Door County Folk Festival
Balkan Culture Session in Baileys Harbor Town Hall
(Friday - 3:30pm-5:00pm)
(Led by Jim Stoynoff)
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Jim Stoynoff

Friday - 3:30pm - Jim Stoynoff

“The Chalgija Genre in Macedonia, A Fragile Musical Tradition”

In this session we will explore the origins of the Macedonian Chalgija genre, a remnant of the late Ottoman period.

Chalgija genre music is characterized by its use of Turkish instruments such as the ud, cumbus, kanun and dajre (large tambourine), along with the western clarinet, violin and dajre (large tambourine).

Macedonian lyrics and meters such as 12/8, 11/16, 7/8 and 2/4 are typical.

The session will cover:

  • Instrumentation, as well as the arrival and adaptation of the western violin and clarinet in the Balkans
  • Themes/ Language Rhythmic Meter
  • Radio Skopje, Nationalist assault on the genre and its decline
  • Resurgence and the Anthology of Macedonian Chalgija
  • Changes in performance styles Performance groups outside of Macedonia