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Georgi Andreev presents a collection of folk songs from Thrace

Photo: Bozhidar Cholakov

The collection "Selected songs from Kichka Savova’s repertoire" presents 20 ‎emblematic examples of Thracian folklore, performed by the famous Bulgarian folk singer ‎during her lifetime. The publication will be distributed free of charge in ‎Bulgaria - in educational institutions where Bulgarian folk music is studied. ‎

The edition has been published thanks to the Kichka Savova Foundation ‎whose main mission is to support young participants in the annual ‎International Folklore Festival "With the songs of Kichka Savova" not only ‎during the competition, but also in their further development. The songs have been ‎arranged for voice and piano by Georgi Andreev, director of the Philip Koutev National Folk ‎Ensemble. ‎

The composer will present the collection on June 18 at 1 p.m. in the hall of the ‎Trakia Folklore Ensemble in Plovdiv, immediately before the closing concert of ‎the participants in the master class, led by Darina Slavcheva. Darina is a soloist of Trakia Folklore ensemble, a teacher of folk singing at ‎the National Academy of Music Prof. Pancho Vladigerov and, above all, one ‎of Kichka Savova’s most talented students. ‎
The master class, which she holds for the third year in a row, is for laureates ‎of the international folklore festival named after Kichka Savova. The event ‎dedicated to the work of the folk singer, who left a bright mark with her rich ‎repertoire and her unreserved dedication to the Thracian folklore tradition, this ‎year took place in the second half of May. 

Among the laureates included in the master class are: Victoria ‎Taneva, Teodora Evtimova, Maria Hristova, Plamena Manolova, Blagovesta ‎Georgieva, Yehaya Dimitrova, Nevena Koleva and Maria Kancheva. After the ‎presentation of the collection, the gifted children will perform their gala ‎concert, which traditionally ends the master class.‎

Kichka Savova was born in 1934 in the village of Sladun near Svilengrad. She passed away in 2018, leaving behind dozens of recordings and collections of folk songs she sought out. As already mentioned, she also left a number of followers, students, admirers, as well as a folklore festival in her name, held in her native village, where in 2020 a commemorative plaque was placed.

The song "Chula sam, lyube, razbrala" ("I've heard, my love, I've understood") is a beautifully told timeless story - about the impossible love of two young people madly in love.

"I heard, my love, I understood that your mother does not want me.
She wants to separate us.
We will part easily, but we will hardly forget each other..." sings Kichka Savova.


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Translated and published by Rositsa Petkova



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