Books, audio, events, and other Balkan folk music-related news. https://izvormusic.com/news.html Live dance music and great singing on a Sunday afternoon. Snacks provided. https://izvormusic.com/news.html#bayview9-2025 Dragi Spasovski and Osem i Devet headline St. Sava's “Night of Music and Dance” on Saturday, 9/27. In addition to Macedonian, Serbian, and Bulgarian songs and dances from the band, St. Sava's will provide light snacks. https://izvormusic.com/news.html#vancouver9-2025 Staro Selo, a group of five veterans of the Macedonian izvoren music scene in the US, along with Dragi Spasovski, will be one of the featured music groups at this year's Balkanalia! Balkan Music and Dance Festival in Oregon over Labor Day weekend. https://izvormusic.com/news.html#b!2025 Šani Rifati and Milo Destanovski will host a week-long seminar of Macedonian and Romani dance and song in the Romani mahala in Berovo, eastern Macedonia from August 14-21. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#berovo-summmer-2025 Come join us for another evening of music, song, and dance. Enjoy snacks to share and drinks, sponsored by the Seattle Balkan Dancers. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#89-dragi-04-04-25 On July 28, 2023, Stefče Stojkovski invited Dragi to his radio show on Macedonian National Radio, and interviewed him for the next 2 hours. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#episode59 The Stefče Stojkovski Ensemble has been preserving and performing traditional folk music of Macedonia for 25 years. Help them continue their mission for the next 25 years by contributing to their GoFundMe campaign. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#episode58 The Stefče Stojkovski Ensemble has been preserving and performing traditional folk music of Macedonia for 25 years. Help them continue their mission for the next 25 years by contributing to their GoFundMe campaign. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#ssgfm2024 Dragi and I are back with a new podcast for you in our series of expanded discussions for each of the 54 songs in his 3-CD set: Episode 57: Sva noḱ e Stanka sedela. This episode marks the conclusion of the podcasts of the 54 songs in Dragi's 3-CD set. We will be continuing the show after this episode with more wonderful songs, but are delighted to have reached this milestone after 16 years. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#episode57 Join Osem i Devet — Michael Lawson on accordion and David Bilides on tapan — with special guests, Joe Finn on violin, and Dina Trageser and Tedy Dimitrova on vocals for an evening of music to get your feet moving! https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#pt20240420 Dragi and I are back with a new podcast for you in our series of expanded discussions for each of the 54 songs in his 3-CD set: Episode 56: Tri godini, Kate, bolen ležam. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#episode56 Come join us for another evening of music, song, and dance. Enjoy snacks to share and drinks, sponsored by the Seattle Balkan Dancers. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#dragi894524 This 129-page book, available in an English translation as a pdf download, is the first of its kind. It traces the life and creative path of Vesselin Hasabaliev, a Bulgarian kaval player, teacher, composer, and master craftsman of the kaval and other traditional wind folk instruments. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#hasabaliev Banski Starcheta, the renowned vocal group form Bansko, Pirin, Bulgaria made their first-ever US stop in Seattle in December. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#banski-starcheta This 96-page bilingual pdf contains 36 authentic kaval tunes, newly notated and formatted, with ornaments, and is accompanied by an archive of audio files corresponding to each tune, performed by Professor Dosev. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#kaval-tunes Dragi and I are back with a new podcast for you in our series of expanded discussions for each of the 54 songs in his 3-CD set: Episode 55: Stani, bre sine Stojane. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#episode55 Osem i Devet will play with guest vocalists Tedy Dimitrova and Dina Trageser for the Seattle Balkan Dancers on Friday, May 19. There will also be a special performance of dance tunes by the Bulgarian Voices of Seattle. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#89-05-19 Dragi and I are back with a new podcast for you in our series of expanded discussions for each of the 54 songs in his 3-CD set: Episode 54: Urva Fanka. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#episode54 I'm beginning to sell off my instruments, in the hope that they will continue to be played. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#turkishinsts Three is the charm! Come join us (finally) for an evening of music, song, and dance. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#2023-03-24 This event, previously set for 2/4, is being rescheduled. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#2023-tbd Dragi and I are back with a new podcast for you in our series of expanded discussions for each of the 54 songs in his 3-CD set: Episode 53: Snošti te prativ na voda, Ḱerko. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#episode53 Come to an international folk dance winter party in Vancouver BC https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#oid-2023-02-04 Dragi and I are back with a new podcast for you in our series of expanded discussions for each of the 54 songs in his 3-CD set: Episode 52: Mome ore zeleni livadi. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#episode52 Come to an international folk dance winter party in Vancouver BC https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#oid-2022-12-03 The Ethnic Heritage Council of Seattle has given Dragi an award "for excellence in ethnic performance and leadership in the community in the traditional cultural arts." https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#ehc-award Dragi and I are back with a new podcast for you in our series of expanded discussions for each of the 54 songs in his 3-CD set: Episode 51: Ori mome, lastar mome. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#episode51 Macedonian Folk Songs from the Repertoire of Dragi Spasovski Volume 1 is now available as a pdf download and his CD set is over 60% off. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#mfs3-pdf It has the same content as the book and the audio files are embedded. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#gold-book-epub We've launched a second YouTube channel, featuring Michael Lawson and David Bilides as "Osem i Devet." https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#osemidevetyoutube With the pandemic leading to all shows cancelled for the foreseeable future, we pivoted and started a video channel on YouTube. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#tvojteoci A rare double-billing! https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#stoneway-2020-02 Spend a long weekend immersed in Balkan music and dance, with friends from the Pacific Northwest and beyond. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#balkanalia-2018 Start your summer with some beautiful Macedonian songs and dances with singers Dragi Spasovski and Dina Trageser. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#oid-2018-06-23 Join Osem i Devet Michael Lawson on accordion and David Bilides on tapan with special guest Dina Trageser on vocals at an international folk dance winter party in Vancouver, BC. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#oid-2017-12-16 The 3 of us are planning a night of great dance tunes with lots of gorgeous vocals. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#oid-2017-03-20 26 bands on 3 three stages! https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#bnnw-2017 On Saturday, December, 2016 join the Vancouver B.C. International Folk Dancers at their annual Christmas party, with live music by Osem i Devet. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#vifd-2016 On Saturday, November 26, 2016 Stefče Stojkovski, Dragi Spasovski and friends will perform an af-terdinner show at the Balkanika restaurant in Vancouver B.C. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#stefce-dragi-vancouver-2016 On Saturday, November 19, 2016 tefče Stojkovski will perform at a special event in Vancouver, BC. The show, "Balkan Roots,"" features 4 of the best Balkan bands in Vancouver, accompanied by Stefče. He will be joined by David Bilides from Seattle. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#stefce-vancouver-2016 On Saturday, May 21, 2016 Dragi Spasovski, will perform at a Macedonian party in Vancouver, BC. https://izvormusic.com/news.html#dragivancouver-2016 This summer, Stefče Stojkovski, Macedonia's premier multi-instrumentalist on traditional instruments, will host a Macedonian music and dance seminar from July 20-30, 2016 at Lake Ohrid in Macedonia. https://izvormusic.com/news.html#stefceseminar-2016 This May, Goran Alachki, Macedonia's premier accordion player, will lead a Macedonian music and dance tour to Skopje, Lazaropole, Struga, Ohrid, Berovo, and other locations from May 1-11 in Macedonia. https://izvormusic.com/news.html#gorantour-2016 Cafe Paloma is proud to present an evening of songs and instrumentals in the style of Trakiyskata Troyka. https://izvormusic.com/news.html#homage-paloma This live DVD was recorded on November 22,2014 at the Ethnic Cultural Theatre in Seattle, WA. It's a celebration of 45 years of performance and Macedonian folk music artistry by Dragi Spasovski. https://izvormusic.com/news.html#jubilee-2014-dvd Radio Skopje recording artist Dragi Spasovski celebrates 45 years of performing Macedonian folk songs in a special concert, accompanied by traditional and modern Macedonian folk instrument ensembles. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#jubilee-2014 Spend a long Labor Day weekend (Friday evening through Monday morning) immersed in Balkan music and dance, with Dragi Spasovski and other musicians from the west and east. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#balkanalia-2014 This summer, Goran Alachki and Stefče Stojkovski will each host Macedonian music and dance seminars, in Berovo and Ohrid Macedonia. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#macseminars-2014 On Thursday, January 30, Dragi Spasovski and I will perform for the NW Film Forum's Children's Film Festival. The program will celebrate the past and future of filmmaking in Macedonia, with us providing live accompaniment to the US premiere of newly restored silent film footage by the Manaki Brothers, shot at the dawn of cinema. The evening will also feature a collection of vibrant new short films supported by the Macedonian Film Fund. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#filmforum-2014-01 Recorded in Macedonia and featuring Bajsa Arifovska with three musicians (Hustref Said, Raim Baki, and Naser Mustafa), Macedonian Čalgija features 9 tracks of the urban Macedonian folk music known as čalgija. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#mc-release Stefče Stojkovski will be holding a music and dance seminar from July 5 to July 15 in Struga. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#Stefce-camp-2013 Dragi Spasovski is featured in Seattle's The Stranger in an interview by Sean Jewell. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#Dragi-BNNW-2013 Dragi Spasovski will head a group of several American musicians in a 45-minute set of Macedonian songs and dances at this year's Balkan Night Northwest festival in Seattle at the Russian Community Center on Saurday, March 16 at 7:15pm. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#Dragi-BNNW-2013 I regularly receive inquiries asking where someone can find a two-course Macedonian tambura. I have referred people to the Gievski shop in Skopje, and to Stefče Stojkovski, and Bajsa Arifovska, both of whom can locate instruments for purchase. I am happy to let you know of another direct source, the luthier Risto Ivanovski, also based in Skopje. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#Risto-Ivanovski Jody Rush, Ramona Wijayratne, Mary Sherhart, and Heidi Bodding will present "Balkan Luminosity", a dinner show of Macedonian and Bulgarian folk songs, at Café Paloma on Saturday, May 5, 2012 at 7:30pm. They will be accompanied by David Bilides on kavals, tambura, and piano. https://www.izvormusic.com/news.html#Paloma-05-2012