April 14, 2021 /Thursday/  

18.30 hours      Hall “M-ro G.Atanasov

                                                Conductor: Grigor Palikarov                                             

Soloist:  Nadejda Tsanova – piano

Featuring:    Evgenia Ralcheva                                  Monica Zasheva                    Momchil Karaivanov                           Lyuben Baichinski

Ivan Spasov Chamber Choir – Plovdiv with conductor Gergana Lyutskanova – Petrova 

Program:

J. Brahms – Serenade № 1, op. 11

L. van Beethoven – Fantasy for piano, vocal soloists, mixed chorus, and orchestra, Op. 80,

Grigor Palikarov (born in 1971 in Plovdiv) graduated the National School of Music and Dance Art “Dobrin Petkov” – Plovdiv with the specialty of piano with excellent grades and golden badge award in 1990 and then he graduated the Music Academy “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” in Sofia with Master’s degrees in four majors: Opera and Symphony Conducting under Acad. V. Kazandzhiev and Prov. Iv. Vulpe; Composition under Prof. D. Tapkov, Piano – under Prof. Kr. Taskov and Choir Conducting under Prof. St. Kralev. He specialized in Composition within two summer courses in Austria with Prof. Erich Urbaner from Vienna University of Musical and Performing Arts.

His debut at the opera stage was when he was still a student (at the age of 22) and conducted Rigoletto in the opera theatres in Pleven and Stara Zagora.

His professional career as a conductor began in the Symphonic Orchestra of the Bulgarian Army Ensemble (1995 – 1997) and from 1997 to 1999 he was Chief Conductor of the Ensemble. In the meantime, he also took the position of conductor and chief artistic director of the renowned Youth Philharmonic “Pioneer” (1998 – 2003). His debut at the National Opera and Ballet Theatre – Sofia was in 1998 when he conducted a Gala Concerto of Gena Dimitrova by her personal request. Since 2001 he was appointed fulltime conductor of the opera and currently his repertoire includes more than 55 opera and ballet works. Since season 2005-2006 Grigor Palikarov is also the Chief Artistic Director and Conductor of the Symphonic-Opera Society at the National Music Academy “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” – Sofia.

At present, Grigor Palikarov is a frequent visiting conductor of a number of orchestras and opera theatres among which are: Symphonic Orchestra of the Bulgarian National Radio, Classic FM Orchestra – Sofia, of which he is also a permanent conductor since season 2008-2009, Sofia Philharmonic, Festival Orchestra – Sofia, the national Operas in Plovdiv, Burgas, Varna, Ruse and Stara Zagora, the Pleven Philharmonic, etc. A special place among his multiple conducting performances is occupied by the numerous studio records of various works with the Symphonic Orchestra of the Bulgarian National Radio, along with his participations in prestigious national and international music festivals such as Sofia Music Weeks, March Music Days, Laureate Days “Katya Popova” – Pleven, Austrian Music Weeks, New Bulgarian Music, Winter Music Evenings – Pazardzhik, Opera and Ballet Festival – Varna, Contemporary Music Festival – Pula, Croatia, May Opera Nights – Skopje, Macedonia, Dyuni Festival – Matera, Italy, etc. In October 2014, Grigor Palikarov had two concertos with the orchestra of Classic FM Radio at the prestigious Alte Oper (Frankfurt am Mein) from the programme of the festival of European Culture Days organized by the European Central Bank.

Grigor Palikarov regularly performs abroad in countries like Germany, Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxemburg, Russia, the USA, Slovenia, Greece, Poland, the Ukraine,  Taiwan, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Portugal, Mexico, Korea, Japan, Uruguay, etc. He has conducted the Royal Belgian Philharmonic – Brussels, the national Opera and Ballet – Ljubljana, Vienna Chamber Ensemble “New Tone”, Century Symphonic Orchestra – Taipei,   Cleveland Opera – the USA where his debut was marked as one of the most important music events for 2009 in the state of Ohio, the Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet – Russia, Yanacek Philharmonic – Czech Republic, Czestohowa Philharmonic and Varmino-Masuric Philharmonic – Poland, Symphonic Orchestra – Bari, national Orchestra (SODRE) and the National Choir of Uruguay, Magna Grecia Orchestra – Italy, Dnepropetrovsk Philharmonic, Yucatan Symphonic Orchestra and Monterey Symphonic Orchestra – Mexico, Thessaloniki Symphonic Orchestra, and many others.

Along with his activity as a conductor, Grigor Palikarov composes, performs in concerto playing the piano and teaches at the National Music Academy “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” where he successfully pursued his Ph.D. degree in Music Studies and Music Art in 2017. Some of his works are being performed at a number of festivals and have been recorded many times. He has won many national and international awards for his successful performance as a composer and pianist at the competitions “Svetosalv Obretenov”, “Albert Roussel”, The Music of the Earth, etc. Three-time laureate of the prestigious award Crystal Lyre of the Union of Bulgarian Musicians and Dancers – 2002, 2012, and 2017, as well as of the ward the Golden Feather. Within two mandates, Grigor Palikarov has been the Chair of Mensa-Bulgaria –  the branch of the worldwide organization of people with high IQ.

Nadejda Tsanova

Nadejda Tsanova started playing the piano at the age of five, and at the age of six she joined Elena Yuliyanova as a student. In 2005 was admitted to the National Music Academy “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” in the class of Professor Stella Dimitrova-Maystorova and Prof. Iliya Chernaev. During hers studies she made hers first tour in Europe, visiting Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Bratislava and the Czech Republic. She became a scholarship holder of the “Todoroff”, “Globul M3 Communications” and “Solty foundation” foundations. In 2011 Nadejda Tsanova graduated with a master’s degree in piano and began specialization at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels, Belgium under the guidance of Prof. Boyan Vodenicharov. At the same time she graduated from the “Schola Cantorum” in Paris, where she received the highest award for concert pianist – “Diploma Di Concert”. In 2013 won first prize at the international competition for pianists in Paris “Flame”. This award marks the beginning of an international concert career. She has toured internationally in Japan, China, Spain, Portugal, Austria and Germany. She received invitations to solo with the Kharkov Symphony Orchestras – Ukraine, Tokyo – Japan, Illinois – Chicago – USA, Adana – Turkey, Regensburg – Germany, the Salzburg Soloists Chamber Orchestra – Austria, the Bulgarian National Radio Orchestra and the Sofia Film Orchestra. Followed by international awards from the competition “Mayenne” – France, “Treviso” – Italy and “Debut Berlin” – Germany. She gives solo recitals in Italy, Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Japan, China, USA and others. Together with the trumpet player Petar Makedonski she realized an extremely successful duo, which in a short period of time won 5 awards from national and international competitions. The duo also won the BNR “Musician of the Year” award in the “Ensemble” category for 2017.  Nadejda Tsanova has an extremely diverse repertoire, not only as a soloist but also as a chamber musician. Participates in TV shows and records for the Bulgarian National Radio.

Evgenia Ralcheva

Evgenia Ralcheva was born in the city of Plovdiv. She studied with the world-famous mezzo-soprano Alexandrina Milcheva and graduated from her Sakra Academy. In the period 2006-2008 is a soloist of the State Opera Ruse, and in 2009 won second prize and a silver medal at the International Opera Competition “Boris Hristov”. From 2014 until today he is a soloist of the State Opera – Plovdiv. In 2015 he received the “Crystal Lyre”, and in 2016 – the prestigious award “Plovdiv” in the Music section. Participates in a number of festivals such as “Sofia Music Weeks”, “Days of Music in Balabanov House”, “Filipi”, “March Music Days”, “Apollonia” and others.

Monica Zasheva

Monika Zasheva graduated from the National Academy of Music “Prof. P. Vladigerov ”with a master’s degree in opera singing in the class of Gabriela Georgieva in 2021. Lauerat is in various competitions, including the international competition for young opera singers” Gena Dimitrova “- Pleven, 2021, the competition” Fr. Schubert “- Ruse,” Russian Romance “,” Omega Opera Stars “and the Academic Competition” J. Verdi “- Sofia. He is a participant in many master classes of Krassimira Stoyanova, Orlin Anastasov, Veselina Katsarova and others.

Momchil Karaivanov

He studied classical singing with Claudi Kaludov and participated in the master classes of Raina Kabaivanska, Kaludi Kaludov and others. In 2004 he became a soloist at the Sofia Opera, and later, after moving to Italy, he continued working with the famous vocal pedagogue and conductor of the Roman Opera Maestro Sergio Oliva. Throughout his career (for 25 years) he has accumulated a repertoire of more than 30 leading roles and presented them on stages throughout Europe, America / USA / and Asia / Japan and China /. In Bulgaria he performs on the stages of all opera houses and festivals, and is currently a full-time soloist at the State Opera – Plovdiv.

Lyuben Baichinski

Lyuben Baichinski was born in 1992. She graduated from the National Music Academy in the class of Svilen Raichev and Gabriela Georgieva in the academic year 2020-2021. He is a winner of a number of international competitions, including the Balkan Romance Festival, Omega Opera Concerts, Art Stars – Varna. Participant in many master classes with prominent Bulgarian and foreign performers, including Krassimira Stoyanova, BIOA (Bologna), Boris Hristov Academy (Rome) and others.

Ivan Spasov Chamber Choir

Ivan Spasov Chamber Choir was established in 1979 as the Plovdiv Youth Chamber Choir by Assoc. Prof. Nikola Lipov. The choir has a rich history behind it. He has repeatedly participated in prestigious national festivals such as “Panorama of Bulgarian Choral Art” – Sofia, “Golden Diana” – Yambol, “Winter Music Evenings” – Pazardzhik, “New Bulgarian Music” – Sofia, Church Music Festival “Praise the Name of God” – Sofia, Festival of Orthodox Music “Holy Mother of God – Eat Worthily” – Pomorie, the Festival of Spiritual Music “St. Petka” – Gabrovo, etc. He performs concert tours in almost all of Europe – Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Greece, Macedonia, Poland, Russia, Romania. He has won numerous awards at various international festivals and competitions. Since 1999 the choir is named after the famous Bulgarian composer and conductor Prof. Ivan Spasov.

Gergana Lyutskanova – Petrova

Gergana Lyutskanova – Petrova graduated from the Academy of Music and Dance in Plovdiv in 1998. She studied conducting with Assoc. Prof. Krikor Chetinyan and Chief Assistant. Dimitar Grigorov. Later she specialized in choral conducting with Assoc. Prof. Nikola Lipov. Since 1998 To this day, she leads people at the St. Petka Church in the city of Plovdiv, with which she not only regularly participates in the church services, but also performs on the concert podium. In the period from 1998 to 2000. is a choirmaster and conductor in the Plovdiv Singing Society “Angel Bukoreshtliev”. Since 2000 Gergana Lyutskanova-Petrova has been the conductor of the Ivan Spasov Chamber Choir. In 2014 she received an award for conducting skills from SBMTD at the International Choir Festival “Black Sea Sounds” – Balchik.

April 21, 2021 /Thursday/  

18.30 hours      Hall “M-ro G.Atanasov

Conductor: Adam Klocek /Poland/

Soloist:  August-Alexander Pavlov – cello

Program:

Antonín Dvořák – Cello Concerto in B minor, Op.104

Johannes Brahms – Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73

Adam Klocek

Adam Klocek studied in Cologne and in Berlin in B. Pergamenschikov’s class. He is the winner of international competitions, among others in Cologne, Munich and New York. He plays the cello constructed by Antonio Stradivari in 1717. The artist released three records and recorded for TV and radio stations throughout Europe. He gives many concerts in European countries as well as in Asia and America. He was invited as a guest to a cello symposium in Essen with participation of Mścisław Rostropowicz. The artist’s position on international music market was confirmed by putting his name on the prestigious list “Ten Top Cellists 2000” published by the magazine “Bow&String”.

Adam Klocek is also a prominent conductor. Nowadays he is General Manager and Chief – conductor of the Kalisz Philharmonic Orchestra (Poland). The orchestra under his baton won a Grammy Award in 2014. He is also Artistic Manager and conductor of Czestochowa Philharmonic orchestra – Poland and guest-conductor of many orchestras all over the world.