Passionate Embrace – The Magic of Tango
Wednesday, June 4th from 7 pm: This project celebrates tango’s expressive power, presenting it as more than just a genre or tradition—it is a living, breathing form of communication. The program is designed as an emotionally immersive experience that brings performers and audience into a shared world of longing, tension, dialogue, and desire. It highlights tango’s unique ability to transcend boundaries, inviting listeners into a space where music becomes a language of its own.
“Passionate Embrace” is a concert program that explores the rich emotional and cultural landscape of Tango, one of the most passionate and recognizable dance and music genres in the world. Originating in the late 19th century along the banks of the Río de la Plata in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Montevideo, Uruguay, tango was born out of a fusion of African rhythms, European melodies, and local South American influences.
Throughout its evolution, tango has developed a wide variety of styles—both in dance and music—marked by intense emotional expression, dramatic movement, and intimate connection. As a musical genre, it has a distinctive rhythm and lyrical character, often performed with improvisational freedom and deep sensitivity. Tango speaks the universal language of emotion and human connection, and in 2009, it was recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
This project celebrates tango’s expressive power, presenting it as more than just a genre or tradition—it is a living, breathing form of communication. The program is designed as an emotionally immersive experience that brings performers and audience into a shared world of longing, tension, dialogue, and desire. It highlights tango’s unique ability to transcend boundaries, inviting listeners into a space where music becomes a language of its own.
Improvisation plays a vital role in this performance. The interaction between musicians mirrors the sensual tension of the tango dance, where structured form gives way to expressive spontaneity. Shifts in rhythm, dynamics, and melodic phrasing are used to evoke storytelling on a deeper level, resulting in a performance that is both intellectually engaging and emotionally resonant.
The carefully curated repertoire includes iconic compositions such as:
Tanti Anni Prima – Astor Piazzolla
Adios Nonino – Astor Piazzolla
Underground Tango – Goran Bregović
Oblivion – Astor Piazzolla
La Paloma – Sebastián Iradier
S.V.P. – Astor Piazzolla
Vuelvo al Sur – Astor Piazzolla
Tango (Por una Cabeza) – Carlos Gardel
Libertango – Astor Piazzolla
Cha – Traditional Macedonian Song, arr Davor Jordanovski
These works span different eras, styles, and moods, offering a panoramic view of tango’s journey through time. Each piece is reimagined through the lens of contemporary performance practice, maintaining the soul of the tradition while adding new layers of interpretation and expression.
At its heart, “Passionate Embrace” is a tribute to tango’s eternal magnetism—its power to unite, seduce, and tell stories without words. It is a celebration of music that is simultaneously nostalgic and modern, structured and free, melancholic and life-affirming. Through this project, the ensemble seeks to bring the audience closer to the emotional depth and artistic brilliance of tango.
Sandra Krstevska was born on June 12, 1992, in Skopje, Macedonia. After completing her secondary music education, she continued her studies at the Faculty of Music Arts in the class of Professor Ljubiša Kirovski, participating in numerous concerts during her studies. She has been an active member of the Orchestra of the Music Youth of Macedonia, performing in various ensembles in Macedonia and neighboring countries. After completing her studies in 2015, she started working as a violin teacher, and her students have won several awards and participated in concerts. She has attended several seminars in the field of music pedagogy, with professors Mila Lacković, Natalija Jović (Aleksandar Technik), and in violin pedagogy with professors Stefan Milenković, Tomislav Dimov, and Sihana Badivuku.
In 2016, she became part of the “Schubert” quartet for the ballet “The Red Room.” She has been an external collaborator with the orchestra of the National Opera and Ballet since 2016, participating in many performances and concerts in chamber ensembles. She is a member of the chamber orchestra “ARKO.”
Since 2017, she has been a member of the “Passionis” quartet, with which she performed several concerts both in Macedonia and abroad. Currently, she is employed as a violin teacher at the Music School “Ilija Nikolovski-Luj” in Skopje.
Jelena Tufekchievska was born in 1979 in Skopje. After completing her secondary music education, she continued her studies at the Faculty of Music Arts, where she graduated in the violin department under the mentorship of Prof. Oleg Kondratenko. Since 2003, she has been a member of the orchestra at the Macedonian Opera and Ballet. In 2007, she began her teaching career at the Ilija Nikolovski-Luj State Music and Ballet School, where she has been employed as a full-time violin teacher for both primary and secondary levels since 2009. She has attended several seminars in the field of music pedagogy with Prof. Mila Lackovic and Prof. Natalija Jovic (Alexander Technique), as well as in violin pedagogy with Prof. Blagoja Dimchevski, Prof. Vladimir Koch, Prof. Jova Jordanova, Prof. Oleg Kondratenko, and Prof. Vladimir Markovik. As a teacher, she participates with her students in various national and international competitions, achieving significant results, including laureates at the international competition “Orpheus” in Bulgaria and the international competition “Amadeus” in Belgrade. At some of these competitions, she has received recognitions for achieving high pedagogical results. As a member of several chamber ensembles, she has performed both domestically and internationally.
Ljupka Kaevikj (1991, Skopje) ia a cellist in the Philharmonic of Republic of North Macedonia.
After the primary and secondary education at DMBUC “Ilija Nikolovski-Luj” in Skopje she has studied at the Faculty of music “Gotse Delchev” in Shtip with prof. Paskal Krapovski. As a cellist during her education, Kaevikj has won many awards at national and international competitions. In 2008 she performed in Germany with the high school chamber orchestra of “Ilija Nikolovski – Luj” conducted by prof. Le Fifi. Next year had a tour with “KFX Orchestra” in Kotor, Montenegro. As a soloist she had concerts in 2010 and 2013 with the Macedonian Philharmonic youth podium.
Kaevikj is a member of different chamber music ensembles. One of them is the Piano trio “Stringendo” which was founded together with Olgica Shundikj, violin and Andrej Naunov, piano with whom have had many concerts with great accomplishments. Also she is very active on the international musical stage with the String trio “4Strings”. With the “Passionis” Quartet and prof. Borce Naumoski in 2018 had a concert in New York, where they achieved a great success. Occasionaly she joins the orchestra of the “National Opera and Ballet” for concerts and projects.
Throughout the years, Kaevikj has attended many masterclasses with the top world cellists: Astrit Selita, Johannes Moser, Michal Kanka, Vida Vujic, Gal Faganel…
From 2015-2017 she taught cello at DMBUC “Ilia Nikolovski – Luj” in Skopje. As a professor, she has achieved great success, the numerous student awards testify of that (over 20 first national and international prizes).
Since 2019, Ljupka is a member of the Philharmonic of RNM where she shares the stage with some of the greatest soloist and conductors of the today’s international classical music stage. Also, she performs as a soloist and has many concerts in the Republic of North Macedonia and abroad.
Olgica Shundikj: Primary and high school graduated in DMBUC ,,Ilija Nikolovski- Luj’ class of Prof. Jasna Trajkova, college studies for musical arts graduate ,,St.Ciryl and Metodeus,,-Skopje class of Prof. Vladimir Kostov. As a violinist during education has won numerous diplomas of state and international competitions and preformed on a number of concerts with famous names in music industry од from Macedonia and the Balkans. In 2008 preformed in Germany with chamber orchestra „Ilija Nikolovski – Luj“ led by Prof. Le Fifi. In year 2009 preformed with „KFX Orchestra“ in Kоtor in the same year performs in Macedonian Philharmonic (Youth stage), and numerous performances in Mcedonia and outside of it. A member of the string quartet ,,Strings,, witch has numerous performances in and out of Macedonia . Performed with numerous chamber orchestras part of them are: Skopje solists, Musical youth of Macedonia and many others. Attending seminary courses of world renowned violinists: Tomislav Dimov, Stefan Milenkovikj etc..
Since year 2018 works as a professor of violin at DMBUC„Ilija Nikolovski – Luj“. As a professor takes a great pride in her results, students with numerous prizes on state and international competitions. External associate of Macedonian Philharmonic and Macedonian theater of opera and ballet (orchestrator– violinist).
