The winner in this year’s 25th edition of the Music of the Year poll of Allegro Vivace classical music show of the Bulgarian National Radio Horizont Channel is the children’s choir Bodra Pesen (Cheerful Song) from the town of Shumen with conductor Denitsa Uzunova. The choir has a long history and its founder is Prof. Violeta Vitcheva.

It has been the first time in the history of the poll that the Grand Prix has gone to a choir, and the Debut Prize to an orchestra. This is the new 432 chamber orchestra with conductor Ivan Yanakiev. The Best Music Project of the Year Prize went to the Festival Orchestra lined up with students from Prof. Vesselin Stoyanov National High School of Arts in the city of Rousse. Best Young Musician of the Year is the student from Plovdiv, Maria-Desislava Stoytcheva. Pianist Prof. Borislava Taneva received a plaque for active creative work. Other prize winners include the Rousse Opera House for its production of Katerina Izmailova by Dmitry Shostakovich and Orfey (Orpheus) Chamber Orchestra from the town of Pernik with conductor Raytcho Hristov for its 40th anniversary. The Lifetime Achievement Award went to choral conductor Prof. Stoyan Kralev. The prize for an Exclusive Contribution into Bulgarian Culture went to mezzosoprano Christina Angelakova, one of the divas of Bulgarian opera, an internationally acclaimed singer.

English Daniela Konstantinova