MACEDONIAN INSPIRATIONS
Performance - Workshops - Presentation - Lectures
“Macedonian music is the most beautiful and inspiring music in the world”, Gundula had declared with passionate excitement, before setting out on her first trip to Skopje, after she had travelled to many other Eastern European countries on a mission of music discovery.
THE SHOW
WORKSHOPS & PRESENTATIONS
Under the umbrella of MACEDONIAN INSPIRATIONS, Gundula and her team also provide high level
MUSIC AND DANCE WORKSHOPS
(Music workshops for instrumentalists of melodic and harmonic instruments and for percussion). All sessions can be adapted to suit a variety of levels, from community session to top level masterclasses. In general, no previous knowledge of the style is necessary.
Gundula also offers ethnomusicology lectures of her research travels. These may be delivered as
PERFORMANCE LECTURE or
ACADEMIC PRESENTATION
consisting of a lecture with optional performance, video and slide shows, and a Q & A session. Gundula has presented lectures for both academic and community audiences.
Excerpts of the Lecture Recital, 19th September 2018 at City University London
Some clips from Gundula's research trip to Macedonia
MACEDONIAN INSPIRATIONS is a performance project which Gundula created from the discoveries she made on her numerous field trips. Inspired by her extensive musical adventures and discoveries, Gundula has worked to capture and recreate the magic of Macedonia through music and dance, telling a story of sorrow and sadness, war and peace, but also love and happiness.
As the show expertly highlights not only the Macedonian musical landscape but also its Turkish, Albanian, Former Yugoslavian and Bulgarian influences, each piece remains authentic to its individual essence and background. It features songs and pieces from both folk and Romany Gypsy heritage, music which has gained world-fame through performers such as Esma Rečepova, King Ferus Mustafov and others...
MACEDONIAN INSPIRATIONS is a performance ideally set in a theatre, however can be adapted to fit most other spaces such as lecture theatres, festival stages, community centres and outdoor locations.
On academic level, MACEDONIAN INSPIRATIONS is an artefact of comprehensive study and ethno-musicological research. As a performance however, it tells the stories Gundula experienced amongst Romany people, Macedonians, Albanians and others. The songs and pieces itself she learned the traditional way by ear from incredible musicians she met on her journeys; the musical arrangements and choreographies however are driven by the encounters and experiences she made amongst those wonderful people and reflect the bright and the dark energies of this controversial country.