest passions. When I discovered that Historically Informed Performance (HIP) existed, and when I first saw and heard the traverso, I instantly knew it was what I wanted to pursue.
I’m so grateful that the traverso found its way into my life, I truly feel I’ve found the perfect instrument for me. It’s more than just an instrument: it’s a time machine that carries the voices, messages, and emotions of another era. And beyond that, I simply love learning about history and the arts, visiting castles and churches, and living out my Baroque fantasy!
I find it fascinating that our beloved piece of wood made its way into so many royal courts and palaces, inspiring both amateur musicians and some of the greatest composers of the 18th century to fall in love with it and write for it.
We’re lucky to have such a rich repertoire—and so many wonderful models of flutes to play (gotta have them all 😄). And we’re even luckier to have such a loyal companion in our musical journey.
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The first thing you do when you pick up your traverso to start the practice day, and why?

I first just check the general feeling with the instrument and how my body feels that day. I check my posture, my breathing  and I try to get back my playing sensations with the instrument. 
If I feel I have a good day and my sound works well right away, I normally just sight read some repertoire. I love sight reading pieces and repertoire, I think it’s a great tool for warming up and developing sight reading skills.

Any recurring piece to play every day, and why?​

I do have a few pieces that I play every day, but the list is long. Generally, it’s fragments of pieces that are “well-memorized” body- and playing-wise, meaning that no matter what state I’m in, they will always sound good. I use these pieces to get my good playing sensations back, especially when they’re not there.
I always have the classics on my music stand, and I play them every day: Bach’s Partita, Quantz Caprices, Telemann’s Fantasias, and my personal favorite: solos from Bach’s Cantatas!
Bach’s Allemande from the Partita is a challenging and great piece for developing all kinds of playing skills. Still to this day, even after having played it a thousand times, I never play it the same way…
And also, I sight read a lot. Personally, it’s what helps me progress the most. When I sight read, I practice putting myself right away into a performance mood, and perform the piece as if it were played in a concert. It’s a great tool for concentration and also for immersing yourself in the mood and character of different repertoires. It’s not the same mood if you play French repertoire or the Galant Berlin repertoire!

Do you have a daily routine?​

I kind of have a morning routine, after breakfast, I normally play a little bit before hitting the gym… I don’t know why, but the best playing sessions are always before you’re about to leave the apartment. Like if you’re going to a party in 30 minutes, and you decide to quickly pick up the flute and play a few notes… it turns out to be the best session ever ! This may be due to not having time to think too much about the technique, just being carefree and simply playing and having fun !

What kind of goals do you set for your practice?​

My general goal in practicing is to “own” the pieces or orchestral excerpts that I’m currently working on.
That means the piece needs to feel comfortable in my body, the air needs to know its way, and the fingers need to move flawlessly, even in the hardest passages.
Once I have that stability, I’m able to do whatever I want musically, and that’s the cherry on top: experimenting and letting your imagination and emotions take over the piece, while the solid foundation supports you and lets your artistic wings fly!
I’d also like to mention one last point that for me is very important : I think that playing a wind instrument is very demanding and we often get stuck or tend to think a bit too much about the technique, which is good and necessary, but don’t forget also to sometimes practice as well just letting go and just simply playing. 
Practice is not only about the technical aspect, it’s very important to nurture the artistic side of your music because hat’s what it’s all about ! 

Do you do any systematic warm-up?

I don’t really have a specific warm-up, but I do become very aware of my body before playing, and I try to imagine what kind of sound I want to have. Personally, I do a lot of work without picking up the flute: body scans, relaxation, imagining the sound and playing sensations, and playing the pieces mentally.
I also practice airflow a lot. I’ve stolen all the airflow exercises from my fellow singer colleagues! Like for example practicing the stable air stream with a straw and water bubbles (this one is a must).
And I also warm up by singing (to my neighbors’ great joy 😁), because I’m firmly convinced that flute and singing techniques are almost the same.
Traverso-wise, I try to play a few long notes where my air holds the note effortlessly, without any tension—especially on the difficult notes. As Anna Besson said: "feeling at home with your instrument!"
Finger-wise, I do have a few things I like to do: like all the (short, I–Vth degree) scales chromatically, starting with D.
This way, I work on different colors of every scale and on flexibility.
I also work on did’ll, even though it’s a technique that somehow comes and goes in my case. I think it’s a great tool for positioning your tongue and embouchure, and for getting great air support (because it’s impossible to did’ll without quality air). Therefore, it’s a great warm-up technique.
And again : I really love to sight read.

Do you have a specific structure for warm-up and practice sessions?

As I said in the previous question about warming up: when I’m preparing for a concert, for example, I start by having the best possible sensations in my body and with the instrument. I practice slowly, with a lot of air control, feeling every interval and owning every difficult passage technically. Once I have that, I can work on the interpretation.

Any distinctive characteristics of baroque flute daily practice vs. modern flute or other instruments?​

They are two instruments with completely different challenges, and while the practice approach is sort of similar, it’s still completely different, technically and musically.
Traverso and the baroque repertoire must be played with incredible precision and control, because you can hear absolutely everything.
On the modern flute, as the correction of notes is not the same and the embouchure hole is much larger than on a traverso, plus the ability to use more air and help yourself with vibrato, it kind of makes things a bit easier and gives you a bit more freedom.
I think it’s very healthy for a traverso player to play the modern flute from time to time (if you’re not already playing it often or always).
Personally, when I was a student, I studied both instruments at the same time, so I developed the skill of being able to switch between them and have good sensations right away on both. I really see it as if an actor would switch roles or personalities.
Playing the modern flute can help you free yourself more and feel even more supported when getting back to the traverso.
Sometimes, playing only the traverso can create a bit of tension, because you always need to control every note, so I like to return to the modern flute from time to time to “free” my airstream.

What are the key elements and unmissable points of daily practice?

There are many things, but I will choose to talk about one: airflow and how you feel the intervals. If an interval is not comfortable and doesn’t feel “in place,” then you have to find the position—you can’t continue practicing without feeling comfortable with certain (or every) interval.
Airstream is like bow control : you need to guide it smoothly through the intervals, like moving across strings. Imagine you’re playing the violin: the air is your bow. If you press too hard or too lightly on the string, the sound will suffer. You need to find that balanced, resonant middle, the sweet spot that produces an effortless tone. It’s the same when navigating intervals. You can’t just leap abruptly from one note to another, like jumping across strings. There has to be a sense of movement and connection within the interval. On the flute, that means shaping your air as if you’re bowing - guiding it with precision and finesse.

How long and distributed should warm-up and practice be?

Warm-up as long as you feel you need it. 
Let’s be simple : you know you're warmed up when you feel that your lips, body and fingers can effortlessly play and you just feel comfortable with your instrument.
There’s always a point when you think to yourself: “Now I’m warmed up : it’s time to play!”

Any  specific tip to address difficult technical passages during daily practice?

I always return to the air: I practice all the exercises that singers use for air, like air stability with a straw and bubbles, for example.
The key to good flute playing really is a stable and quality airstream.
Practice body mapping and body relaxation—you need a certain body awareness to produce a nice and resonant sound.
Check your posture: try to understand where you’re tense and what’s not clicking. Once you know the problem, you’ll be able to find a solution.
Practice playing long phrases in one breath—this is an excellent exercise, and even by just thinking about it mentally, you’ll magically make the best use of your breath.
Practice fast movements of concerti and sonatas as if they were adagios. Once you’ve placed everything comfortably and expressively like an adagio, you’ll be able to fly through the fast movements!

Are there any tools that are particularly useful for practicing?

The metronome is great for sure, and the tuner as well : but it can be tricky for the historical flute. Just remember: the tuner machine  is not always a truth written in stone. The intonation is something that’s very much alive, and it depends from various elements that you’re all familiar of! 

Any other general advice, suggestion, tip?

Be curious, analyse, collect, and make your own truth. Understand what aesthetic in your playing you want, and go that way.
Do the mental process beside playing the flute: imagine playing your pieces mentally and owning the interpretation you want in your head — it’s half of the job!
Help your flute technique with singing technique: try to find resonances in your body by singing — again, it’s half of the job!
Sight read! A lot!
Try to play a piece you’ve never played as if you’re playing it in a concert: this is great for concentration and can also give you insight on what to work on more, technically and musically-wise.
Use every possible opportunity to play with others. If you have a buddy to play duets with — keep him for life 😊.

How do you advise your students as far as structuring their daily practice?

Every student is different and has different needs. I adapt my teaching and structure their practice based on their needs and goals!
But normally, I’d advise them to follow something in this order: airflow exercises, long notes (different intervals), scales or technical exercises, caprices, fantasies, and repertoire.
Besides all this: mental preparation and work!

Do you suggest or teach a warm-up routine?​

Yes, but again, it depends on the student and their needs on that day, or the pieces or technical parts we’re currently working on. I do work a lot on developing a good sound in all registers, and on playing all kinds of intervals and finding their placements — especially with the fork-fingering notes!

Are there any specific pieces particularly beneficial to be played regularly in daily practice?

Bach’s solos from cantatas and passions are absolutely great : they include almost everything we need, both musically and technically!
French repertoire like Hotteterre and Montéclair is great for developing a good singing sound and phrasing.
Galant repertoire, like Quantz, Stamitz, and Tromlitz caprices, is quite good but challenging : if you manage to play those flawlessly, you can play anything!
And finally: Devienne sonatas :  very demanding technically, but excellent for developing classical-style phrasing and giving your fingers a real workout!

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