A legendary brass band Serbian orchestra meets a Polish singer
The Stefan Mladenovic Orchestra is a Serbian brass band with a long history. It was founded in the 1920s by Fejza Bakić. After ten years, his son, Bakija Bakic, became the new leader. In 2018, the ensemble was taken over by Stefan Mladenović, a third generation musician in the family orchestra. In 2019 the band made its debut in Poland at the Pannonica Folk Festival in Barcice, featuring representatives of various cultures of the so called New Europe (mainly Hungarian, Balkan, Gypsy and Carpathian). The event has gain a reputation amongst the world music and ethno folk festivals organised in Poland.
The Stefan Mladenović Orchestra & Heyli concert showcased the ensemble in a new configuration. Their joint performance was considered the best received by the audience so far. Actively involved in music since 2007, Helena Michalak has participated in the Polish editions of Must Be The Music, Mam Talent and X Factor, as well as in the British The Voice UK – Cardiff, where she qualified for the third stage (in the UK it is considered a very great achievement for a non-British national). She won the title Personality of the Year 2018 organised by Gazeta Krakowska (2nd place in the Culture category). She easily cooperates with artists across musical genres and partnering with Serbian musicians is a very good example of both, her ability to perform in the spirit of Balkan folklore, which has gain a lot of popularity in Poland and her strive to bridge nations and traditions through music. The ten-member orchestra together with Polish singer Heyla are currently preparing a joint album.
Balkan music needs no introduction, you just feel it 🎺🎺
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