Zvezdana Novaković & Roya Quartet
Zvezdana Novaković projetct SLOVENA VOICES is more than just listening to music – in this vocally / instrumental blend of pure, authentic sound, where intense encounter of two traditions meets, CLASSICAL and AUTHENTIC.
The power of Slovena Voices, will invite you them back into ancient times when the traditional music of Slavic cultures was born. Sometimes the voice and saxophone becomes traditional instruments, like gadulka or gaida, playing maybe a dance song, until the sound of a harp joins the voice to accompany the traditional music and open another world of sound, adding electronic sound-scapes with loopers and effects.
Modern jazz harmonies improvised in a blend with the sound of tradition, ancient meets modern, music that was learned from mouth to mouth, songs of our ancestors – this is what Slovena Voices project is about: pure open voice blending resonating colour of saxophone, caught in a moment outside time and free from limits and borders.
Artists:
Zvezdana Novaković: author of the project, voice, harp, compositions, looper
Roya Quartet:
Petra Horvat, soprano saxophone
Weronika Partyka, alto saxophone
Betka Bizjak Kotnik, tenor saxophone
Jovana Joka, baritone saxophone
Zvezdana Novaković is a singer and harpist from Northeastern Slovenia. While combining a traditional folk, jazz, classical, electronic music and performing arts she creates unique ways of expression. Her voice and musical artistry are influenced by a tradition of Slavic and Balkan cultures. The open voice throat technique is a blend of her own sound combined with improvisation and the right intensity of a moment. By singing folk songs of Serbian and Slovenian grandmother she wants to remind about tradition of ancestors. Studying Bulgarian folk singing in Plovdiv (BG), she also learned songs from many respected folk singers from Bulgaria, Belarus, Ukraine, Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia.
The award-winning artist (Grand Prix on PPA / PL; 1st Prize Zeman Worldmusic Fest / SRB; 2nd Prize Karnobat / BG) has toured the USA, Brazil, Canada, China and Europe. Intensely working with different National Theatres as a performer/actor, she also writes music for theatre.
Roya Quartet is a unique group of female saxophonists, driven by the boldness of the artistic expression, the desire to redefine the lines and search for a different and individual expression without prejudice.
The members come from different countries (Slovenia, Croatia and Poland) and cultural backgrounds, which inspired them to research their roots, the traditions and the folk music of their regions. Saxophone may not be a typical folk music instrument, but as musicians, they have never avoided cultural heritage. Not only that, with the help of the composers, they are trying to include folk music into the classical saxophone quartet repertoire.
