We are happy to be part of this unique opportunity for
Balkan Women musicians and composers.

The New Spark Jazz Orchestra – Balkan Women in Jazz
Women in Jazz is an innovative artistic program which aims to facilitate access to gender equal professional opportunities and to strengthen and increase the number of women musicians and composers on the regional jazz music scene. The partners in the proj- ect are: from Serbia – NGO ARTRUST, from Macedonia- Goce Dolcev University, from Montenegro- Tivat Music School, as well as experts from France and Italy, and they form a strong, sustainable platform for cross-sectorial international networking in the field of music production, education, and promotion by opening new career and job opportunities for independent artists.

Through an open call, 15 Balkan emerging women musicians and composers are invited to participate in the 15 months long program and they are the members of the New Spark Jazz Orchestra. The program includes 2 one-week long music residencies with ensemble and big band workshops, an on-line educational web portal, and the promotion of new jazz learning methods via symposiums led by the Educational Team comprising of highly renowned music experts from the region (Jasna Jovicevic RS, Toni Kitanovski Macedonia, Vasil Hadzimanov RS and Antoine Simoni FR). With the new professional skills acquired, and the rehearsals with original music materials, the Orchestra will have 4 regional concerts in 3 countries, and publish a promotional CD/DVD of music composed by the participants. It will participate in open rehearsals and lectures, jam sessions with local musicians, and interactive discussions, which will promote and support the development of the contemporary Balkan cultural heritage.

After the successful implementation of the program in Tivat - Montenegro, we present a new Artist in Residency program in ŠtipMacedonia, at Goce Delchev University, Jazz Music Department .

After a year of working together, the members of the orchestra are preparing a new repertoire of original music, with the deeper understanding and more mature cooperation, new knowledge and exchange of artistic ideas.

The new program is carried out on a Balkan Tour during November 2016.

The project New Spark Jazz OrchestraBalkan Women in Jazz is funded by Balkan Arts and Culture Fund BAC. BAC is supported by the Swiss Government through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the European Cultural Foundation (ECF).

This publication is supported by the Swiss Government and European Cultural Foundation. The content and ndings of this publication do not necessarily reect the views of the Swiss Government and European Cultural Foundation.
This project is supported by Serbian Ministry of Culture and Information.

This Project is supported by the Balkan Arts & Culture Fund and the Serbian Ministry of Culture.