<virtu4What is our country most commonly related to? To the astonishing nature, the Bulgarian hospitality, the oil – giving rose or the yogurt. May be to all these, but also to one other thing – the virtuous music, based on the Bulgarian rhythms. Names like Ivo Papazov – Ibryama, Petar Ralchev, Georgi Yanev, Nasko Stoev and the “Trakiya”, “Orphei” and “Kristal” orchestras have been agitating the world with their music for a long time now. The thing that unites them is the Thracian folklore which lies in the ground of their musical interpretations. For the first time in 20 years the incredible talents shared one stage in a mega concert under the motto The Bulgarian Virtuosos and more than three thousand people danced and applauded them it the hall in the city of Plovdiv. Fans of the Bulgarian folklore music from France, Austria, Belgium and Turkey could be seen among the audience. At the end of the amazing five – hour show after having been captured for a long time by the native rhythms they too became part of the improvised horo (a Bulgarian folk dance) in the hall.
The idea for the concert belongs to the businessman Dimitar Konsulov who shared with us that as an owner of a Bulgarian company counts on the Bulgarian folklore which we have the duty to preserve.
The biography of each of the performers in the Bulgarian Virtuosos concert is a proof of the fact that our national music has won an honourable place in the world’s music heritage.

Ivo Papazov – Ibryama, famous as the “golden clarinet” became internationally popular for the virtuosity with which he turns the traditional local wedding music into a jazz phenomenon. Ibryama plays all across the world in cooperation with the best jazzmen on the planet like Milcho Leviev, John Griffin, Hector Zazu, Okai Teniz, Glen Velez, Kepa Yunkera, Arild Andersen, Kalman Balok, Iva Bitova, Sergei Starostin. In 2005 he won the audience award in the prestigious BBC World Music Awards and dedicates it to his compatriots. Everything that can make someone fall in love – passion, lyricism, wild waves of variegated sounds and beautiful melodies, improvisations where the thousands of musical ornaments are masterly intertwined seems to be gathered in his music.

Georgi Yanev is popular for the virtuosity and passion that he plays with. The musical expert Terry van Roy himself invites Georgi Yanev and his orchestra “Orpheus” to play at the gala – concert for the tenth anniversary of the “Yehudi Menuhin” foundation. The invitations to the musician keep constantly coming – Belgium, Austria, France, Germany. The Bulgarian emigrants often turn to him at their holydays. The Dionysian character of his music blows the stage up and turns the concerts into real national celebrations.

Petar Ralchev is a distinguished virtuous not only in the national music but also in the classical music field. Together with the violin player Georgi Yanev he is among the founders of the “Orpheus” orchestra. His performance skills are highly appreciated in Europe and North America and Francois Billard and Didier Roussin include him in the book “The History of the Accordion” published in France in 1991.
Petar Ralchev develops his own style with the accordion that leaves a mark on all orchestras that he has played in. In it the modern contemporary trends in the Bulgarian national music took shape without contradicting to the folklore traditions.

Atanas Stoev is a founder and leader of “Kanarite” orchestra, author and composer of a lot of hits. The “Kanarite” orchestra has been one of the most popular formations in Bulgaria for more than 30 years now. Their songs create holyday atmosphere, bring us back to the Bulgarian roots teach generations of Bulgarians to love their home land and to be proud of our unique and distinctive music. The orchestra has performed in countries like France, Greece, Macedonia, Israel, Cyprus, Egypt etc. and has won three awards from the playing competitions in Stambolovo.

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