The Balkan Ethnic Orchestra is a new kind of ethnic music ensemble that will be formed for the first time in Europe. The project consists of 10 members, which will be selected from 18 different countries. The target audience are students, faculty and staff coming from various European universities. The project is organized by the Macedonian Philharmonic Society Inc., with support of the Macedonian Ministry for Education and Culture, supported by EU funds. The goal of this type of orchestra is to create a group which communicates through its sound rather than through lyrics or other means - without being able to understand one another's language. This concept has become a trend in recent years, particularly in Asia and Latin America. The Balkan Ethnic Orchestra will play heavy Balkan music from Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria, with a small group of Oriental instruments including the oud and various wind instruments used in the traditional music of all these countries. This ethnic ensemble will provide an authentic presentation of Balkan folklore from both the Balkans and Asia. The project is the result of cooperation between the Macedonian Ministry for Education and Culture and many European universities. It will be presented to European audiences for the first time at 12 symphony concert halls in all major cities in Central Europe during spring of 2004. The orchestra will be directed by one of the most prominent European conductors, Dr. Goran Vehar, the then music director of the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestra will play in each symphony concert hall two different Balkan compositions, and during the intermission they will present a traditional dance from Macedonia and cover it with instruments from their own countries. The members of the Balkan Ethnic Orchestra of Macedonian Philharmonic Society Inc. were chosen through a rigorous selection process of auditions held at various international universities and colleges throughout Europe and the Middle East, including:The group has 18 members: 10 musicians and 8 dancers of different ethnicities: Macedonian, Bulgarian, Greek, Albanian and Turkish. The orchestra members are young, graduated musicians and performers with an average age of 24 years. They are all internationally recognized in their fields of study, and this is their first experience in an ethnic ensemble. They represent all the ethnicities found in Macedonia, with the majority being Macedonians. The entire group speaks different languages, but none fluently enough to communicate freely in their own language within the ensemble. The instruments include:These instruments were chosen because they are able to create a unique sound, which will make it possible for each musician to express himself through his playing without the need for spoken communication - by transferring emotions through music alone. The oud was chosen for its unique sound and because it is the traditional instrument of the Turks. It has been reinvented to perform in a Balkan context. Traditional Macedonian string instruments: konitsa (andrebuk), santuri and gadulka (double nose flute) - will be played by two members each; The Greek lyra, bouzouki and saz - by one member; the Albanian gajde, daf and cimbalom - by one member; the Turkish çiftli or cembalo, tanbur, santur, ney and davul - by two members each. 81eaaddfaf 51
- ildeirestedens