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Conductor
Prof. Kostadin Buradzhiev, Ph.D.
The Conductor
Prof. Kostadin Buradzhiev, Ph.D. was born in the city of Plovdiv. His first creative period (1983-2000) is connected with the ensemble “Dobrudzha” – Dobrich, of which he was a long-time conductor and Chief Artistic Director. With the ensemble he performed over 1000 concerts in Bulgaria and many countries in the world, including Germany, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Russia, China, Thailand, Laos, etc. With the ensemble’s choir and orchestra he has released four vinyl records, six CDs – “Prisastvie”, “Pesni i hora ot Dobrudzha”, “Dobrudzhanska troyka”, “Pesen i obich”, “Magicheski glasove ot Bulgaria” 1 and 2 (released by SABAM – Belgium), which include his own compositions and arrangements.
His second creative period (2001-2023) was at AMDFA “Prof. Assen Diamandiev” – Plovdiv, where he was a lecturer in conducting folklore ensembles and was the conductor of the Academic Student Folk Choir, with which he won worldwide fame as a conductor – “World Choir Champion” (2008), winner of the Grand Prix for choral music (2011) and many other national and world awards. He has released 5 CDs with the choir – “Bulgarski folklorni horovi shedyovri”; “Live in Concert”; “Magiyata”; “Akademichen naroden hor” – a double CD album with folk works by the most famous Bulgarian composers.
The third creative period began in 2023 and with the creation of the Academic Folk Choir®, with which he has already toured Paris and released the CD “Gospodi, spasi” with ordoxical chants by Bulgarian and Russian composers.
In recognition of his contribution to Bulgarian choral art and culture he has received numerous prestigious national awards.
Awards and Honours
For his artistic work he has received the highest state and international honors and awards, including:
- Winner of the 10th World Youth Festival in Berlin (1973);
- 1st Prize at the Young Musician Competition in Chirpan in 1977 and 3rd Prize in 1982;
- “Silver Lyre” of the SBMTD (1989);
- “Golden Lyre” of SBMTD (1994, 1999);
- 4 first prizes at the International Festival “The World in Music” in Italy (1998): in the categories “People’s Choir”, “People’s Orchestra”, “People’s Ensemble” (up to 16 participants), “People’s Ensemble” (over 16 participants);
- 1st prize at the “Folk Orchestras Overplaying” in Silistra, 1995;
- Award for Musician of the Year in Dobrich.
- Gold Medal in the category “Folklore” at the World Choir Games (WCG) in Graz, Austria, 2008.
- Honorary Plaque and Honorary Diploma of the Ministry of Culture for high contribution to the development of Bulgarian culture, 2010.
- National Music Award “Crystal Lyra” of the SBMTD, Ministry of Culture and Radio FM+, 2014.
- Champion of the Grand Prix of Choral Music, Graz, Austria, 2011.
- “Nestinarka” Award at the International Folklore Festival in Burgas (2019).
The conductor and the choir received the greatest recognition for their high professionalism at the 5th Choir Olympiad in Graz, Austria in 2008, winning the “Gold Medal” and the title “World Champion” in the category “Folklore”. For this success they were awarded the national music prize “Crystal Lyre” and “Crystal Necklace” of the Union of Bulgarian Music and Dance Artists, the Ministry of Culture and Radio FM+.
Prof. Kostadin Buradzhiev and the Academic Folk Choir were also awarded with Honorary Diplomas of the Ministry of Culture for high contribution to the development of Bulgarian culture in 2010 and 2023, the Plaque “St. St. John of God” and the “St. John of God” Award.
The choir, under the conductorship of prof. Buradjiev, was awarded the Grand Prix for choral music in 2011 in Graz, Austria.
Discography
