STEFCE STOJKOVSKI
leader of the ensemble of national instruments and songs

Notice: Teacher Stefce Stojkovski will not attend incoming 2012 Sunray Seminar, due to professional obligations and scheduled tour at that time. His place for this seminar will take Mr. Sase Mitev from National professional state ensemble of folk dances and songs in Macedonia “Tanec”.

Born on 17 August 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