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MACEDONIAN INSPIRATIONS is a vibrant and soulful performance project, created and led by Gundula Stojanova Gruen, performed with her ensemble Tatcho Drom and dancer Linda Toteva Gjorgiva.
“Macedonian music is the most beautiful and inspiring music in the world”, Gundula had declared with passionate excitement, before setting out to Skopje, Macedonia, on a mission of music discovery. Inspired by her experiences, she created a music and dance show portraying a cultural Macedonian landscape with all its Turkish, Albanian, former Yugoslavian and Bulgarian influences, featuring their Romani music, which achieved world-fame through singer Esma Redžepova and others.
MACEDONIAN INSPIRATIONS is on the academic level an artefact of comprehensive study and ethnomusicological research. On the performance level however, it tells the stories Gundula experienced amongst Romany people, Macedonians, Albanians and others: Tatcho Drom performs pieces which Gundula learned along the way; the musical arrangements and choreography reflect the meeting of incredible musicians, the encounters with wonderful beings and reflects the bright and the dark energies of this controversial country.
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Tatcho Drom stage ‘A Gypsy consommé with a satanic pulse’ (Froots Magazine). They are considered one of the UK’s leading exponents of Romany Gypsy music. Their name translates to ‘True Journey’ from Rromanes, the language of Romany Gypsies. Their broad repertoire includes traditional music from across Eastern Europe and the Balkans as well as band leader's Gundula’s own original compositions.
Linda Toteva Gjorgiva was given a Roma and Traveller’s soul by birth, and a dancing soul into her cradle. Her mum is a Roma from Blagojevgrad, a town on the Macedonian-Bulgarian border and her dad is an Irish Traveller. Born in Sofia, Bulgaria, she learned the first dance moves from her family; her uncle took her regularly to the Balkans, where she danced in Restaurants from the age of 5, whilst her uncle collected money in his shoe.
Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Altwood Road, Maidenhead
