The Bulgarian National Radio’s Folk Music Orchestra is entering its 8^th decade with a concert, tonight, 19 October, at 7 PM at the BNR’s Studio No. 1.

The musicians and their conductor Dimitar Hristov, will present a programme with two highlights – premiere performances and the superb soloists who took part in the recordings by the orchestra during the past season.

Here is Kristiyan Nikolov, folk music producer at the BNR, with more, in an interview with Radio Bulgaria:

“A magnificent programme for the opening concert of the Folk Music Orchestra! As is the tradition, we invite some of the most vivid soloists from the previous music recording season. the repertoire will be interesting and to a great extent unfamiliar – with original music and folklore from several folklore regions. There will be a debut soloist from the orchestra as well – with young kaval player Georgi Dobrev making his debut as third kaval.”

The 71^st season of the BNR’s Folk Music Orchestra will feature various events.

A concert on 7 December will mark the 80^th birthday of Hristofor Radanov, who was conductor of the orchestra for twenty years and left his mark on the work of the orchestra. “Secrets of the Bulgarian instruments” will present the tambura. In the past decade the jewel in the crown of the orchestra’s programme has been “The rhythm of the Balkans” – this time honouring the ladies in the music of the Balkans. “Music in portraits” will present three soloists – even though they have earned world renown this is the first time some of them will be performing on this stage.

“This year we have invited a family who have lived outside Bulgaria for a long time – kaval player Dimitar Karamitev and singer Magdalena Todorova will be guest performing their own songs and instrumental compositions. The third soloist we have invited does not live in Bulgaria either – he lives in France and is very well known abroad – gadulka player Dimitar Gugov who plays with Violons Barbares – a very interesting ethno-rock formation that blends Mongolian, Bulgarian and French culture. Dimitar Gugov is a phenomenal gadulka player – we shall see him for the first time with the BNR’s Folk Music Orchestra,” Kristiyan Nikolov says further.