Rusanka Komitova - one of the velvet voices of Thrace, a historic and geographical area in southeast Europe, fell in love with music at the age of six when the day in her hometown Novi Pazar started with the Bulgarian National Radio's folk music early morning show. Her experience in music started with a school choir and continued with an amateur folk choir in Targovishte. Her father was a rebec player with the “Mizia” ensemble in the same town. She met the most important people in her life and in her career at the National School of Folk Arts “Philip Kutev” in Kotel, where she studied the rebec. Later, her teachers Asen Vasilev and Rusi Staykov helped her develop as a singer. Musicians that were to make a name for themselves in folklore like - Zhechka Slaninkova, Dimitar Bogdanov, Vanya Dzhenezova etc. - were also at the school at that time. They helped her create a style of her own. Komitova's interest in different areas of folk music and her experience in rebec playing was what moulded Rusanka's individuality as a singer. Exactly this and her experience as a rebec player helped her develop her own style as a singer. Her performances are a blend of well-balanced embellishments from Strandzha and Thracian folklore with an instrumental flavour. It is something that comes to her naturally, because it comes from her heart. From this passion the first original songs were born. As time went by, her whole repertoire was to consist entirely of songs she wrote herself. Her work with one of the most colourful wedding orchestras - “Yambol”, together with her husband Yanko Komitov, helped her develop her talent. Though she gave up being a wedding singer a long time ago, people still say she is one of the very best in the field.

 “I created my first song in Kotel when I was still at school,” Rusanka says. “The second one convinced me that I can use my personal experience as an inspiration for my songs. I write the lyrics, edit the words and sing them. I have recorded 9 songs at the Bulgarian National Radio. We recorded them with the Folk Music Orchestra with conductor Hristofor Radanov and producer Nevena Vozdolska (to whom I express my gratitude). One of the songs is “Pretty lass Rusana”, dedicated to my son. Most of my songs are about things I have experienced personally. There is another song that is devoted to my brother's family. The colleagues from the orchestra have helped me a lot. We did some wonderful work together. It was a unique experience, because we created the most beautiful, colourful music which showed up my own style.”

The song Rusanka Komitova dedicated to her brother, was performed recently at the concert “The Classics of Bulgarian Wedding Music” with the accompaniment of Bulgarian National Radio Folk Music Orchestra with conductor Dimitar Hristov. Rusanka has performed it after a long absence from the stage.

 “The symbolism of the concert transported me back to the time when wedding music was at its peak,” Rusanka says. “I came to realise that it was still very much alive; it was a great feeling. I have not been professionally engaged in this kind of work for 20 years now. I have not sung for so long… yet my legacy is still appreciated. Knowing you have contributed to somebody else's development as a singer and an instrumentalist is a vocation, a blessing. I am thankful to God. Let's hope that more talents will be discovered, more ideas will become a reality.”

 “There used to be so much music, so much Bulgarian folklore; oriental music was popular as well - they went hand in hand. Folk music orchestras played at weddings,” Rusanka says. “Distinct talents emerged like Ivo Papazov, Petar Raltchev, Georgi Yanev. Now the things are different. There are musicians trying to develop an individual style, but they are few and far between. It seems to me that now people are playing the same music. They take something already created, they change it a bit and it becomes something 'new'.”

Here is what Rusanka would advise contemporary musicians:

 “Do not put yourself in a frame that is not yours. What you should do is create your own painting, with nuances, beauty, something others could see through your eyes, listen to through your voice. Among the very best musicians are the kaval (flute) players Stoyan Velichkov, Nikola Ganchev, rebec player Atanas Valchev, acclaimed singers Yanka Taneva, Penka Pavlova, Komnya Stoyanova, Verka Siderova, Penka Pavlova, Kalinka Valcheva, Nedyalka Keranova… You, who are on stage now, have eminent performers you can take as role models. There can be no future without the past.”

English version: Atina Dimitrova