Sofia Music Weeks 2018 presents an outstanding selection of international artists, groups, and activities from around the world, brought together specifically for this international festival. It also offers people to experience new music and the opportunity to learn new instruments, including percussion instruments like the drums and the congas! The concert program for the 49th annual festival contains over 40 events with more than 500 performers from 18 countries taking the stage to entertain audiences in venues around the city. This truly shows how music has a massive impact on society, it is a language all can understand and appreciate. Blogs such as HooliganRocknRoll go more in-depth about music and the different genres that are out there for all to love if people want to up their music knowledge before attending these events.
The concerts are scheduled from 23 May to 6 July, with program highlights listed below. A parallel program featuring recitals, master classes, book signings, and other presentations and events accompanies the concert schedule to enrich the experience for all festival participants.
Each year the festival chooses emphases by group, genre, country and instrument. For Sofia Music Weeks 2018, the focus ensemble is the string quartet and the genre is choral music. Austria is the focus country and the focus instrument is the harp.
The program has been lengthened this year to encompass the last month of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Serendipity strikes in the selection of Austria as the focus country for the festival, since it will take over the presidency from Bulgaria on 1 July. Austria’s musical legacy is popular in Bulgaria and has been a source of enjoyment throughout the history of the Sofia Music Weeks.
Highlights Sofia Music Weeks 2018
The festival program includes World Premieres of works by Ivars Kaleis, Albena Petrovic-Vratchanska, Vassil Kazandjiev, Georgi Andreev, Gheorghi Arnaoudov, ?em Esen, Dora Draganova, Eremira Citaku, Yovcho Krushev, Yordan Dafov, Yordan Goshev, Stefan Dragostinov, Stoyan Babekov, Filip Pavlov, and Yuli Damyanov.
In addition, there will be Bulgarian Premieres of works by Debussy, in honor of his anniversary, and many others.
Book releases, new recordings, contests and seminars pepper the schedule of events.
Anniversaries Marked during Sofia Music Weeks 2018
Finally, each year a number of milestones from world musical history are remembered at the festival through concert performances and other activities. Some of the anniversaries to be marked at Sofia Music Weeks 2018 include:
- 175 years since the birth of Edward Grieg
- 125 years since the death of Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky
- 100 years since the death of Claude Debussy
- 110 years since the birth of Marin Goleminov
- 90 years since the birth of Alexander Tanev
Sofia Music Weeks 2018 Programme
Date 23 May 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Hall
Festival Opening
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloists:
Mintcho Mintchev – violin
Liliana Kehayova – violoncello
Conductor:
Mark Kadin
Program:
Rimsky-Korsakov, Marin Goleminov, Dvorzak, Tchaikovsky, Sergey Taneyev, Panayot Pipkov
Date 25 May 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Chamber Hall
Northern Lights
Nikolay Nikolov – viola
Daniela Dikova – piano
Program:
Toivo K?rki, J?nis Medi??,Ivars Kaleis, Tchaikovsky, Glinka, Glazunov, Shchedrin
Date 26 May 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Chamber Hall
Hommage a Debussy
Jenny Zaharieva – piano
Program:
24 preludes by Debussy
Date 27 May 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Chamber Hall
Sergei Redkin – piano (Russia)
Victoria Vassilenko – piano
Rossitsa Pavlova-Indzheva – mezzo soprano
Program:
Brahms, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev-Pletnev
Date 28 May 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Hall
The Pulse of Europe
Arena di Verona Quartet
Camerata Orphica NBU
Rafael Jenner – percussion (Austria)
Michael Publig – piano (Austria)
Mila Tsankova – flute
Margarita Kalcheva – double bass
Conductor:
Vladimir Kiradjiev
Program:
Verdi, Elgar, Respighi, Stefan Dragostinov, Michael Publig
Date 29 May 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Concert Hall of the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”
Sofia Sinfonietta Orchestra
Soloists:
Nathan Groot – viola
Nikolai Jelazkov – piano
Georgi Georgiev – clarinet
Conductor:
Ricardo Averbach (Brazil)
Program:
Villa Lobos, Weber, Chopin, Yovcho Krushev, Yuli Damyanov
Date 30 May 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Chamber Hall
Sound Spaces
Rossen Idealov – clarinet
Georgita Boyadjieva – violoncello
Alexander Vassilenko – piano
Program:
Nino Rota, Vasil Kazandjiev, Yordan Dafov, Pierre Boulez, Alexander Zemlinski
Date 31 May 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Hall
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloist:
Liya Petrova – violin
Conductor:
Horia Andreescu (Romania)
Program:
Brahms, Beethoven
Date 31 May 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Chamber Hall
30 Strings
Seasons Mandolin Quartet
Program:
Goleminov, Dobri Hristov, Parashkev Hadjiev, Tsenko Minkin, Slavcho Nikolov, Dora Draganova, Yasuo Kuwahara, Longin Yakubovski, Mario Machoki, Carlos Gardel
Date 1 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Chamber Hall
Mirror of the Imagination
Atanas Kourtev – piano
Program:
Works by Schumann
Date 2 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Concert Hall of the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”
Spirit and Words
Celebrating 90 years since the birth of Alexander Tanev
Exhibition and presentation of CD album
Vassil Arnaoudov Sofia Chamber Choir
Pilekadone Woodwind Quintet
Solists:
Ines Simeonova – piano
Kiril Mihailov – trombone
Conductor:
Teodora Pavlovich
Date 3 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Hall
The Tenors of Raina Kabaivanska
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor:
Nayden Todorov
Svetoslav Obretenov National Philharmonic Choir
Conductor:
Slavil Dimitrov
Soloists:
Andrea Care (Italy)
Davide Ryu (South Korea)
Reynaldo Droz (Venezuela)
Program:
Opera Arias and Ensembles
Date 5 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Chamber Hall
Debussy
Kremena Acheva – flute
Angela Madjarova – harp
Valentin Gerov – viola
Program:
Works by Debussy
Date 6 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Chamber Hall
In a Classical Mood
Sofia Quartet
Program:
Mozart, Beethoven
Date 6 June 2018 | Time CANCELLED | Venue CANCELLED
Weep and Laugh Theater Stage
Love and Jealousy
Opera by Albena Petrovic-Vratchanska
Conductor:
Alex Sanso (Spain)
Director:
Elena Stoyanova
Staging:
State Opera Stara Zagora
Date 7 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Hall
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor:
Nayden Todorov
Svetoslav Obretenov National Philharmonic Choir
Conductor:
Slavil Dimitrov
Soloists:
Mila Georgieva – violin
Maria Tsvetkova-Madjarova – soprano
Olga Mihailova-Dinova – mezzo soprano
Ivailo Mihaylov – tenor
Plamen Kumpikov – bass
Program:
Mendelssohn, Karl Jenkins
Date 10 June 2018 | Time 11:00 | Venue concert Hall of the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”
Unexpected Close-ups
Yaske Hosaka – piano (Japan)
Program:
Works by Pancho Vladigerov
Date 10 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Concert Hall of the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”
Zefira Valova – violin
Vasilii Ilisavski – hammerklavier
Program:
Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Weber
Date 11 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Polish Institute Hall
With kind assistance from the Polish Institute
?em Esen – piano (Turkey)
Program:
?em Esen, Liszt, Scriabin, Chopin
Date 12 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Chamber Hall
Choice of the Frosch String Quartet
Program:
Vassil Kazandjiev, Stravinsky, Dragomir Yossifov, Ligeti
Date 14 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Chamber Hall
Vienna Across Three Centuries
Iva Holzl-Nikolova – violin
Florian Krump?ck – piano (Austria)
Program:
Beethoven, Brahms, Karl Schiske, Erich Urbanner
Date 16 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Hall
Crossing Points
Chamber Orchestra Sofia Soloists
Soloists:
Krasimir Shterev – accordion
Georgi Vasilev – guitar
Atanas Krastev – violoncello
Conductor:
Plamen Djouroff
Program:
Boccherini, Grieg, Astor Piazzolla, Dobrinka Tabakova
Date 18 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Hall
Pleven Philharmonic Orchestra
Solists:
Bulent Evcil – flute (Turkey)
George Dimitrov – guitar
Conductor:
Yordan Kamdjalov
Program:
Briccialdi, Morlacchi, Carulli, Tchaikovsky
Date 10 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Concert Hall of the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”
Eastern Dialogues
With kind assistance from the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music
(Hangzhou, China)
Faculty Wind Quintet from the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music
Date 19 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Concert Hall of the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”
The Known, Unknown Composers
Sara Panosyan – violin
Maria Vasileva – violoncello
Dariya Yovcheva – piano
Martin Saveliev – clarinet
Program:
Lubomir Pipkov, Ivan Spassov, Lazar Nikolov, Johannes Maria Staud
Date 20 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Hall
Stars of Tomorrow
Soloists:
Students from the Prof. Pancho Vladigerov National Music Academy
Academic Symphony Orchestra
Conductors:
Viktor Krumov and Svetlin Hristov
Date 21 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Hall
Viva la Musica
50th Anniversary
Sofia Boys’ Choir
Conductor:
Adriana Blagoeva
Program:
Petko Staynov, Tekeliev, Filip Pavlov, Milko Kolarov, Liondev, Svetozar Rusinov,
Yacob Arcadelt, Saint-Saens, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Manuel Moreno Penella, David Eddleman
Presentation of a CD Album
Date 21 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Chamber Hall
“La Belle Epoque de la harpe III”
Suzanna Klintcharova – harp
with Georgi Valchev – violin
Program:
Marcel Turnie, Saint-Sa?ns, Alphonse Hasselmans, Philippe Hersant
Date 22 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Chamber Hall
With the kind assistance of the Embassy of Israel in Sofia
My Soul Adores Your Song
Shiri Hershkoviz – soprano (Israel)
Tomina Parvanova – harp
Atanas Krastev – violoncello
Mila Pavlova – flute
Program:
Purcell, Debussy, Delib, Ravel, William Meyer, Lubomir Pipkov
Date 22 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Central Army Club Hall
Celebrating 110 years since the birth of Marin Goleminov
Goleminov String Quartet
Date 23 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Chamber Hall
50th Anniversary
Polyphonia Chamber Choir
Conductor:
Ludmila Gerova
Program:
Marco Ingegneri, Yacobus Gallus, Orlando di Lasso, Salomone Rosi, Monteverdi, Handel, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Debussy, Reimon Late, Tormis, Todor Popov, Ivelin Dimitrov
Date 24 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Concert Hall of the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”
Muse and Fashion
Agnes Dankova – piano
Program:
Works by Nikolai Medtner
Date 25 June 2018 | Time 19:30 | Venue Bulgaria Hall
New Symphony Orchestra
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloist: Georgi Valchev – violin
Conductor:
Petko Dimitrov
Program:
Sibelius, Rachmaninov
Date 26 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue St. Alexander Nevsky Crypt Museum
To Thee We Sing
Philip Koutev National Ensemble
of Folk Songs and Dances Choir
Conductor:
Georgi Genov
Program:
Songs by Dobri Hristov, Petar Dinev, Kyurkchiysky, Tapkov, Yordan Goshev, Philip Koutev, Georgi Genov, Ivan Spassov
Date 26 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Chamber Hall
Keep the Flash
Jeta Citaku – soprano (Kosova)
Melos Buza – piano (Kosova)
Program:
Bellini, Bizet, Brahms, Verdi, Gounod, Catalani, Mozart, Schubert
Date 27 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Chamber Hall
Palette for Two
Piano duo:
Antonia Yordanova & Ivan Kyurkchiev
Program:
Mozart, Max Reger, Debussy, Stravinsky
Date 23 June 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue National Palace of Culture, Hall 1
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra
BNR Symphony Orchestra
Svetoslav Obretenov National Philharmonic Choir
BNR Mixed Choir, Children’s Philharmonic Choir
BNR Children’s Choir
Conductor:
Emil Tabakov
Program:
Gustav Mahler – Symphony No. 8
Parallel Program of Sofia Music Weeks 2018
Date 2 March 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Bulgaria Chamber Hall
Eremira Citaku – flute (Kosova)
Tatyana Bojko – piano
Program:
Carl Reinecke, Cesar Franck, Debussy, Poulenc
Date 2 April 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Hall of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
The Harp as Source of Inspiration
Concert of students from the master class of Prof. Suzanna Klintcharova
Program:
Harp Masterpieces of European Composers of the 16th-21st Centuries
Date 20 April 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Concert Hall of National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”
Trombonanza
Trombone Ensemble of the Guildhall School of Music
with participation by Bulgarian trombonists
Conductor:
Simon Wills
Date 10-12 May 2018 | Time Various | Venue Sofia Tech Park
“Music in Physics, Physics in Music”
Joint project of the European Organization for Nuclear Research CERN – Switzerland,
St. Kliment Ohridski Sofia University, the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”, and the Sofia Science Festival
Date 10 May 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Sofia National Opera and Ballet
Giacomo Puccini – Turandot
Conductor:
Marco Zambelli
Staging:
State Opera – Rousse
Date 11 May 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Sofia National Opera and Ballet
Parashkev Hadjiev – A Madcap
Conductor:
Dimitar Kosev
Staging:
State Opera – Rousse
Date 15 May 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Aula of St. Kliment Ohridski Sofia University
85th Anniversary
Angel Manolov Academic choir
Conductor:
Darena Popova
Date 21 May 2018 | Time 19:30 | Venue Bulgaria Hall
Travelling Heroes
Pioneer Youth Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor:
Lubomir Denev jr.
Program:
Vladigerov, Vesselin Stoyanov, Kyurkchiysky, Rossini, Lubomir Denev, Roumen Boyadjieff Jr., Bela Bartok
Date 28 May 2018 | Time 10:00-13:00 | Venue Lubomir Pipkov National Music School Hall
Alfred Binner First National Music Competition 2018
Awards:
two master violins made by the luthier Alfred Binner
Date 28 May 2018 | Time 17:30 | Venue Bulgaria Chamber Hall
Presentation of the book
The Composer Simo Lazarov’s World of Electronic Music
by Dr. Rossitza Becheva
Date 29 May 2018 | Time 20:30 | Venue National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”
Presentation of a CD album of recordings by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra,
conducted by Ricardo Averbach
Date 1 June 2018 | Time 13:00-19:00 | Venue National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”
International Conference
Music Education Management and Innovation
Date 8 June 2018 | Time 18:00 | Venue Bulgarian National Radio, Studio 2
Commemorating 25 years since the death of Elena Nicolai
Golden archive recordings:
Elena Nicolai sings Bulgarian folk songs
Date 16-17 June 2018 | Time 18:00 | Venue New Bulgarian University
Young Scientists’ Forum for Music and Dance
13th Scientific Conference of PhD and Postdoctoral candidates
Date 23 June 2018 | Time 20:30 | Venue Bulgaria Chamber Hall
Book Presentation
Ivelin Dimitrov and Polyphonia Chamber Choir
Date 6 July 2018 | Time 19:00 | Venue Hall 6, National Palace of Culture
Valentin Peytchinov – bass
Krasimir Taskov and Ganka Nedelcheva – piano
Dmitri Schostakovich – Symphony No. 13,
arranged by Viktor Derevyanko
Participating Artists at Sofia Music Weeks 2018
Sofia Music Weeks 2018 welcomes participants from Bulgaria and 18 other countries, including Austria, Brazil, China, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Romania, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, and Venezuela.
Operas and Orchestras:
State Opera – Rousse
State Opera – Stara Zagora
Pioneer Youth Philharmonic Orchestra
Sofia Sinfonietta Orchestra
New Symphony Orchestra
Pleven Philharmonic
Symphony Orchestra of the Bulgarian National Radio
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra
Ensembles:
Pilekadone Woodwind Quintet
Chamber Orchestra Sofia Soloists
Piano duo Antonia Yordanova & Ivan Kyurkchiev
Seasons Mandolin Quartet
Arena di Verona Quartet
Goleminov String Quartet
Sofia Quartet
Frosch String Quartet
Guildhall School of Music (London) Trombone Ensemble
Choirs:
Angel Manolov Academic Choir
BNR Children’s Choir
Children’s Philharmonic Choir
Polyphonia Chamber Choir
Svetoslav Obretenov National Philharmonic Choir
Mixed Choir of the Bulgarian National Radio
Vassil Arnaoudov Sofia Chamber Choir
Sofia Boys Choir
Philip Koutev National Ensemble of Folk Songs and Dances Choir
Singers:
Andrea Care – tenor
Davide Ryu – tenor
Valentin Peytchinov – bass
Ivaylo Mihaylov – tenor
Jeta Citaku – soprano
Maria Tsvetkova-Madjarova – soprano
Olga Mihailova-Dinova – mezzo soprano
Plamen Kumpikov – bass
Reynaldo Droz – tenor
Shiri Hershkoviz – soprano
Conductors:
Adriana Blagoeva
Alex Sanso
Vladimir Kiradjiev
Georgi Genov
Darna Popova
Dimitar Kossev
Emil Tabakov
Yordan Kamdjalov
Lubomir Denev, junior
Ludmila Gerova
Mark Kadin
Marco Zambelli
Nayden Todorov
Petko Dimitrov
Plamen Djouroff
Ricardo Averbah
Simon Wills
Slavil Dimitrov
Teodora Pavlovich
Soloists:
Agnes Dankova – piano
Alexander Vassilenko – piano
Angela Madjarova – harp
Atanas Krastev – violoncello
Atanas Kourtev – piano
Bulent Evcil – flute
Valentin Gerov – viola
Vasilii Ilisavski – piano
Victoria Vassilenko – piano
Ganka Nedelcheva – piano
Georgiya Boyadzhieva – cello
Georgi Vassilev – guitar
Georgi Valchev – violin
Georgi Georgiev – clarinet
Georgi Dimitrov – guitar
Daniela Dikova – piano
Daria Yovcheva – piano
Eremira Citaku – flute
Jenny Zaharieva – piano
Joan Marti Frascier – saxophone
Zefira Valova – violin
Iva Nikolova – violin
Ines Simeonova – piano
Kiril Mihaylov – trombone
Krassimir Taskov – piano
Krassimir Shterev – Accordion
Kremena Acheva – flute
Liliana Kehayova – cello
Margarita Kalcheva – double bass
Maria Vassileva – cello
Martin Saveliev – clarinet
Melos Buza – piano
Mila Georgieva – violin
Mila Pavlova – flute
Mila Tsankova – flute
Mintcho Mintchev – violin
Michael Publig – piano
Nathan Groot – viola
Nikolay Zhelyazkov – piano
Nikolay Nikolov – viola
Rafael Jenner – percussion instruments
Rossen Idealov – Clarinet
Sara Panosyan – violin
Sergey Redkin – piano
Suzanna Klintcharova – harp
Tatyana Bojko – piano
Tomina Parvanova – harp
Florian Krumpock – piano
Yaske Hosaka – piano
