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ENSEMBLE OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS AND SONGS
"STEFCE STOJKOVSKI"
Skopje,
- M A C E D O N I A-
STEFCE
STOJKOVSKI- leader of the ensemble of national instruments and songs
Born in 1972 in Skopje, the capital of Macedonia, Stefce Stojkovski was
brought up in the musical tradition of his country. His father and
grandfather, both musicians who played with traditional ensembles, passed on
their passions to him at a very early age and encouraged him to cultivate
his taste for wind instruments. By the age of seven, Stefce had already made
a name for himself as a soloist on the kaval, a wooden, rim-blow flute with
eight finger holes and one of the oldest flutes of the Balkans, which is
particularly difficult to play as a virtuoso. Two years later, he made his
first recording.
Stefce Stojkovski also plays the bagpipe (gajda). He perfected his
knowledge of the traditional repertoire on the gajda, the single-reed
bagpipe of Macedonia, which is larger and deeper in tone. In the 1990s
Stefce was hired in the National Orchestra of Macedonian Radio and
television for professional engagement. This was the time when he also
received honorable, national title of an independent Folk Artist-Musician
and Music Instructor.
He now leads an international professional career, which has taken him all
over the World (Australia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Taiwan, S. Korea, Japan,
Brazil, Germany, Ukraine, Russia, France, Denmark, Sweden, Spain,
Yugoslavia, UK, Nederland, Slovenia, Albania and many more.). Stefce
Stojkovski is a virtuoso performer on all the wind instruments of the
Balkans- the kaval and the gajda, mentioned above, but also the shupelka
(end blown flute), the dvojnice (double duct flute), the duduk (duct flute)
and the zurla (oboe)- which he also teaches, along with the tambura (a sweet
sounding, long necked lute), percussion instruments- the tarabuka
(single-headed goblet drum) and the tapan (double headed drum)- and also the
traditional singing and dancing of his native country, which he managed to
learn from his grandparents.
Stefce Stojkovski succeeded to fulfill his dream and compose his very own
Ensemble of National Instruments and Songs "Stefce Stojkovski" in 1997. The
Ensemble has more than 40 members on different age. All of them are
professional musicians, singers and dancers.
The main aim of the Ensemble of National Instruments and Song's is
development of traditional music, presentation of National tradition in
native Country and all around the world, publishing the music material and
education of members interested in Macedonian traditional Folk Music's and
Dances e.t.c.
At this moment the Ensemble has published seven CD's and one video
material. Also works on theater and film music.
Among hundred's of life performances we would like to mention some of them:
1984
Sarajevo (Bosnia and Hertzegovina) - Winter Olympic Games
1991
Kiev (Ukraine)- 5 concerts for the children victims in Chernobil
1992
Schoten (Belgium) - 34th Werled festival van Folklore
Dijon, Burgundy (France) - 46 International folk Festival (IFF)
1993
Maribor ( Slovenia ) - CIOFF, International Folk Festival ( IFF )
Confolens ( France ) - Folklore du Monde (review )
1994 Sao
Paolo ( Brazil ) - International Folk Festival ( IFF )
Budapest ( Hungary ) - Tabani Nepzene Nemzetkozi Festival
1995 Lille ( France ) - 9eme Festival Pluriei -
ATTACAFA festival in Lille Opera house
1996
Falun ( Sweden ) - "Ethno Falun"
Copenhagen ( Denmark ) - Copenhagen 96 - Cultural Capitol of Europe
1997
Thessaloniki ( Greece ) - Thessaloniki 97 Cultural Capitol of Europe
1998 St.
Chartier ( France ) - International Folk Festival
2000
Germany - Tour in Munich, Dortmund, Fulda, Koln
2001 I -
Lan (Taiwan) - 30 concerts in the county
Taipei (Taiwan) - Teaching folk dances at Asia camp
2002
Kan-Lionsurmer, France- - Odyssey 2002
Berlin, Germany - European academy
2004 Nis,
Serbia and Montenegro- Nishville Jazz festival
South Korea, Gwangju art and culture festival
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