Pianist Ludmil Angelov is among the most famous contemporary Bulgarian musicians. He played at some of the most-prestigious world stages under the conductorship of the world’s greatest conductors. Ludmil Angelov graduated from the National School of Music Lyubomir Pipkov and the National Academy of Music Professor Pancho Vladigerov in Sofia. In the beginning of his brilliant career, he was awarded at the International Chopin Piano Competition in Poland, the Palm Beach International Competition in the USA, Piano Masters in Monte Carlo, World Piano Masters Tour in France, etc. His recordings were released by prestigious music companies and one of his albums containing pieces by Chopin received Grand Prix du Discue Chopin by the National Chopin Institute in Warsaw. In 2016 the British company Hyperion Records released a concerto for piano and orchestra Op. 3 by Moritz Moszkowski , recorded by the Bulgarian pianist with the BBC Orchestra in Glasgow under the conductorship of another Bulgarian – Vladimir Kiradjiev which was in fact the premiere of the piece.

Ludmil Angelov is an artistic director of the International Music Festival Piano Extravaganza, which is held each year in Bulgaria’s capital Sofia and is dedicated to rarely performed pieces from the piano repertoire. Ludmil holds a series of master classes in many countries, including at the New Bulgarian University in Sofia. On March 7, the world-renowned pianist will present four young performers.

This concert is the beginning of a new collaboration between City Mark Art Center and the New Bulgarian University. I have selected participants from my last year’s master class at the New Bulgarian University and remained true to the tradition to help some of the young musicians I work with. The programme we present on March 7 is very interesting and versatile. I will also join the concert with one or two pieces, but my main task is to say some words about each of the participants and present them to the audience. Maria Milanova and Alexander Tomov study at the National School of Music Lyubomir Pipkov. Slavcho Todorov studies at the National School of Arts Panayot Pipkov in Pleven and Dogac Bezdug is my student at the New Bulgarian University. I would like to say that despite their fragile age, these musicians have already demonstrated their skills and won a series of awards at international competitions. I am very happy that I work with them. That is why I gave them this opportunity. They have wonderful lecturers. Many talents are still born in Bulgaria, despite the difficult times we live in. This encourages me to work for their future careers in a very difficult profession.

Professor Angelov will hold several master classes this year. One of them is organized by the Chopin Institute. This is a special edition before the International Chopin Piano Competition where the celebrated Bulgarian pianist is part of the jury in the preliminary round. On March 25 and April 15 Ludmil Angelov will perform to the Bulgarian audience all pieces of the great Polish composer for piano and orchestra.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov