From Heritage, Film Music to Passion

In July 2025, FAME’S Institute presented a unique three-part orchestral program designed for European classical musicians interested in expanding their artistic skills and exploring new musical styles.

Held at FAME’S Studio in Skopje, North Macedonia, the program brings together internationally recognised mentors and performers, offering participants an intensive and diverse musical experience. Through rehearsals, workshops, studio sessions, and public concerts, students will work closely with leading professionals while developing both technical excellence and artistic expression.

The program is divided into three consecutive orchestral courses:

Classical Music Orchestral Course (June 30 – July 07, 2025)

Orchestral Strings: From Baroque to Romanticism

Led by renowned violinist, soloist, and pedagogue Emilio Percan, this course was dedicated to String Chamber Orchestra performance, focusing on repertoire from the Baroque to the Romantic period.

Participants worked closely with Maestro Percan on a carefully selected program that includes a variety of musical styles and rarely performed works.

The program concluded with a public concert performed by the FAME’S Institute students together with Emilio Percan on July 6, 2025, at Suli An, Skopje.

Film Music Recording Orchestral Course (July 08 – July 13, 2025)

The Film Music Recording Orchestral Course, led by Alastair King, offered students an experience in collaborating with media composers and performing original film music in a professional recording studio environment.

During the course, 30 European classical musicians worked alongside five emerging composers, rehearsing and recording newly written works. In addition to recording new compositions, students performed selected film music excerpts specially arranged for the ensemble.

This course provided valuable insight into the demands of studio performance, orchestral recording, and collaboration within the film music industry.

Hybrid Music Orchestral Course (July 14 – July 21, 2025)

Libertango – A Tribute to Astor Piazzolla

Led by violinist and mentor Rusanda Panfili, this course introduced students to the music of Astor Piazzolla, with a focus on his distinctive Tango Nuevo style.

Through workshops and rehearsals, participants explored rhythm, technique, and expressive performance while working on Piazzolla’s most significant works for string chamber orchestra and solo violin, including Libertango, Oblivion, Escualo, Soledad, and Vuelvo al Sur.
A central work of the program is Estaciones Porteñas, arranged by Leonid Desyatnikov, combining elements of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with Piazzolla’s tango language.

The course concluded with a concert performance by FAME’S Institute students and Rusanda Panfili at the Ohrid Summer Festival on July 20, 2025.