Stefanija Leshkova-Zelenkovska

Piano Accompaniment in Macedonia Between 1970-2000:

a Sketch for a Portrait of Five Piano Accompanists

This paper focuses on piano accompaniment, a segment of pianism which is rarely a subject of theoretical interest. Piano accompaniment is an activity which requires special understanding of chamber music along the basic pianist imperatives (natural talent, technical skills). Nevertheless, music critics and reviews rarely comment piano accompanists. Therefore, we decided to dedicate this paper to piano accompaniment in Macedonia, as without it many music events and concerts would not have earned their position in Macedonian music culture.

Within the past five decades music accompaniment has been developing along with the soloist and pedagogical activities. Several leading Macedonian pianists performing also as chamber musicians in Macedonia are chiefly responsible for the development of this art. The following pianists pose high criteria in the performance of piano accompaniment: Ladislav Palfi, Lili Kopachkova, Jurij Trostjanski, Branko Cvetkovikj, Jasminka Chakar, Milica Shperovikj-Ribarski, Stela Slejanska, Snezhana Anastasova-Chadikovska, Todor Svetiev, Jovan Karovski, Dimitrije Buzharovski, Evushka Trpkova-Elezovikj, Viktorija Kolarovska-Gmirja; from the newer generations: Maja Kastratovikj, Danica Stojanova, Maja Shutevska, Marija Vrshkova, Elena Atansovska, etc.

The further perfection of this activity is supported by the new post-graduate program in piano accompaniment which started last year at the Faculty of Music in Skopje.

The purpose of this paper is to present the pianists who spent most of their creative lifetime working as professional accompanists.

Our analysis of the participation of the piano accompanists in separate music events revealed that the most famous professionals in this field work at the Faculty of Music in Skopje.

The position of piano accompanist at the Vocal-Instrumental Department and the Department for Conducting has existed for 30 years at the Faculty of Music in Skopje. Several pianists have taken this position: Marija Dokuzova, Liljana Ivanova, Vesna Petrushevska-Jakimovska, Ljupka Hadzhi Georgieva, Jagoda Trenevska, Marija Muratovska, Tatjana Ognjanoska and Rita Trpcheva-Popovikj. In the last several years the pianists from the newer generation Marija Vrshkova and Elena Atanasovska have also been employed as piano accompanists.

Two of these piano accompanists, Ljupka Hadzhi Georgieva and Jagoda Trenevska, have been living and working abroad for many years now. Marija Muratovska is a professional solo singer and professor at the department of solo singing at FMU. Therefore, this paper presents only some of the artists who played a crucial role in the development of piano accompaniment in our country: Marija Dokuzova, Liljana Ivanova, Vesna Petrushevska-Jakimovska, Tatjana Ognjanoska and Rita Trpcheva-Popovikj. The list of pianists working as accompanists is much longer, including names of many artists who have also worked as solo performers and have been the subject of other papers. (Islam:2003; Zhabeva:2004).

This paper focuses on the artists who worked as piano accompanists during the period from the early 1970s to the late 1990s. Both active in fields of chamber music and teaching, throughout different periods within the last three decades, they have given Macedonian piano accompaniment art a personal touch.

Their activities feature several mutual characteristics, namely, they all:

- work as piano accompanists at FMU

- graduated at Music Academies abroad (except Rita Trpcheva)

- cooperate with several instrumental and vocal departments

- actively take part in the process of musically educating young musicians

- performed with the most renowned Macedonian performing artists

- recorded the first live performances at the MRTV (Macedonian Radio and Television)

- took part in Macedonian music festivals

- performed at concerts in former Yugoslavia

- possess a rich repertoire ranging from music by Baroque to contemporary Macedonian and foreign composers.

Marija Dokuzova (1937)

The pianist Marija Dokuzova is the first piano accompanist at FMU. She was born in Celje, Slovenia. She completed her music high school education and graduated from the piano department at the University in Ljubljana in 1964 under the instruction of professor Anton Ravnik. Several years later, she also graduated at the organ department under the instruction of professor Pavel Rancigaj.

Upon graduation, Marija Dokuzova was employed at the 10-year music school in Ljubljana, working mostly as a teacher.

After her return to Skopje, in 1970 she got a position at the Faculty of Music (then known as the Higher Music School). Until her retirement in 1999, she worked as an accompanist in several departments: solo singing, brass, woodwinds, violin, cello, double bass and percussion.

In the period between 1974 and 1985, Dokuzova also accompanied the students from the music high schools in Bitola and Shtip.

During her music career, Marija Dokuzova performed with many Macedonian renowned performing artists such as Blagoja Angelovski – trumpet, Mihajlo Dokuzov – French horn, Ljupcho Koskarov – trumpet, Simeon Gugulovski – tenor. Nevertheless, the music public knows her mostly through the performances with her husband, the French horn player Mihajlo Dokuzov, as well as through the cooperation with the wind department students.

Dokuzova’s accompanist repertoire comprises the following works: the violin and piano sonatas by Mozart, Brahms and Hindemith; the violin concertos by Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Sibelius; the sonatas for trumpet by Hindemith,Hubay; the sonatas for trombone by Schumann; the opera works by Verdi, Puccini, Masagni.

Music criticism regards her as “…a steady and assured piano accompanist of the soloist [Dokuzov] with abilities designating the highest pianist achievements of the sort.” (Nova Makedonija: 1984).

Liljana Ivanova (1941)

If Marija Dokuzova is known for her cooperation with the wind instrumentalists, Liljana Ivanova is noted for her piano accompanist work with the vocal artists.

In the last several decades Liljana Ivanova’s name has become synonymous with successful chamber music performances, with a particular sense of cooperation aa piano accompaniment.

Because of her qualities and professional approach, critics regard Liljana Ivanova as “a pianist who is at the top of our piano accompaniment, who constantly restates not only her pianist qualities, but also her fantastic sense of cooperation and creative reinforcement of a given piece of music (V.Chuchkov: Vecher:1977).

She graduated in 1966, at the Belgrade Music Academy under the guidance of professor Arsen Triva. Two years later she also graduated at the Paris European Conservatory, under the instruction of professor Perlemuter-Rosh (Zhabeva:2004).

Immediately after graduation she began working as an associate and editor in Radio Skopje. In 1980 she started working as a piano accompanist at the MNT (Macedonian National Theater) Opera, and in 1995 at the vocal-instrumental department at MBUC (Skopje Music High School). She worked at the Higher Music School (today FMU) during two periods: 1969-1971 as a part-time accompanist in the vocal section, and from 1995 as a full-time piano accompanist.

During the years of work as a piano accompanist, Liljana Ivanova cooperated with a large number of well-known Macedonian instrumentalists and vocal soloists. She has performed with: Georgi Bozhikov – bass, Anastasija Dimitrova – soprano, Nikola Gagov – tenor, Blagoja Nikolovski – tenor, Milka Eftimova – alto, Marija Muratovska – soprano, Vesna Ginovska-Ilkova – soprano, Blagoja Dimchevski – violin, Mihajlo Kufojanakis – violin, Velko Todeski – double bass, Kiro Bozhinovski – flute, Boris Tanaskov – clarinet, etc. “The pianist Ivanova manages to plunge deep and discover the motivation of the musician she is accompanying. Each of her piano accompaniments are a guarantee for a successful chamber performance”. (J.Kodzhobashija: Nova Makedonija, 1981).

Liljana Ivanova has an incredibly rich repertoire of works ranging from baroque to contemporary Macedonian and foreign music. She possesses the extraordinary ability of sight reading.

Vesna Petrushevska-Jakimovska (1947)

Vesna Petrushevska-Jakimovska is known to the music audiences for her lasting cooperation with the string performance artists. “With a high level of music culture in her interpretation, Petrushevska greatly contributes to the complete formation of music segments in our concert halls”. (B.Ortakov: Nova Makedonija, 1988).

She began her music education in the city where she was born, Skopje, graduating from the piano department at 10-year music school, under the instruction of professor Branko Cvetkovic. She graduated in 1971 at the Belgrade Music Academy, guided by professor Darinka Mihailovic. From 1973 to this day Vesna Petrushevska has been working as a piano accompanist (in 1985 she was promoted senior piano accompanist) at the Faculty of Music in Skopje.

Within the last years she is generally involved in working with the students (of the string department) at FMU.

During her years of accompaniment work, she has performed with the most renowned Macedonian string performers, such as Zoran Dimitrov, Ratka Dimitrova, Mihajlo Kufojanakis, Rumen Dimitriev, Ljubomir Gospodinov, Dushka Tasevska, and from the younger soloists Ljubisha Kirovski and Oleg Kondratenko.

Through her many performances and concerts, the music critics consider as “an acknowledged and reliable piano accompanist with extraordinary qualities of performance”. (V.Chuchkov: Vecher, 1984).

Her rich repertoire consist of: sonatas for violin and piano by Bach, Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Schumann, Grieg, Debussy, Prokofiev; sonatas for viola and piano by Mendelssohn, Brahms, Glinka; sonatas for cello and piano by Beethoven, Brahms, Grieg, Shostakovich; concert plays by Saint-Saens; works by contemporary Macedonian and world authors, etc.

Tatjana Ognjanovska (1958)

Tatjana Ognjanovska is a pianist who has been part of the Macedonian chamber (pianist) concert life for more than 20 years. She has also spent some time working in Split, Croatia.

Ognjanovska graduated at the piano department in the State Conservatory “N.Rimski-Korsakov” under the instruction by professor O.J.Molov, in her city of birth St. Petersburg.

In 1980 Tanja began working as piano accompanist at the Opera houses in Skopje and Split. From 1988 until 1990 she transferred to MBUC, and in 1990 was named senior piano accompanist at FMU.

Throughout her career as piano accompanist, Tatjana Ognjanovska has worked with many famous musicians from Macedonia, including Georgi Bozhikov – bass, Anastazija Dimitrova – soprano, Iskra Bozhinovska – soprano, Mihajlo Kufojanakis – violin, Biljana Jovanovska-Jakimovska – soprano, Gordana Josifova-Nedelkovska – oboe, Ana Stamenkovska – soprano, Boris Trajanov – baritone.

The music critics usually regard Tatjana Ognjanovska as a piano accompanist who always gives “… an extremely successful contribution with her steady, inventive, but unobtrusive accompaniment” (Kolovski:2001).

Tanja Ognjanovska has had concert performances with several Macedonian and foreign chamber ensembles and orchestras, as well as with several foreign performing artists such as A. Shilo – double bass, the Yokel duo – soprano and bass, Marius Patira- violin.

Apart from the concert performances in Macedonia, Tanja Ognjanovska has also performed in the former Yugoslav republics, and also in Bulgaria, Russia, Turkey, Albania and Austria.

Her repertoire is rich and diverse, mainly composed of vocal and opera works by composers such as Mozart, Handel. Bellini, Verdi, Strauss, Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky and Rachmaninov.

Rita Trpcheva-Popovikj (1955)

Rita Trpcheva-Popovikj is the only piano accompanist of this group who also performs as a solo artist. She is also active as a chamber music performer and a teacher.

Her solo performances have been reviewed as “… unveiling an extraordinary pianist talent, with exceptional performance skills, pianist narration and vigorous temper” (Nova Makedonija, 1986)

Nevertheless, the public knows Rita Trpcheva mostly through the chamber duo with one of our most renowned performers Stojan Dimov – clarinet and saxophone. “This is the most unique and irresistible chamber duo in Macedonia, which throughout its 10-year mutual work has proved the meaning of being a true music artist.” (Vest:2001). The Trpcheva-Dimov performances have always been followed with great attention and are regarded as top music experiences in the concert seasons of many towns in the Republic and abroad (Utrinski:2001).

Trpcheva began her music education in Prilep, later continuing to study music high school in Skopje, instructed by Milica Shperovikj. She also studied piano with this professor at the Faculty of Music, graduating in 1981. In 1993 she completed the post-graduate studies under the guidance of professors J.Mihajlovikj and B.Romanov.

After the years of teaching at MBUC, in 1997 Trpcheva was employed as piano accompanist at FMU in Skopje. In 2004 she was named assistant professor of piano at this Faculty.

Rita Trpcheva’s work as a piano accompanist has seen cooperation with many instrumentalists such as violinists, violists, flutists, and also vocal soloists, conductors, etc. Nevertheless, she chiefly performs with clarinet and saxophone players. Her repertoire includes works from different music periods, with a special emphasis on the saxophone sonatas and concerts by Schuloff, Creston, Jacobi, Glazunov,etc.