A New Year’s Musical Idyll

Conductor: Gabriel Bebeselea
Ensamble Makedonissimo

Programme:

• G. Ligeti: Romanian Concerto
• Z. Kodály: Dances of Marosszék
• Z. Kodály: Dances of Galánta
• Concerto Makedonissimo, a medley of Macedonian folk songs for quintet and symphony orchestra (arr. Pande Shahov)
• F. Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody on Macedonian Themes (arr. Vlatko Nushev)

The Vojvodina Symphony Orchestra’s New Year’s Gala Concert, New Year’s Musical Idyll, brings together symphonic sound and the rich melodies and rhythms of folk music. The programme combines works by György Ligeti and Zoltán Kodály with traditional Macedonian music, which the orchestra will perform alongside the ensemble Makedonissimo. This festive evening takes listeners on a journey through varied musical landscapes, united by dance, the power of melody and the creative inspiration that composers and performers draw from folk heritage.
In this programme, the idea of an idyll embraces not only tranquillity and festive warmth, but also the sense of togetherness that music creates between performers and audiences. It encompasses the joy of dance, the exuberance of making music together and moments of lyrical repose. Familiar melodies, varied rhythmic patterns and the expressive power of traditional music take on a new form within the symphony orchestra’s rich palette of sound.

The first half of the evening features György Ligeti’s Romanian Concerto and Zoltán Kodály’s Dances of Marosszék and Dances of Galánta. These works bring folk heritage into dialogue with each composer’s individual musical voice. Alternating between spirited dance and lyrical melody, rhythmic vitality and richly coloured orchestral textures, they introduce listeners to an evening in which tradition becomes a source of artistic imagination.
In the second half, Makedonissimo and the Vojvodina Symphony Orchestra present Concerto Makedonissimo, a medley of Macedonian folk songs arranged by Pande Shahov for quintet and symphony orchestra. The combination of chamber ensemble and orchestra allows the immediacy of individual musical expression to intertwine with the fullness of the collective sound. Pande Shahov’s arrangements approach folk heritage as a living musical language that can be continually reinterpreted, reshaped and passed on. Its distinctive melodies and rhythms remain the foundation, while the symphonic setting opens up new colours, dynamic contrasts and expressive possibilities. The programme concludes with Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody on Macedonian Themes, arranged by Vlatko Nushev, bringing different musical traditions and creative perspectives together once more. New Year’s Musical Idyll invites audiences to mark the end of the year with musical diversity, festive cheer and a shared experience—through melodies that preserve memories while opening up new horizons for listeners.

Tickets, priced from RSD 1,700 to RSD 2,800, are available at the Serbian National Theatre box office on weekdays from 10 am and on Saturdays from 2 pm until the start of the day’s final performance, as well as online via the following link: HERE