Tonči Puharić – Beg
a musician, trumpeter, and music professor, as well as one of the founders of the Makarska Music School
“What a gentleman, indeed, with a capital ‘G.’ Fragile build, neat and elegant, he awaits us with a table set before him, ravioli and white wine on the table. His apartment exudes memories and nostalgia. Like a moonwalker, I walk straight towards the walls, reading life’s story from numerous photographs of Mr. Tonči. It feels as if I’ve entered a time capsule, into an era that attracts me, and at times, I find myself lost in it – a time of gentlemen, waltzes, sentimentality, big bands, and festivals; a time when girls trembled at dances, waiting for someone to ask them to dance; a time when things were less accessible and their sanctity was greater. Even Mr. Tonči’s trumpet smells of that era. In his presence, I notice that I become quieter. He reminds me of so much from my own life that is no longer present.”