Balabanov House Music Days International Festival welcomes many guests in the Old Town of Plovdiv during the spring and the autumn months. The autumn forum starts on September 26. Its artistic director Mila Pavlova acquaints us with some of the accents in this year’s agenda of the event:

“The fifth autumn edition of the festival will be opened with a performance of a wonderful band - The Guard Brass Band. The concert is dedicated to the 135^th anniversary since the foundation of this orchestra. Major Radi Radev is the head conductor of the Guard Brass Band. Soloists in the concert will be Edelina Kaneva (soprano) and Marcho Apostolov (tenor). Later we continue with the remarkable meeting with two celebrated musicians - violinist Mila Georgieva and world famous French conductor, composer and oboe player David Walter. He is famous among all fans of chamber music, because he is part of the Moragues quintet. The foreign virtuoso is to present the popular flute concerto by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, this time performed on oboe. David Walter will also conduct Sofia Soloists Chamber Orchestra. The popular orchestra will accompany the two musicians in this wonderful music trip.”

On September 29 the concert which will be held under the title “The Divine” is to meet the audience with Raina Kabaivanska and her master class in the Antique Theater in Plovdiv. It is one of the events dedicated to the 80^th birth anniversary of the renowned opera diva. The Sofia Opera and Ballet Orchestra will also participate at the event under the baton of Nayden Todorov. Rayna Kabaivanska has last performed in Plovdiv some fifteen years ago. “We are looking forward to this concert with huge impatience and interest”, Mila Pavlova says. She told Radio Bulgaria what comes next in the program after the meeting with the world renowned Bulgarian soprano:

“On October 1, 2014, the First International Competition for Chamber Music is to be held within the framework of the festival. The members of the jury will hold a concert. Celebrated violinist Elmira Darvarova will head the jury. The next accent of the festive program will fall on the performance of renowned pianist Boyan Vodenicharov on October 3. Mr. Vodenicharov has been a member of the Queen Elizabeth Music Competition for many years. The concert is named Spontaneous Act of Improvisation. The idea for this event came from Boyan Vodenicharov himself. We are to enjoy his author’s music at the event. We are also expecting guests from London: Stankov Quartet will arrive to present an interesting concert where Bulgarian and Spanish music meet. The musicians are to perform pieces of renowned composers Georgi Arnaudov, Antoni Donchev and Marin Goleminov. The Spanish part of the program is also very intriguing and we are to witness a world premier.” 

The next concert in the music program is called Stars Together. It enables the audience to enjoy the work of two celebrated musicians from the field of classical music. Victor Vulkov is the pianist who won the Gold Medal from the International Piano Competition in New Orleans. His colleague - cellist Lachezar Kostov who is a soloist in San Antonio Symphony Orchestra also works in the USA. Both Bulgarians have been performing as a sonata duo for many years.

On October 25 the Balabanov House will host the performance of the biggest string-and-bow instrument - the double bass. Professor Petya Bagovska is to introduce her alumni to the audience at The Bass Stage concert. The last title of the festive program bears the waft of the Far East. It is entitled Bulgaria meets Japan. Mila Pavlova has more about this event:

“I am delighted to perform at this concert together with talented pianist Ayami Veit”, Mila Pavlova further explains. “Several years ago we performed together in Sofia. Part of the concert is dedicated to Japanese music. It is to alternate with Bulgarian music through the performance of Eva Quartet. The program of Music Days in Balabanov House envisages master classes with Victor Vulkov, Lachezar Kostov and Ivo Stankov. Young Bulgarian musicians will be able to attend these master classes for free. Our aim is to give the chance of our young talents to meet renowned musicians, in order to encourage the former to a music career."

The audio file contains the following pieces:

1 . Aria of Anna and Danilo Glavari Duo from the Merry Widow opera by Franz Lehar to the rendition of Marcho Apostolov and Edelina Kaneva, BNR Symphonic Orchestra, conductor Ognyan Mitonov.

2 .  Part 3 from Sonata No 50 for piano by Joseph Heidn to the rendition of Boyan Vodenicharov.

3 .Sonata for solo flute by Dimitar Tapkov to the rendition of Mila Pavlova