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Plovdiv’s fame as the cultural capital of Bulgaria deservedly continues to spread throughout Bulgaria and the world. This time the occasion for this was the festival “Folklore Choral Art Festival – 2024”, the first edition of which took place last weekend in Plovdiv and brought together on one stage ensembles such as: Folk Choir at NUMTI “Dobrin Petkov” – Plovdiv with conductor Yavor Taskov, Ladies Formation Da Capo – Lovech at Academy “Musical World” with conductor Dorothea Dinkova, People’s Choir at NUFI “Shiroka Luka” with conductor Gancho Gavazov, Quartet “Svetoglas – the sacrament of Bulgarian polyphony” with conductor Milen Ivanov and, of course, Academic People’s Choir with conductor Kostadin Buradzhiev. The performances were greeted by the thunderous applause of the large audience who came especially to the Small Basilica from Philippopolis to enjoy the performances.
Maestro Kostadin Buradzhiev, long-time conductor of the Academic Folk Choir, was the organizer of the event. We talked to him about how the idea of creating such a forum was born and what the last year has been like for the Academic Folk Choir.
– Maestro, I am very glad for the opportunity to talk about the Festival of Folk Choral Art, which took place very successfully in the Small Basilica of Philippopolis. Could you tell us how the idea of organizing them was born?
– The idea is actually not “from yesterday”, but I have been thinking about it for several years. I wanted to make a forum where the great Bulgarian choirs could come together on one stage and show their creativity.
Last year I created the Folklore and Contemporary Association and I wanted it to start its activities. It is true that under the umbrella of the same organisation the Academic Folk Choir, which I lead, is developing, but I wanted to develop something else. And it was the forum in question that I decided to change from the original idea and turn into a Festival of Folk Choral Art.
I left the event open to folk and schola choirs, with the proviso that they enter with a programme built on folk song engagements. The aim is to perform folk song, to communicate the names of the composers, and the event will give the various formations and their conductors an opportunity to meet and share their creative insight into the notes of their respective works. It is only at such meetings that one can get an impression of what is going on in the different parts of the country and how the conductor there, for example, works with the score and the formation he is leading.
Over the past three days, the performance of the formations was really impressive and they really tried to present the best in terms of the quality of the reading of the scores. And the audience also had the opportunity to experience the work of these ensembles.
– And what value does such an event bring to the cultural development of Plovdiv?
– When I was working on the organization of the event, this issue did not concern me so much. But already on the closing night I received several requests from different collectives from several cities who already wanted to participate in the next edition. That’s how I found out that this event already has a national response and has spread the fame of our Plovdiv everywhere. After all, it is a cultural event that gives the ensembles the opportunity, in addition to participating in the forum, to see the sights of the city, which contributes more or less to its economy.
– And what is the history of the Academic Folk Choir that you conduct?
– On 1 September last year I was retired under the Higher Education Act and surprisingly for me the leadership of the Academic Folk Choir, with which I had worked for over 20 years, was taken away. I have achieved great success with the choir over the years and have become known as its conductor. And here I would like to emphasize that the name Academic Folk Choir has been patented by me and a logo has been created. The word “academic” does not mean that the choir belongs to a particular educational institution, but indicates a mark of high level that continues academic traditions. The present Student Folk Choir, which remained after my departure, is its successor, and the successes it boasts are due to my personal work.
When the events surrounding my retirement took place, we were due to take part in a tour of Paris, but as soon as I announced that I was no longer conducting, the French declined the choir’s participation. However, the organizers were very keen on my personal participation and gave me the opportunity to join, provided I could get a formation together. And I was able to make it very quickly with my former students and friends. Here I would like to express my gratitude to Mrs. Elena Radeva, who invited us to Paris and thus trusted us.
On 28 October last year, with the support of the secretary of the Aleko Konstantinov Community Centre, Mrs. Anahid Parsehyan, who provided us with a rehearsal space, we started working hard. In a very short time we prepared two one-hour programs, one with orthodox music and the other with folk music.
– And how did the idea of releasing the first album of the Academic Folk Choir come about?
– When we came back from the Paris tour I just suggested to the formation girls that we register the orthodox program. And that’s actually how the album came about.
We have already had concerts during which we presented the CD, we participated with the formation in the National Crystal Lyre Awards, and very soon we will also participate in the “Religion Today” program on BNT 1. The formation works actively with rehearsals three times a week and we are already in the pre-recording period for the next CD, which will be with folk music.
