STEFCE STOJKOVSKI- leader of the ensemble of national instruments and songs

Date and place of birth: 17.08.1972 Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Nationality: Macedonian

Born 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.

Experience:

• From 1990 National Orchestra of Macedonian Radio and Television
• From 1990 Folk music instructor
• From 1997 Founder and director, Ensemble of National Instruments and Songs “ Stefče Stojkovski”
• Concerts (selection) :
• 1984 Winter Olympics , Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• 1991 Five concerts for child victims of Chernobyl, Kiev, Ukraine
• 1992 34th Wered Festival van Folklore, Schoten, Belgium
• 1992 46th International Folk Festival, Dijon, France
• 1993 CIOFF International Folk Festival, Maribor, Slovenia
• 1993 Review “Folklore du Monde”, Confolens, France
• 1994 International Folk Festival, São Paulo, Brazil
• 1994 Tabani Nepzene Nemzetkozi Festival, Budapest, Hungary
• 1995 9eme Festival Pluriei “Attacafa” Festival, Lille, France
• 1996 “Ethno Falun”, Falun, Sweden
• 1996 “Copenhagen 96 — Cultural Capital of Europe”, Copenhagen, Denmark
• 1997 “Thessaloniki 97 — Cultural Capital of Europe”, Thessaloniki, Greece
• 1998 International Folk Festival, St. Chartier, France
• 2000 German tour: Münich, Dortmund, Fulda, Köln
• 2001 30 concerts in county of I Lan, Taiwan - Teacher of folk dances at “Asia Camp”, Taipei, Taiwan
• 2002 “Odyssey 2002”, Kan Lionsurmer, France
• 2002 “European Academy”, Berlin, Germany
• 2004 “Nishville Jazz Festival”, Niš , Serbia and Montenegro “
• 2004 Gwangju Art and Culture Festival”, Gwangju, South Korea
• 2005, 2006 Seminars of traditional music and dances in Wintertür, Switzerland and Frankfurt, Germany
• 2006, 2007 Concert in Moscow for President Putin and Russian Archbishop Aleksej Forming and conducting the ethnic group “Bistri Vodi” within the Macedonian State Ensemble “Tanec”
• 2007, 2008 Concert at the European Academy of Art, Berlin, Germany
• 2007, 2008 “Nishville Jazz Festival”, Niš , Serbia and Montenegro
• 2008, 2009 Concert at the Musical Academy, Vienna, Austria
• 2008, 2009 Concert in Ljubljana, Slovenia      
• 2008, 2009 “Macedonian Days of Culture”, Prague, Czech Republic
• 2008, 2009 “Golden Flute s of the Balkans”, Kraguevac, Serbia, with Bora Dugić, Teodosi Spasov, & Gheorghe Zamfir
• 2010 “Balkan Spring Festival”, Caen, France
• 2010 Seminars, workshops, and lessons in Canada and the USA, all ages
• 2010 Concerts in Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary Performance in Turin, Italy on Rai TV at a “ Slow Food” festival in front of 10,000 people
• 2010 Awards : International Award from UNESCO, Korea
• “13 th November” Award for distinguished citizens of Skopje Honored Artist of the Republic of Macedonia (1995)
• Discography (selection) :
• 1996 “Macedonian Folk Dances”
• 1999 “Echo From the Macedonian Mountains”
• 2001 “From the Well of Macedonia”
• 2001 “Od Vek Za Navek”
• 2001 “Macedonian Bagpipe Melodies”
• 2002 “Through the Macedonian Forests”
• 2002 “From the Well of Shara”
• 2006 “From the Well of Pirin Mountain vol. 1”
• 2007 “From the Well of Pirin Mountain vol. 2”
• 2008 “From the Well of Pirin Mountain vol. 3”
• 2009/2010 “From the Well of Pirin Mountain vol. 4”
• 2011 "Macedonian Songs and Dances From Tikves region"
• 2007 “10 Godini Zaedno So Vaš Ansambl Stefče Stojkovski ” + DVD
• 2014 "From the Well of Pirin Mountain vol. 5"