Concert of the JMM chamber orchestra “Sasha Nikolovski -Gjumar”, North Macedonia

Chamber orchestra of JMM “Sasha Nikolovski-Gjumar”

The Chamber orchestra of Jeunesses Musicales Macedonia was established over 38 years ago as the main segment of JMM Summer music camp in Ohrid in 1986. It is the only ensemble of its kind in South-East Europe. To this date the orchestra has welcomed more than 400 young musicians mostly from Macedonia but also guest musicians from other countries. Artistic directors and conductors of the orchestra include F. Muratovski, G. Korunovski, S. Nikolovski-Gjumar, V. Nikolovski-Gjumar, M. Spasov, B. Canev, A. Remereit, B. Chadlovska, O. Kondratenko, Misha Katz, Gianluca Martinenghi, Elena Mitrevska. In 1995 recognizing the orchestra’s qualities and impact, the ensemble was invited and featured in the celebrations of the 50 years Anniversary of the International Federation of Jeunesses Musicales in Budapest. Over 100 concerts of the orchestra have been warmly received by the critics and audiences and the orchestra has won the numerous awards and accolades. For 38 years the final concert of the summer session of the orchestra is part of the official programme of the Ohrid Summer Festival, and in recent years the young musicians also perform at the Skopje Summer Festival and Bitola Summer Festival. Since 2018 the orchestra is named after the Macedonian conductor Sasha Nikolovski-Gjumar.

Ivan Eminovikj- conductor

Born in Skopje, Ivan begins to study music at the age of 6, studying piano at DMBUC “Ilija Nikolovski – Luj” in Skopje, where he completes the primary and high school music education. At the Faculty of Music in Skopje, Eminovikj studies orchestral conducting with Sasha Nikolovski – Gjumar and graduates in 2010 with a concert dedicated to prof. Kosta Trpkov. The same year he is awarded the “Tomislav Zografski” award by “Tomislav Zografski Foundation” for the most accomplished student of the departments of conducting, composition, musicology and music theory and pedagogy. In 2012 Eminovikj obtained his Masters degree in orchestral conducting with honours, conducting the opera “Rita” by Gaetano Donizetti. As a pianist, Ivan has performed many concerts in Macedonia and abroad and has received numerous prizes and awards at state and international competitions. In July 2018 he conducted the Sarajevo philharmonic orchestra at the opening of the festival “Bashcharshija nights” in Sarajevo. His artistic portfolio includes many productions of the Macedonian Opera and Ballet including “La Traviata”, “Nabucco”, “Carmina Burana”, “Giselle”, “Rigoletto”, “Cavalleria Rusticana”, “The Lady of the camellias”, Il Barbiere di Siviglia”, “Eugene Onegin”, “Adriana Lecouvrer”,” Don Giovanni”, “Turandot”, Mozart’s Requiem and numerous concerts.

Enis Alji-violoncello

Enis Alji is born in Skopje. He starts playing cello at the age of eleven in the class of prof. Mare Videvska, and finishes high school education at the MBUC “Ilija Nikolovski-Luj “ in Skopje. He has taken part in several national and international competitions in Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia and France where he is a winner of first and special prizes. He studies at the Academy for Arts in Tirana and earns his master’s degree in the class of prof. Dorina Laro. He has participated in masterclasses of renowned cellist such as Ansi Kartunen, Anatoli Krastev, Karel Branderhorst, Astrit Selita, Joanna Sachryn, Diego Suarez Fernandez etc.. As an orchestra musician he works with prominent conductors and soloists. As a leader of the cello section he has performed with the Albanian philharmonic, “Ensemble XXI” in Finland, JMM Chamber orchestra “Sasha Nikolovski-Gjumar”, the ensemble “Arco”, the Skadar string ensemble “Skenderberg”, and string orchestra “Tadenus”. He is also member of the string orchestras “Profundis” and “Ajga”, the “Young musicians European orchestra” (Italy), as well as playing with the Macedonian philharmonic and the orchestras of the National Opera and Ballet in both Macedonia and Albania.

Simeon Goshev-violin

Born in 2003 in a family of musicians, Simeon Goshev has been immersed in since a very early age. He started learning the violin at the age of 9 at MBUC “Ilija Nikolovski- Luj” in the class of Anna Kondratenko, and soon starts competing at national and international competition. He continues to study with prof. Rumen Dimitriev and with prof. Jelena Tufekcievska. In October 2022 he starts his studies at the Academy of music in Ljubljana in the class of professor Janez Podleska and assistant Ana Dolzhan. The same year he receives the prize of the Foundation “Ilija Nikolovski-Luj” for exceptional accomplishments during his high school education. In 2024 he receives the golden plaque and special prize for best performance of a work by a Slovenian composer at the “Temsig” competition. He has participated in masterclasses led by Blagoja Dimchevski, Pacalin Pavaci, Emilo Percan, Siana Badivuku, Wonji Kim-Ozim, Robert Lakatosh, Marko Simovic, Vladimir Markovic, Galina Kojceva, Petra Kovacic, Dan Zhu etc. He has performed in many concerts in Macedonia and abroad, and this year he performed a recital in the cycle “Solo e da camera” at the Music Academy in Ljubljana. He was a soloist with the Macedonian Philharmonic and the orchestra of  DMBUC “Ilija Nikolovski-Luj”.  He is first violin of the “Light” quartet, and a proud member of the JM Macedonia Chamber orchestra “Sasha Nikolovski-Gjumar”. He has been a session musician with the Slovenian Philharmonic, Ljubljana Opera and Ballet and the Macedonian philharmonic. He has performed at the Ohrid Summer Festival, the Rock Classic Academy and been part of the Fames institute seminars and concerts.