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Simon Kiselicki

Simon Kiselicki (pronounced Simon Kiselichki, Macedonian Cyrillic: Симон Киселички; born October 25, 1974) is a Macedonian jazz pianist, composer and arranger. He is considered "one of the most important personalities of the Macedonian jazz scene", known for his solo and group work as the Simon Kiselicki group, as well as his work in Macedonian bands Klerzo and La Colonie Volvox, and his contributions across Europe and the Balkans. Kiselicki is also one of the first musicians who brought jazz music to Macedonian stages and clubs, at the start of the 90s.

As a child, Simon's first acquaintance with music was through the drums, but later showed prevailing interest in the piano. He studied piano, theory and percussion for four years (1991-1994) at Ilija Nikolovski - Luj high school. In 1994 Simon began to study classical music and composition under the mentorship of PhD Goce Kolarovski, and in 1995 Simon's own composition, Suite for Piano, was performed by Marjana Nikolovska in Macedonian Radio Television (MRTV) for the festival Days of Macedonian Music (Denovi Na Makedonski Muzika).

In the meantime, whilst studying classical music, Kiselicki entered the jazz scene, immersing himself deeper into jazz music. He worked on jazz standards and performed at various clubs in Skopje, including the popular MCM Club, where he would have the unexpected opportunity to jam with trumpeters Roy Hargrove and Brian Lynch after they performed in the Skopje Jazz Festival. A year later, Simon began collaboration with the symphonic jazz rock band Klerzo, for which he played the keys, composed and arranged.

In 1997 he became the music manager at the Lady Blue jazz club in Skopje. During this time he played the piano in a quintet Night and Day, with Goce Micanov on the saxophone and Goce Dimitrovski on the trumpet. Here Simon would begin jazz composition. His first jazz compositions in the band were recorded for MRTV, produced by Ilija Peovski, and later applied to study jazz piano and harmony in Peovski's class. In the same year, Simon arranged, performed and composed with Ezgija Orchestra, an ethno-jazz project, alongside Leb i Sol's Bodan Arsovski, for the album Broken Beats. They performed at many concerts including EtnoFest Neum in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1998) and Kursumli An in Skopje.

In 1998 he composed and directed for the multi-media project B7, premiered at the Macedonian Culture Centre (MKC), which received a reward at the Theatre Festival for Alternative and Experimental Theatre (F.A.A.T) in Kocani for Visual Effects.

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"One of the most influential personalities on the Macedonian jazz stage."

"Another rare evening in Skopje, this time in regards to Simon Kiselicki's solo concert who for many many years has been an important member of the jazz scene in Macedonia, and that evening I went to watch the star. Sensitive, energetic, emotional, empathetic and many other feelings are only a small fraction of the amazing journey Simon takes us through..." - Garo Tavitjan

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Jamajla

Jazz Fortnight
2018

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La Colonie Volvox -...

E Go East Records
2010

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La Colonie Volvox -...

E Go East Records
2009

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Levitation

Chicken Madness
2007

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