Composer
Petar Sarkanjac
About the composer
Petar Sarkanjac is a composer and multilingual lyricist from North Macedonia. His music mixes modern genres like djent, samba, fado, and folk with an ancient sensibility and a numinous atmosphere, invoking a sense of unearthed art. The name for his debut album Conference of Grammars was inspired by The Conference of Birds by Attar of Nishapur, a poetry book where a group of personified birds representing human afflictions seek the Simurgh, a metaphor for God. Similarly, Sarkanjac assembled the Grammars so that they reach existence from the starting point of nothingness.
The lyrics reference religious terminology, like the last day and the universal mind, but also include an homage to Rumi's last story in the Masnavi, putting his own interpretative twist on the intentionally unfinished work.
Endorsement
“Conference of Grammars is a tour de force, an album of difficult to categorize chamber music, both instrumental and with vocals. The writing is strong, fresh and innovative. Each arrangement is a gem of clarity and balance, with first rate performances by all the players and singers. The production is rich and full yet brilliantly transparent. Conference is a record that bears repeated listening. Petar is an important voice in the art of contemporary song.”
Matthew Nicholl
Composer · Arranger · Pianist —
Contemporary Writing and Production Chair Emeritus, Berklee College of Music
“Petar’s music is fresh, original, and extremely engaging. His writing, while very sophisticated, maintains a high level of capturing elements and energy that make the listener always want to explore more. I particularly love his eclectic stylistic approach, from polyrhythms to esoteric string writing.”
Dr. Andrea Pejrolo
Single
Олимп— the 9th track sung in Macedonian by Andrijana Janevska
Track IX · The Grammar of Mercy
Listen on
Vocal
Andrijana Janevska