On 23 and 24 November, in Narva and Tallinn, the Narva City Symphony Orchestra (Narva Linna Sümfooniaorkester) under chief conductor Anatoli Shchura presents an intriguing programme featuring works by Mozart, Alfred Schnittke, and Bulgarian composer Aleksandra Karastoyanova-Hermentin.

A dialogue between classical tradition and contemporary voice opens with Mozart’s Piano Concerto in E-flat major “Jeunehomme”, performed by Bulgarian pianist Nadejda Tzanova. It is followed by the newly written “Vualles”, a piece for piano and orchestra by Alexandra Karastoyanova-Hermentin – a prominent figure in the European musical avant-garde. Having been based in Austria for decades, Karastoyanova-Hermentin was awarded the Großer Kunstpreis des Landes Salzburg last year, the city’s highest cultural honour.

• Alexandra Karastoyanova-Hermentin is among the contemporary composers of world renown

The concerts form part of the Evgeny Mravinsky International Music Festival, founded in Narva in 1995 in memory of the legendary Russian conductor, who had close ties with Estonia during his lifetime.

In a special interview for Radio Bulgaria, Nadejda Tzanova speaks warmly about her affinity for contemporary Bulgarian composers:

‘I’m a pianist who plays the standard repertoire, as well as all kinds of other music. Over the past seven or eight years, however, I’ve also started performing contemporary Bulgarian works. It wasn’t a conscious decision; it just happened quite naturally.

First of all, I studied with Prof. Stella Dimitrova-Maistorova, who is an outstanding interpreter of contemporary Bulgarian music – and that, of course, influenced me. In fact, the very first piece by a contemporary Bulgarian composer that I ever performed was by the same artist that I will be performing with in Estonia, Aleksandra Karastoyanova-Hermentin. When I was in my second year at the conservatoire, Prof. Dimitrova gave me her first piece for piano and orchestra, which I performed with Grigor Palikarov and the Pazardzhik Symphony Orchestra.

There is something else as well. I was incredibly fortunate to spend my student years living in the home of the composer Georgi Tutev. His wife, the actress Mara Chapanova, opened their home to me. During the years I lived there in Sofia, there were always conversations about Bulgarian composers. I learned so much about Konstantin Iliev, Georgi Tutev, Lazar Nikolov, and the conductor Dobrin Petkov. The environment I lived in – the very air – was infused with this music.

When asked about her experience with contemporary Bulgarian composers, Tzanova says:

'I believe every Bulgarian performer should engage with this style because we have exceptional composers who unfortunately are not presented often enough. The reality in Bulgaria today is that audiences are not taught how to listen to this kind of music, which is a shame. I think Bulgarian audiences need more education. The music is challenging, it's true, and not for everyone, but with the right guidance and educational focus, this can change."

At the concerts in Estonia, Alexandra Karastoyanova-Hermentin will introduce excerpts from her new piano concerto herself. Its Bulgarian premiere is scheduled for 2026, with Nadejda Tzanova as the soloist.

Over the next few months, Tzanova will also be recording a new album featuring both of Dmitri Shostakovich’s piano concertos, as well as Virtuoso Movements for piano and string orchestra by Vasil Kazandjiev.

'I’ve often spoken about the artistic connection between these two composers, and it seemed a very natural idea to bring them together on one recording. And let’s not forget that next year, when the album is released, we will be marking 120 years since Shostakovich’s birth,” she tells Radio Bulgaria.

She is heading into a busy season. Throughout 2026, she will give numerous concerts in Bulgaria and abroad, performing chamber music and solo pieces, collaborating with cellist Alexander Somov and violist Rumen Tsvetkov, and giving masterclasses. She is particularly excited about a special Richard Strauss project that she is preparing with the Vratsa Symphony Orchestra.