The aim of the project is to create an online platform that encourages young female composers to disseminate their work beyond their national borders, connect with like-minded young musicians and help establish a grassroots network among the younger generation of music interpreters and composers in the Balkan region.
The idea for the "Women Composing in the Balkans" project was developed in the Cultural Academy of the Goethe Institut in 2017, followed up with the organization of the “Women Composing in the Balkans” festival 2018 in Thessaloniki in 2018, nominated for the Classical:NEXT Innovation Award in 2019. This pilot project targeted young women composers from Greece, Bulgaria and Romania, aiming to include artists from more Balkan countries in future editions. Inspired by the long and shared music traditions of the Balkan region, the project focused on creating and presenting new compositions that include musical instruments occupying a pivotal role in the Balkan music traditions. The goal was to challenge pervading perceptions about music traditions, inviting composers to reflect creatively on how these stylistic elements can be incorporated in the music language of the 21st century.
The idea for the "Women Composing in the Balkans" project was developed in the Cultural Academy of the Goethe Institut in 2017, followed up with the organization of the “Women Composing in the Balkans” festival 2018 in Thessaloniki in 2018, nominated for the Classical:NEXT Innovation Award in 2019. This pilot project targeted young women composers from Greece, Bulgaria and Romania, aiming to include artists from more Balkan countries in future editions. Inspired by the long and shared music traditions of the Balkan region, the project focused on creating and presenting new compositions that include musical instruments occupying a pivotal role in the Balkan music traditions. The goal was to challenge pervading perceptions about music traditions, inviting composers to reflect creatively on how these stylistic elements can be incorporated in the music language of the 21st century.