The Sapporo Snow Festival has a long history as the largest wintertime event of Sapporo, drawing huge crowds from all over the world every year, and this year, for the first time, PMF is taking part! Stage-events will be presented 4 times each evening, with singing and performing, along with projection mapping, all on an ice-stage in front of a snow sculpture of Leonard Bernstein!

What was your impression of PMF when you passed the audition and attended the event as an Academy member, and what do you remember the most about your time at PMF?

The first time I passed the audition to attend PMF as an Academy member I was in my second year of study at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Simply said, I found it unbelievable that I was chosen and given this amazing opportunity to go to Japan for the first time in my life, to play with friends from all over the world and be taught by principal players from world-leading orchestras. I remember being the very first Macedonian musician to ever take part in PMF - it was truly a very big honor in many ways.

There are so many things that I remember clearly of this wonderful festival, first and foremost being the GREAT friendships with fantastic musicians from all over the world, friendships that almost 20 years later are still holding strong. Also special for me was coming to Japan and being introduced for the first time to the very special and wonderful Japanese culture. I tried “Kimono” for the first time, the traditional tea ceremony, and so many other wonderful memories….

Some of the most special memories are the wonderful concerts and rehearsals with some of the greatest conductors in the world, such as Valery Gergiev, Bernard Haitink, Fabio Luisi, Edo de Waart, Wen Pin Chen, and many others, and playing in concert halls like Kitara and Suntory Hall. I was also fortunate enough to perform chamber music with really wonderful musicians - I very well remember playing the Beethoven Septet the first time I attended PMF - with friends who are now part of some of the world’s leading orchestras such as the Vienna Philharmonic, Dresden Philharmonic, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.

I was also lucky enough to be one of the re-invited Academy members in the year to follow. The second time when I came as one of the re-invited Academy members it was truly a great pleasure and honor to be chosen to perform Stravinsky’s “Soldiers Tale” with principal players from the Vienna Philharmonic - an experience that I will always remember and treasure.

A quarter-century after the founding of PMF in 1990, there are now around 3,400 alumni worldwide. What impact does PMF have on your current musical life?

Being part of PMF has had a truly great impact on my life. I always say that “after taking part in PMF, I feel like I really have close friends in all corners of the world!” And it has proven to be true!!! I have met with past PMF members in countries all over the world: Germany, Switzerland, UK, Austria, France, Spain, Malta, China, Sweden, and many more. I am still very much in contact with the friends I met there. It has been a wonderful way of networking with musicians of my age that you end up meeting always around the world as leading professionals.

The knowledge and experience we all received at PMF has been of immeasurable value, that has personally impacted me in most magnificent ways. Firstly, in my personal music life I have a sense of confidence and knowledge, but also, more broadly, when applying for jobs with PMF on your CV, it brings a sense of admiration and respect from other musicians.

PMF will continue to foster young musicians and offer the inspirational power of music to a broad, global audience, passing on founder Leonard Bernstein's vision, contributing to the classical music culture of the world, and thereby to world peace. What kind of festival would you like to see it become?

I think that the vision and message that PMF carries, one of contributing to classical music culture and definitely thereby to world peace, love, and respect is the strongest and most important message that should be carried out through music and friendship!

These friendships are truly of great value to the future professional life of a young musician. One idea to further help young musicians in their career is for PMF to collaborate with world orchestras so that certain Academy members - perhaps chosen by extra auditions during the festival - could join a professional orchestra as an Academy member for a year, for example. I believe by doing so PMF could be of even more help and support to young musicians, helping them gain professional experience that would be of crucial value in furthering their careers.

Gjorgji Cincievski, double bass
Gjorgji Cincievski hails from Skopje, Macedonia. He began his double bass studies at the age of 15 and finished his graduate and post-graduate studies with full honors at the prestigious Royal Northern College of music, Manchester, UK, in the class of of Prof. Jiri Hudec, receiving the coveted Professional Performance Diploma with distinction. He has performed with world-leading orchestras and musicians, taken part in many of the most prestigious festivals, and has taught numerous masterclasses and workshops around the world. He is endorsed by Pirastro strings. Constantly striving to enrich the double bass repertoire, Cincievski has received awards for his transcriptions, some of which are now available through Hofmeister Editions. Since 2010, he serves as Principal/Solo double bass with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.

See Gjorgji Cincievski’s full bio online here.

Other interests
Movies, theatre, biking, traveling, and walks in nature.