Macedonian Nightclub Details

I Nightclub, Sex, Irony

for C sharp kaval (traditional Macedonian flute), tenor saxophone, piano, cello, drum kit ((2011)

II Conflict, Chase, Death

for C sharp kaval, tenor saxophone, piano, cello, drum kit (2011)

duration: 14’00”

Program Note

‘Macedonian Nightclub’ was inspired from a series of still photographs from the Macedonian photographer Ilia Uzunoski. This piece explores techniques from traditional Macedonian music in juxtaposition with jazz chords influenced from film composer’s Michael Giacchino film score for the Incredibles (2004) and Bernard Herrmann harmonic chordal structures that of minor-major seventh chords. In this piece I also employed the Kaval, (a traditional Macedonian wind instrument) to enrich the music with a Macedonian colour resonance (that is part of everyday Macedonian folk music) and explore the possibilities this instrument has to offer in a Macedonian/jazz/Herrmann context. I have also employed the use of unconventional devices such as whispering, bowed cymbal, plucked piano, muted piano strings, and improvisational squares to disturb the Macedonian/jazz element and to create a distinctive type of sound.