Hajde

Playing Macedonian and Bulgarian Folk Music for Dancers

Hajde - Macedonian Hajde - Bulgarian	Hajde (pronounced HIGH-deh) means "Let's go!", and exemplifies how this band likes to play music for dancers. These musicians have come together because of a common love for the Eastern European music they've been studying for over 10 years. Always attempting to play in a folk-like manner, they still like to add special touches to make the music uniquely "their own". Hajde is based in central Ohio, and is available to hire for dance parties and concerts. For bookings, fees, availability, or information, contact Ann Mosconi.
	Nancy Scotford - Plays tupan and dumbek. She has studied with several experienced instructors of tupan, including Jerry Kisslinger and Ivailo Koutchev, and dumbek with Polly Tapia Ferber.
	Ann Mosconi - Plays Macedonian tambura and Bulgarian tambura, gadulka, and gajda. She has taken classes on gadulka with virtuosos Nikolay Kolev and Georgi Petrov, and gajda with master Vassil Bebelekov at the EEFC Music and Dance Camps (see www.eefc.org. for more information.) She is also one of the band's vocalists.
	Loretta M. Yam - Plays Macedonian, Thracian, and Rhodope gajdas and Macedonian tambura. She has received gajda instruction from some of the gajda masters of our times, primarily at the EEFC East Coast Balkan Music and Dance camps. Loretta also contributes occasional vocals for the band.
	Bob Snider - Plays Macedonian kaval and Bulgarian kaval. He has traveled to Bulgaria and studied with such well-known kaval instructors as Lyuben Dossev and Ljupco Milenkovski.
	Leslie Scott - Plays Bulgarian kaval. She has studied with several of the best kaval players of today, both here and in Bulgaria. Leslie also contributes occasional vocals.

	About the instruments
		Dumbek [DOOM-bek] - An hourglass-shaped drum, frequently of metal [first photo] or ceramic [second photo], with a single skin head, played with the hands.
		Gajda [GUY-duh] - A bagpipe with a single chanter having 8 finger holes, and one drone. [First photo - Bulgarian; second photo - Macedonian] Air pressure is sustained by periodically blowing through the blowpipe into the bag, then squeezing steadily with the left arm.
		Gûdulka [guh-DOOL-kuh]- A bowed instrument similar to a rebec with many sympathetic strings in addition to 3 melody strings. It is held upright with the lower end tucked into a shoulder strap, and bowed horizontally.
		Kaval [kah-VAHL or KAH-vahl] - An end-blown flute with 8 finger holes and a 3-octave range. (See Bob's kaval page) [First photo - Bulgarian; second photo - Macedonian]
		Tambura [TOM-boo-rah or tom-boo-RAH] - A mandolin with doubled strings in 4 courses (Bulgarian - first photo) or 2 courses (Macedonian - second photo), strummed to keep rhythm, or used as a melody instrument.
		Tûpan [TUH-pahn] - A large two-headed drum, played on one side with a heavy wooden stick, and on the other side with a thin switch.

For information on bookings, E-Mail Ann Mosconi.