Born in 1982 in Belgrade, Serbia, Nebojsa S. Macura has resided in North America since 1990. He holds degrees from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (DMA), University of British Columbia (MM), and University of Wisconsin-Madison (BM). His composition teachers include Joel Hoffman, Ellen Harrison, Stephen Chatman, Dorothy Chang, Stephen Dembski, Laura Schwendinger, Joel Naumann, and Scott Gendel.

A prolific composer specializing in instrumental chamber music and works for wind band, Nebojsa has received performances in 21 US states and 3 Canadian provinces, as well as Bolivia, Brazil, Croatia, and Israel. His music has been featured at the SCI National Conference, Sonic Boom Festival, Midwest Composers Symposium, CBDNA Southern Division Conference, Midwest Graduate Music Consortium, New Dischord Festival, and MusicX.

Ensembles that have performed Nebojsa's compositions include the Denver Municipal Band, Quad City Wind Ensemble, Cuatro Puntos, CCM Chamber Players, University of South Carolina Symphonic Winds, University of Iowa Chamber Orchestra, and Turning Point Ensemble. In addition, he has participated in workshops by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Standing Wave Ensemble, and Borealis String Quartet.

Nebojsa also performs on Russian fretted string instruments, specializing on the contrabass balalaika (pictured at left). He is Assistant Conductor of the University of Wisconsin Russian Folk Orchestra and a member of the Balalaika and Domra Association of America.

contact: nebmac(at)gmail.com

Recent and Upcoming Performances

April 8, 2017 7:30pm
Polar Night
University of Wisconsin Russian Folk Orchestra
Nebojsa Macura, conductor
Mills Hall
Madison, WI

November 29, 2016 7:30pm
Symphony No. 1
Limestone College Wind Ensemble
Patrick Carney, conductor
Fullerton Auditorium
Gaffney, SC

May 4, 2016 7:30pm
Symphony No. 1 (1st movement)
Central Connecticut State University Wind Ensemble
Lauren Reynolds, conductor
Welte Auditorium
New Britain, CT

April 30, 3016 7:30pm
Symphony No. 1
Houghton College Symphonic Wind Ensemble
Jannette LaBarre, conductor
Wesley Chapel
Houghton, NY

April 26, 2016 7:30pm
Symphony No. 1
University of Wisconsin-Madison Wind Ensemble
Scott Teeple, conductor
Mills Hall
Madison, WI

March 11, 2016 5:30pm
Until Peace, the Storm
Elysian Trombone Consort
American Trombone Workshop
Fort Myer, VA

March 9, 2016 7:00pm
Symphony No. 1
James Logan Wind Symphony
Adam R. Wilke, conductor
James Logan High School
Union City, CA

March 6, 2016 7:30pm
Until Peace, the Storm
Elysian Trombone Consort
Brock Hall, Eastern Kentucky University
Richmond, KY

February 12, 2016 7:30pm
Symphony No. 1
Nazareth College Wind Symphony
Jared Chase, conductor
Linehan Chapel
Rochester, NY

December 6, 2015 3:00pm
Symphony No. 1
CSU East Bay Wind Symphony
Danielle Gaudry, conductor
UC-Berkeley Hertz Concert Hall
Berkeley, CA

December 4, 2015 7:00pm
Chochek Rhapsody
Drury University Wind Symphony
Christopher Koch, conductor
Fourth Presbyterian Church
126 E. Chestnut St.
Chicago, IL

December 3, 2015 10:30am
Chochek Rhapsody
Drury University Wind Symphony
Christopher Koch, conductor
Logan Center for the Arts
Chicago, IL

November 13, 2015 12:15pm
Rondo Alla Balcanica
Iva Ugrčić, flutes
Dave Alcorn, percussion
First Unitarian Society Meeting House
Madison, WI

November 6, 2015 7:30pm
Symphony No. 1 (3rd movement)
CSU East Bay Wind Symphony
Danielle Gaudry, conductor
CSUEB University Theatre
Hayward, CA

October 17, 2015 7:30pm
Symphony No. 1
New Mexico State University Wind Symphony
Christopher Hughes, conductor
Atkinson Recital Hall
Las Cruces, NM

October 5, 2015 3:00pm
Rondo Alla Balcanica
Iva Ugrčić, flutes
Dave Alcorn, marimba
Stoughton Area Senior Center
Stoughton, WI

September 27, 2015 2:30pm
Six-Year Interlude
Suzanne Snizek, flute
Joanna Hood, viola
Michelle Mares, piano
The Old School House Arts Centre
Qualicum Beach, BC (Canada)

Selected Works

[see "Compositions" below for audio and score samples]

more audio samples available here

One Hour to Madness and Joy (2016) 8'
concert band

Polar Night (2016) 5'
Russian folk instrument orchestra
composed for the 20th anniversary of the
University of Wisconsin Russian Folk Orchestra

Until Peace, the Storm (2015) 6'
trombone quartet
composed for the Elysian Trombone Consort

 Symphony No. 1 (2015) 20'
wind ensemble
commissioned by a consortium of 15 ensembles
organized by
Jared Chase, Conductor, Nazareth College Wind Symphony

Three Caprices (2015) 5'
viola

Five Etudes (2014) 10'
baritone ukulele or octave mandolin

Tempest Chochek (2014) 5'
solo tuba, wind ensemble
composed for Timothy Northcut, Associate Professor of Tuba, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music

 Tableaux d'hiver (2013) 11'
wind ensemble
commissioned by the 2013-2014
Central Connecticut State University Wind Ensemble,
Lauren Reynolds, conductor

Rondo Alla Balcanica (2013) 7'
version 1: flute, alto saxophone
composed for the Awea Duo
version 2: Eb clarinet, tenor saxophone
version 3: piccolo/flute/alto flute, marimba/vibes

Family Letters (2012) 9'
version 1: horn, violin
version 2: bass clarinet, viola

In the Early Dawn (2012) 1'
oud
composed for Marina Toshich and
the Fifteen Minutes of Fame project

Summer Night (2012) 8'
wind ensemble

Two-Headed Oro (2012) 1'
clarinet
composed for Bruce Curlette and
the Fifteen Minutes of Fame project

Scampering Creatures (2011) 1'
violin, cello

Diptych (2011) 6'
flute, oboe, clarinet

Six-Year Interlude (2011) 8'
**Winner, Cuatro Puntos Award, Zvi Zeitlin Memorial International Composer's Competition**
version 1: flute, viola, harp (or piano)
version 2: flute, alto flute, bass flute, piano
version 3: flute, solo viola, string quintet

Piano Concerto (2011) 27'
piano, wind ensemble

Chochek Rhapsody (2010) 9'
concert band
commissioned by the 2010-2011
Xavier University Symphonic Wind Ensemble,
Matthew Westgate, conductor

Colours of the Earth (2010) 10'
chamber ensemble
[1+afl-1+eh-1+bscl-1+cbsn, 1-1-1-0, db]

Mind States (2010) 15'
trombone, piano
commissioned by Timothy Anderson,
Assistant Professor of Trombone,
University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music

Music for a Serbian Celebration (2010) 6'
trumpet, string quartet, piano four hands
commissioned by Dr. Srdjan Babovic and
Dr. Dusica Babovic-Vuksanovic

Fanfare for Violas (2009) 4'
4 violas (or multiples)

Mr. Ravenscroft's Haunting (2009) 4'
fixed-format electronics

Scenes From the Old Country (2009) 11'
percussion quartet

Second Nocturne (2009) 4'
clarinet, piano

Swan Song (2009) 3'
high version: oboe or soprano saxophone
low version: bassoon or bass clarinet

Vanished City (2009) 7'
piano

What Is Yet Unfound (2009) 3'
horn

Canzoni di Primavera (2008) 7'
2 violins, piano four hands

Chamber Music No. 5 - Insomniac Dreams (2008) 9'
bass clarinet, cello

Echoes of Rascia (2008) 10'
wind ensemble or concert band
**Finalist, 2nd International Frank Ticheli Composition Contest**

September Fanfare (2008) 2'
brass ensemble

Fierce Desire for Love's Delight (2007) 7'
English horn, fixed-format electronics

For the Impossible Dream (2007) 8'
viola, piano

Sprawl-Dystopia (2007) 10'
orchestra
[2(picc)-2(eh)-2(bscl)-2(cbsn), 4-2-3-1, timp+2 perc, strings]

Reflections on Solitude (2005) 7'
chamber ensemble
[1(afl)-1(eh)-1-0, 0-1-1-0, 1 perc, pno, vc, db]
**Honorable Mention, 2008 Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Student Composition Contest, University of Cincinnati**

Compositions

Echoes of Rascia


PDF score

“Rascia” is the Latin name for Raška, a medieval state in southeastern Europe populated by the Serbian people, and a predecessor to the modern-day Republic of Serbia. While the rich history of its liturgical chant is well documented, little is known about other types of Serbian music from the Middle Ages.

Echoes of Rascia draws upon the musical traditions, both real and imagined, of this bygone era. Except for a quote from a Serbian Orthodox (Christian) hymn, first played by the flugelhorn at the beginning of the piece, all the thematic material is original.

This work is dedicated to Rodney Winther, Professor Emeritus at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, in gratitude for his guidance and support.


Six-Year Interlude


PDF score

In 2011, I was unexpectedly reunited with someone who was (and still is) very dear to me. Although we had promised to keep in touch after graduating from university in 2005, life got in the way until a chance encounter at our alma mater brought us back together. This composition is my reaction to that event and its impact on my life.


Chochek Rhapsody


PDF score

In several countries of southeastern Europe, the term chochek refers to a type of folk dance, as well as the associated musical genre, both of which developed under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. Characterized by syncopated rhythms and energetic melodies, the music is traditionally performed by an ensemble of brass instruments and drums, sometimes also including clarinets or saxophones.

While this musical heritage was the main source of inspiration, the creation of Chochek Rhapsody was also shaped by the study of wind music from the “classical” tradition of North America and western Europe, particularly the rich variety of tone colors found in the wind band.

Chochek Rhapsody was commissioned by the 2010-11 Xavier University Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Matthew Westgate, conductor.


Second Nocturne


PDF score

In 2002, shortly before changing my undergraduate major from meteorology to music composition, I wrote a Nocturne for clarinet and piano. While not entirely ineffectual, the piece was constrained by my younger self’s deficiencies in technical skill and limited aesthetic outlook. The Second Nocturne, composed seven years later, is intended as a more mature response to that earlier piece.