“The concert began with a piece by the young Australian composer (of Macedonian background) Michael Bakrnčev … I was left wanting more, although the succinct form of the piece is definitely the mark of a mature composer.”

– Phillip Scott, “Adams & Shostakovich (Sydney Symphony Orchestra)”, Limelight, 28 May 2021

“Sky Jammer is a local and contemporary piece … Its sound so clearly draws on the compositional influences around Bakrnčev. … [He] brings his own crowdpleasing style to the piece, in particular during a virtuosic violin solo for Sophie Rowell…”

– Matthew Lorenzon, “Metropolis New Music Festival 2016: MSO, Heavenly Cities; Aura Go and Tomoe Kawabata, Visions de l’Amen”, Partial Durations, 26 May 2016


“The difference to this listener appeared in greater determination and vivacity from the winners, even in the compulsory Australian piece by Michael Bakrnčev that tested synchronicity …”

– Clive O’Connell, “Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition finale review: Deserving ensembles snare prizes”, The Sydney Morning Herald, 20 July 2015


“… Bakrnčev featured … Folktales from GJ832c that shook the room with raging discord.”

– Andrew Aronowicz, “Giving composers a go: Melbourne Metropolitan Sinfonietta”, Resonate magazine, 19 November 2014


“… Bakrnčev’s three Macedonian songs, A Tapestry of Folklore from Macedonia, provided a viscerally energetic close to the concert with their Eastern European folk influence. [He] noted the typically Macedonian spirit of the three short texts, in their revealing of hard-earned and sometimes bitter life lessons … having a Pärtian simplicity made beautifully vulnerable by microtonal inflections.”

– Celeste Oram, “MODART13 final concerts – a composer’s perspective”, Resonate magazine, 11 October 2013