David Bilides

Macedonian Tambura & Macedonian Village Ensemble

David Bilides’ initial encounters with Balkan folk music were the weddings and dances of the New Haven, Connecticut, Asia Minor Greek community in which he grew up. After hearing other Balkan music while attending international folk dancing in high school, he took the first of several trips to the Balkans in 1974, visiting Romania, Greece, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Turkey. He learned dances, made field recordings, and collected instruments. On returning to the United States he taught himself the music and instruments, formed groups, organized festivals and other music events, and performed and taught music and dance from the region.

David has been fortunate to study with many wonderful teachers of traditional music and dance from the Balkans. He continues to play, teach, and perform music on a variety of traditional instruments, and has appeared as a guest with different groups and at traditional folk music and dance events in the US and Canada. Currently he is collaborating with Macedonian singer and Radio Skopje recording artist Dragi Spasovski, and plays tapan, tambura, and kaval in the group Osem i Devet, with Michael Lawson.

Contact

Websites:
Izvor Music
Izvor Music (YouTube)
Osem I Devet (YouTube)

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