A school orchestra created to bring Macedonian folk music into the halls of a Skopje high school has grown into an award-winning ensemble that has performed on an international stage in New York. At the center of the story is Marko Baloski, a fourth-year student who serves as the orchestra’s chief conductor and principal arranger.
The Youth Orchestra of Orce Nikolov High School was established in 2024 as a school club. Its original goal was simple: to give Macedonian traditional music a place in everyday school life.
Since then, the students have turned the project into a competitive ensemble, winning first place at an international competition and taking Macedonian music thousands of kilometers from home.
Speaking to Macedonian daily newspaper Sloboden Pechat, Baloski said the orchestra’s development required far more than performing on stage.
“An orchestra formed in 2024 as a school club, whose goal was to have Macedonian folk music heard in the halls of Orce, grew into a team that does not give up, proves itself and wins,” he said.
Behind those results were hours of writing scores, organizing rehearsals and persuading students to show up even at 9 a.m. on Saturdays.
Macedonian Folk Music Reaches a New York Stage
The orchestra’s appearance in New York gave its young musicians an opportunity to introduce an international audience to traditional Macedonian music, including its distinctive 7/8 rhythm.
Baloski told Sloboden Pechat that performing Macedonian music so far from home was an experience he would remember for the rest of his life.
“There is no better feeling than representing your own country and showing the world that Macedonia has young people it can be proud of,” he said.
For Baloski, the orchestra’s progress rests on two elements: a genuine love of music and discipline.
His own musical journey began in the sixth grade, when a friend encouraged him to join a mandolin orchestra at Pestalozzi elementary school. He later continued playing with the Skopje mandolin orchestra led by Erhan and Ramadan Shukri.
His interest eventually expanded from playing the mandolin to conducting and arranging music.
Today, Baloski creates orchestral arrangements of Macedonian folk songs. He said finding a contemporary sound without losing the fundamental character of traditional music can require months of thought before he begins writing an arrangement.
Balancing Friendship, Leadership and Future Plans
Conducting an orchestra made up largely of classmates brings another challenge.
Baloski said maintaining the boundary between friendship and responsibility is one of the most difficult aspects of his role.
“When we joke, we joke, but when we work, we have to work,” he told Sloboden Pechat. “The line between professionalism and friendship is very thin, but it has to exist.”
Baloski also credited professors Suzana Tnokova Kuzmanovska and Mile Naumovski for supporting the orchestra, as well as pianist Teodor Proshev and his mother Tatjana for initiating the application to the New York competition.
Despite his achievements in music, Baloski does not currently plan to make it his primary profession.
As he completes his final year at Orce Nikolov High School, he plans to pursue medicine, an ambition he says he has had since childhood. Music, however, will remain part of his life.
“The fact that music will not be my future profession absolutely does not mean that I will stop being involved with it and nurturing my hobby,” he said, describing medicine and music as a natural combination.
From rehearsals in a Skopje school to an international stage in New York, the orchestra’s journey has also become a showcase for a younger generation engaging with Macedonia’s musical heritage.
Baloski’s message to his peers is straightforward: pursue what they care about, overcome the fear of starting and take the first step toward their goals.
