Intoxicating folk-jazz fusion meets swirling symphonic sounds and Balkan rhythms in “Balkan Fever”, an evening organized by the charismatic Estonian/American conductor Kristjan Järvi, as part of his series of world music collaborations. Under Järvi’s baton, the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra with kaval player Theodosii Spassov and guitarists Vlatko Stefanovski and Miroslav Tadic, play Spassov’s arrangements of Balkan songs, which combine traditional music and Western jazz in a lively mix of folk and jazz rhythms. This concert is a Balkan premiere of the project, following the Barbican performance with London Symphony Orchestra, and concerts in Monte Carlo and Leipzig in 2012. Kristjan Järvi was born in Tallinn, Estonia and was raised and educated in New York. Järvi’s exposure during his youth to various musical styles in New York led to his creation of the Absolute Ensemble in 1993, an eclectic group since praised for its performances of both baroque and rock compositions. In 1998 Järvi was appointed assistant conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and held the position until 2000. He has continued to perform and record with the Absolute Ensemble, and appears ubiquitously as guest conductor of numerous orchestras, including those of Gothenburg, Detroit, and Bamberg, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and Russian National Orchestras, the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, and many others. In 2004 Järvi accepted the appointment of Principal Conductor of the Vienna-based Tonkünstler Orchestra. Among his most important projects are the collaboration with jazz pianist and composer Joe Zawinul on his last album “Absolute Zawinul”, recorded before his death, as well as the concert with Indian sitar player Anoushka Shankar and Royal Scottish National Orchestra.