Vanja Dijak

Vanja was a medical doctor in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a classical guitar and music theory teacher. He began his classical guitar studies at the age of seven under the direction of two maestros: Kosta Popovic and Mile Praljak. Later on, Vanja received the highest honour from them. Vanja graduated Classical Guitar Music School in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the top score after he established his Classical Guitar School, “Alhambra” in 1990, which was very successful and developed several young and talented classical guitarists. Although Vanja expressed himself by performing several concerts in art studios and on local radio stations, his greatest passion and form of expression is to pass the knowledge of music to younger generations. Vanja has set the highest standards in teaching classical guitar in Canada. He is a lead director of the CCgMTEP (Comprehensive Classical Guitar and Music Theory Education Program) in Canada with hundreds of students of all ages who are constantly and consistently mastering classical guitar in all segments: physical balance, ease of movement, tone production, note accuracy, rhythmic accuracy, intonation, maintaining steady pulse, playing with appropriate tempo, dynamic variation, appropriate and consistent articulation, creation of motion in melodic line, phrase shaping and consistency with stylistic conventions. All these things combined with an RCM Music Theory Education from Preparatory Level to Level 8 and it is evident that Vanja is deserving to be named a comprehensive classical guitar educator. Vanja is also a teacher of the Vancouver Classic Guitar Society.