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SHANDAKEN, NY — “Balkan” means “chain of wooded mountains” in modern Turkish and has been the Turkish word for the Balkan Peninsula since Ottoman times. Some of the countries of Eastern Europe that are situated in or near the Balkans are Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Turkey.

On Saturday, September 19, the Phoenicia Library will celebrate the music and dance of the Balkan peninsula with a FREE festival of musical and choral groups playing and singing odd meters and unusual scales and harmonies in a gorgeous setting at Glenbrook Park in Shandaken.

Festival Schedule

  • 2:30 pm – Doors
  • 3:00 pm – Dedication of Renovation of Glenbrook Park
  • 3:30 pm – Driftwood Chorus
  • 3:45 pm – Dance Instruction by Noel Kropf with Live Music by Mac & Cheez Balkan PowerTrio
  • 4:30 pm – Niva – Traditional Macedonian Dance Music
  • 5:50 pm – Romski Boji – Modern Roma Music
  • 6:30 pm – Bourbon and Breastmilk Community Choir

Everyone is welcome to join this free event.

Balkan Mountains Music Festival

Location

Sponsored by

  • Ulster Savings Bank
  • The Phoenicia Library
  • Upstate Curious

About the Artists

  • Noel Kropf is a producer, organizer, and sound coordinator for the Zlatne Uste Golden Festival, having helped lead and shape the festival since 1996. His dance workshops are known for being welcoming and accessible to all, combining clear instruction with contagious enthusiasm. Noel emphasizes the communal, inclusive nature of folk dance, helping beginners and experienced dancers alike participate with confidence.
  • MacNCheez Balkan Power Trio is an acoustic ensemble dedicated to performing traditional and contemporary folk music from the southern Balkans, infusing their performances with influences from Roma and Ottoman cultures.
  • Niva is a Brooklyn-based, all-women ensemble dedicated to performing and preserving traditional Macedonian roots music. The group specializes in an authentic presentation of North Macedonian folk repertoire, featuring rich vocal harmonies and the signature sounds of local instruments. Their instrumentation foregrounds the kaval (shepherd’s flute), tambura (long-necked lute), tapan (bass drum), and powerful group singing.
  • Romski Boji is a New York City–based Romani ensemble led by percussionist Seido Salifoski. Its name translates as “Romani Colors,” and the group draws on the communal, high-energy spirit of Balkan Roma wedding music—rhythm-forward, celebratory, and made for dancing.
  • Bourbon & Breast Milk, a community choir in the Mid Hudson Valley, brings village songs from the Balkans, the Caucasus, and Ukraine to life, sharing their cultural richness with local friends and neighbors.

More Information

Come out for a great afternoon in a little nook in the Catskill Mountains—bring your friends, family, and curiosity. All are welcome to join the dance and celebration!