Current staff | 2007 | 2006 | 2005
Instrument Classes
Kaval
Temelko Ivanov was born in the city of
Burgas in 1976, has been playing kaval since he was 12 years
old. Temelko attended the Kotel Music High School from 1990-95,
after which he was accepted at the Academy of Music, Dance
and Fine Arts in Plovdiv. The following year he joined Ensemble
Trakia. Temelko completed his degree at the Academy
in Conducting Folk Orchestras, and Music Pedagogy. His mentors
and teachers were Georgi Penev and Lyuben Dossev. Today,
Temelko continues to work at Ensemble Trakia and
is mainly focusing on recording music and teaching younger
students.
Kolyu
Kostov was born in the village of Kamen Vrûh
in 1936, in the Yambol area of Thrace. From 1969 until his
retirement in 1997, Kolyu played kaval for Ensemble
Pirin in Blagoevgrad, accompanying the group on worldwide
tours. Kolyu is an exceptional kaval player with a keen
sense of humor. His style is purely Thracian even though
he played a lot of Macedonian music during his tenure with
Ensemble Pirin. After retirement, he returned
to his home village because he “felt very homesick,”
having spent his entire adult life away from his parents.
In 2002, Kolyu became a priest at the village church, so
now he is known as “Father Nikola.” He continues
to play and entertain his friends and people in his village.
Gaida
Georgi
Prisadov (Rhodope gaida) is the youngest
member of our instrumental staff. He was born on August
27, 1978 in Shiroka Lûka, in the Rhodope Mountains.
He is a graduate of the Shiroka Lûka Music High School.
From 1999 to 2004, Georgi studied at the Academy of Music,
Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv, where he is currently a
part-time teacher of Rhodope gaida.
Encho
Pashov (Thracian gaida) was born in the
village of Sinapovo, Strandzha region, in 1951. In 1976,
he graduated from the Music Academy in Plovdiv and between
1976 and 1980, Encho taught gaida at the Academy as a part
time faculty. At the same time, he was the featured gaida
soloist at the Trakia Ensemble. Throughout the
years, Encho has made multiple recordings with the National
Radio in Plovdiv and Sofia. Between 1989 and 2002, he taught
young Bulgarians in Moldova to play gaida and kaval. Currently,
Encho teaches gaida at the Lyuben Karavelov high
school in Plovdiv. He is also an instrument maker — makes
gaidas and kavals at a small studio in the Old Town near
the Academy in Plovdiv.
Kostadin
Stefanov Ilchev (Rhodope gaida) was born
in 1948 in the village of Stoikite, Smolyan region. He was
12 years old when he first started playing the gaida. Kostadin
was greatly influenced by the old masters as well as the
arrival of the "100 gaidas" phenomenon led by
Atanas Kapitanov. In 1969, he started playing at the State
Ensemble Rhodopa in Smolyan. Since 1972, he has
been making his own instruments, at first as hobby but later
on for younger players as well. Since 1978, Kostadin has
been the director of the gaida orchestra at the Youth
Ensemble in Smolyan. With that group, he has traveled
to many countries and played for appreciative audiences.
Kostadin has won four first prizes at the Koprivshtitsa
festival, as well as other awards. Over the years, he has
trained about 250 young gaida players. His grandson is playing
the Rhodope gaida and that makes Kostadin particularly proud.
Gûdulka
Todor Enchev Bakoev was born in the town
of Sliven in 1982. After his graduation from the Filip Kutev
Music High School in Kotel in 2001, he was accepted at the
Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv where he
began to establish his musical career. Before he finished
his first year at the Academy, Todor took a position with
the Academy folk orchestra. After that, he became a part
of the Instrumental Quintet of the Academy and traveled
a great deal throughout Bulgaria and abroad with that group.
In 2006, Todor received the Honorary Seal of the President
of the Republic. He obtained a Master’s degree in Instrumental
Art and retained a permanent position with the Academy's
folk orchestra.
Rangel Karakitukov was born in 1944
in Panicheri, in the Plovdiv region of Thrace. After completing
8th grade in his native village, Rangel moved to Plovdiv
to attend the Carpentry School, majoring in Instrument Making
and Care. He learned to make many types of stringed instruments,
including violin, cello, acoustic bass, and guitar. During
this time, he also purchased a gûdulka from a friend
and taught himself to play by repeating the music he heard.
He then auditioned for Kosta Kolev’s band at Radio Sofia
and that began his professional career as a gûdulka
player. Throughout his life, Rangel has been making and
repairing gûdulkas. He continues to play in studio
recordings with Lyuben Dossev.
Tambura
Vladimir Vladimirov was born in Stara
Zagora, Thrace, in 1975. He graduated as a tambura major
from the Filip Kutev Music High School in Kotel. In 2000,
he completed his Bachelor’s degree at the Academy of Music,
Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv. Vladimir began teaching
tambura part-time in 2002; he has been working as a teaching
assistant at the Academy since 2004.
Ignat
Kukov was born in 1934 in the village of Chernogorovo,
in the Pazardzhik region of Western Thrace. Ignat is the
oldest tambura player in the entire area around Plovdiv,
as well as the most respected. When he was a boy, he learned
how to play the tambura from his father. He worked for many
years with the Assen Diamandiev Orchestra and the Orchestra
of Radio Plovdiv. Ignat has played for recordings for all
the folk singers of the region. He founded the prominent
Srednogorska Troyka (The Trio from Srednogorie)
in 1971. Although he’s now retired, Ignat spends a
lot of time among young musicians. He has made multiple
recordings at Radio Plovdiv and National Radio Sofia with
his son, Sotko Kukov, who studied tambura at the Academy
of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv.
Tûpan
Assen Musov is a Plovdiv native.
Born in 1939, Assen began his folk career as a dancer and
drum player (tupan and tarambuka/dumbek) in 1959 at the
Ensemble of the Army, in Sofia. From 1975 to 1985, Assen
performed with Ensemble Trakia in Plovdiv. Today, Assen
plays with the newly founded Ensemble Bûlgare. He
has also played with the most popular groups in the Thracian
region, and toured with the famous choir, The Mystery of
Bulgarian Voices, throughout Europe, and in India, Mexico,
Columbia, Iran, Algeria and many other countries. Assen
is equally well known for his virtuoso tupan playing and
for his fun-loving and outgoing personality.
Instrument Program Coordinator: Lyuben Dossev
Lyuben Dossev was born in
Pleven, North Bulgaria, in 1953. Following in the footsteps
of his father Tsvetan Dossev, the kaval player for Severnyashki
Ensemble, Lyuben started to play the kaval as a small
child. As early as the 7th grade, he was recruited by youth
folk camps to teach kaval to younger children. After Lyuben
graduated from the Pleven Music High School, he moved to
Plovdiv to attend the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts.
During this time, he was one of the founders of the vocational
music high school in the town of Shiroka Lûka in the
Rhodope mountains, the first of its kind in Bulgaria. Lyuben
received his Bachelors degree from the Academy, and has
been teaching there ever since; he later went on to earn
his Doctorate degree from the Academy. He has taught nearly
all of the current generation of Bulgaria’s most well
known kaval players and has been a mentor for many young
musicians, as well as colleagues at the Academy. In 2004,
Lyuben was elected Dean of the Department of Music Folklore,
Choreography and Arts, at the Academy. For the past 10 years,
he has taught numerous times at folk camps in the USA and
is proud to be the Program Director for the Folk Music &
Dance Seminar again this year.
Singing Classes
Thrace
Tanya Dosseva was born in 1954 in Sinapovo,
Strandzha region, in Eastern Thrace. Tanya’s first singing
experiences date back to her early childhood performances
at village fairs, celebrations and competitions where she
often moved the audience to tears with her sad slow songs
and beautiful voice. Tanya graduated from the Academy of
Music, Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv in 1977 and was immediately
hired as a teacher at the Shiroka Lûka Music High
School; she was simultaneously appointed a soloist for the
Academy’s Folk Choir, a position that she held for
11 years. Throughout her singing career, Tanya has performed
at many prestigious venues in Bulgaria and Europe; she now
sings with one of the most popular wedding bands in the
country, Konushenska Grupa. In the summers of 2000
and 2001, Tanya taught at the East European Folklife Center’s
Balkan Music & Dance Workshops in Maryland, USA. She
is pleased to welcome her friends from other countries into
the bright halls of her alma mater.
Dobrudzha
Penka Stoyanova was born in the town of Silistra
in 1957 and currently lives and works in the village of Kalipetrovo.
She graduated from college with a degree in Economics and
Accounting. In 1985, Penka was appointed Programs Chair at
the Probuda Town Hall and in 2004 was promoted to Director
of the same institution. Penka often says, "I walked
my first steps with the song, I grew up with the song."
She is a gold medalist from the Koprivshtitsa Festival in
1986.
Shopluk
Nikolai Angelov Georgiev was born in
1976 in the town of Pernik. He currently lives in the
village of Kladnitsa and makes his living as a chef.
Since early childhood, Nikolai has been known as a story
teller and singer and claims that he’s learned all of
his folk songs from his grandparents. Nikolai, also
a fine dancer, has performed with the local Kladnitsa
ensemble both in Bulgaria and abroad, presenting typical
Graovo style songs.
Music Class Translator
Petrana
"Pepa" Koutcheva, from New York, will be translating
for the Bulgarian singing classes. Pepa grew up in a family
of singers in Thrace, Bulgaria. In her time in the USA she
has toured and performed extensively, including concert
appearances at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall and the
United Nations. She is also the founder and director of
the singing group Pesnopojka in New York. Pepa has taught
Balkan music at the EEFC Balkan Music and Dance workshops
on both U.S. coasts and throughout the U.S. She has four
recordings to her name, and has won many honors in her native
Bulgaria for her performances and her activities in teaching
traditional music. In 1999, the Slavic Heritage Council
of America awarded her a special Certificate of Recognition
in gratitude for her outstanding contributions to the Slavic
community of Greater New York.
Vocal Music Program Coordinator: Tanya Dosseva
Dance Classes
July 31 - 9:00 am -- August 2, 2006 noon
Dances from Dobrudzha
Stoyan
Petrov was born in 1959 in the village of Ishirkovo,
Silistra area, Dobrudzha. Stoyan became interested in
folk dancing when he was a young boy; he has been dancing
with his local group since 1974. Currently, Stoyan is
the choreographer for the dance group at the Probuda
Cultural Center (“chitalishte”) in the village
of Kalipetrovo, Silistra area, Dobrudzha.
Rumen
Minchev (accordion) was born in 1966 in the
village of Dobrotitsa, Silistra area, Dobrudzha. Rumen
graduated from the Shiroka Lûka Music High School
as a gûdulka student and has been playing both
instruments for local folk groups since then. He currently
plays accordion for the dance group at the Probuda
Cultural Center (“chitalishte”) in the village
of Kalipetrovo, Silistra area, Dobrudzha.
Dances from Northwest Bulgaria (Vlach)
[Note: The Vlach people of Northwest Bulgaria speak a dialect of Romanian as their native language and most also speak Bulgarian. Their music, dance and folk costumes are generally somewhat different from their neighboring Bulgarian speaking villages. Vlach people speaking a very similar dialect are also found in neighboring Northeast Serbia in the area of Negotin. There are also communities of Vlach people in Western Macedonia and Northern Greece, and their language, costumes, dances and music are quite different from those of Northwest Bulgaria.]
Martin
Marinov Fûrnev (dancer, ocarina, duduk,
kaval, dvoyanka player) was born in 1932 in the village
of Gûmzovo, Vidin area, Northwest Bulgaria. Because
of his family’s needs, his formal education stopped
at age 14 when he began working. As a small child, Martin
played ocarina and over time he taught himself duduk,
kaval and dvoyanka. He also started dancing at a young
age and has always been viewed as one of the best dancers
in the village. Martin has long been a mentor for many
young dancers and musicians in Gûmzovo.
Ivelina
Plamenova Georgieva was born in 1987 in Vidin,
Northwest Bulgaria, and grew up in Gûmzovo, where
she graduated from middle school. This year she will
graduate from the Professional High School for Agriculture
in the town of Bregovo, Northwest Bulgaria. Ivelina
learned to dance by attending local celebrations –
weddings, religious and national holidays, and subors
– when she was very young. At the age of 8, she
became a member of the dance group in Gûmzovo’s
Cultural Center (“chitalishte”).
Denislav Milkov Tsankov was born in 1990 in Vidin, Northwest Bulgaria, but now lives in the village of Gûmzovo, where he is a middle school student. Denislav started dancing in Gûmzovo’s Cultural Center (“chitalishte”) when he was 7, and also began playing duduk under the tutelage of “Chicho Martin” Fûrnev. He also dances in the Tsvyat group of the Cultural Center in Vidin. Denislav and Ivelina are second cousins.
Venetko Aleksandrov Laleshev (tûpan)
was born in 1954 in the village of Gûmzovo, Vidin
area, Northwest Bulgaria. He graduated in 1973 from
the special Technical High School for Textiles in the
town of Vratsa. Venetko learned to dance when he was
very young by joining his fellow villagers in the “horo
na megdana” (dancing in the town square), a regular
Sunday tradition that ended about 10 years ago due to
financial difficulties. Venetko plays accordion for
the village singing group and baritone horn in the local
“duhova muzika” (brass band).
Click here for a sample of their music (recorded April 28, 2006) [MP3 630KB]
August 2 - 3:00 pm -- August 3, 2006 - noon (includes review session)
Dances from Pirin
Mehmed Said was born in 1969 in the village of Dûbnitsa, near Gotse Delchev in the Pirin Mountain area. In 1987, he graduated from high school in his native village. After serving in the army, he took a position as a waiter. In 1995, Mehmed and two of his brothers decided to help revive the local dance group and to teach and pass on traditional dances for their area. Mehmed learned most of his material at weddings and other public functions, as well as from two of the first teachers in the area, Talip Talip and Shefket Adem.
Ivan Limanov (zurna) was born in 1966 in the village of Gûrmen, Gotse Delchev area. He has been playing the zurna for 20 years, having been taught by his father, Yosif Limanov, and uncle, Feim "Chitak" Eminov, an extremely well respected zurna player in the Gotse Delchev area. Ivan married in 1987, then in 1990 moved to the village of Dûbnitsa. He has played zurna for the Dûbnitsa Folk Dance Group since 1995.
Valeri Limanov (tûpan) was born in the village of Dûbnitsa, near Gotse Delchev in the Pirin Mountain area in 1979. Georgi started playing the zurna when he was 12 years old, as a student of Feim "Chitak" Eminov. He joined the band for the dance group in Dûbnitsa in 2000. He currently makes a living playing at weddings and other public celebrations.
Georgi Kovachev (zurna) was born in1988 in the town of Gotse Delchev, in the Pirin Mountain area. He has been interested in percussion and keyboard instruments since childhood. In 1999, he joined the band for the folk dance group in Dûbnitsa and performed with them at the Pirin Pee Folk Festival.
August 3 - 3:30 pm -- August 5 - 9:00 am - 6:30 pm
Dances from Shopluk
Krasimir
Simeonov Traikov was born in 1961 in Pernik.
He currently lives in the village of Kladnitsa, Pernik
area. Krasimir is a forest ranger by profession but
since 2003, he has served as the mayor of Kladnitsa
. Krasimir says that he inherited his talent as a dancer
from his parents and his grandparents. Since early childhood
he has participated in dance groups and performed at
almost all the local events and celebrations, as well
as numerous festivals around the country including Koprivshtitsa,
Rozhen Pee, Veliko Tarnovo, Dobrich, Kazanlak, and others.
Krasimir has also performed in front of audiences in
Cuba, Macedonia and Poland.
Georgi Kirilov Slavkov (accordion) was born in 1950 in the village of Kladnitsa, Pernik area. He graduated from a school for architecture and construction and is currently a construction worker. Georgi comes from a family of musicians and singers and learned to play accordion when he was a youngster by copying the older musicians. He has performed with the Kladnitsa ensemble at village events, around Bulgaria and abroad.
Survey of Bulgarian Dance
Iliana
Bozhanova was born in 1981 into a family of
musicians and singers in Galabovo, South Thrace. In
1981, she graduated from the National School for Art
Instructors, then later completed her Bachelor’s
and Master’s degrees in Bulgarian Folk Dance and
Choreography at Plovdiv’s Academy of Music, Dance
and Fine Arts.
At the age of 6, Iliana joined the folk dance ensemble
Rûchenitsa in Plovdiv. Through this group, she
had the opportunity to perform Bulgarian folk dances
in other parts Bulgaria, as well as in Greece, Serbia,
Poland, Belgium, Portugal, France, Italy, Holland, and
Russia. In 1981, she became choreographer and artistic
director of two children’s folk dance ensembles –
Radost in the village of Yoakim Gruevo, and the ensemble
of the Rosa Dimitrova Orphanage. Since October of 2004,
Iliana has been the director and choreographer of Ensemble
Voivodintsi, which has 70 dancers and singers who
range in age from 5 to 76 years old. Throughout the
years, Iliana has also worked with many ensembles in
the Netherlands, Norway, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and
the U.S. In the United States, she is also well known
as a dance teacher at dozens of folk dance clubs and
camps, including Mendocino, Ramblewood, Old World Music
& Dance, Pinewoods, Mainewoods, Stockton, and others.
She has lectured at many colleges and universities around
the world. In addition to working as a dance teacher
and choreographer, Iliana is an architectural draftsperson.
Todor Vasilev Yankov (accordion) was
born in 1962 in Plovdiv, but he grew up in the village
of Dobralak in the Rhodope Mountains in a large family.
His father, Vasil Yankov, was a well-known gaidar in
the area. Todor began to play gaida, like his father,
and then when he was 10 year old, he took up kaval.
Soon after that he became an orphan and had no one to
send him to study at Shiroka Lûka Music High School,
which had been his dream. When he was 16, he discovered
the accordion and began to teach himself to play. For
many years he played with the Hisar folk orchestra at
different holiday celebrations. He has been the accordionist
for the following folk dance ensembles: Rachenitsa,
Hebar, Pûldin and now Voivodintsi.
In 1980 he graduated from the Construction Trades High
School in Plovdiv, where he studied electrical installation.
He currently works as a machine operator in the Plastics
division of Liebher Corporation.
Dance Program Coordinator: Iliana Bozhanova, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Dance Program Teacher Assistant and Bulgarian/English Translator:
Cathie Springer, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
Bulgarian Language Classes
Catherine Struse Springer was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, USA, and is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. To support her various artistic endeavors, Cathie has worked as administrative staff at the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, Wall Street investment banking firms, and various folk arts organizations. She is currently a free-lance gardener, and Editor of the Hardanger Fiddle Association of America’s journal Sound Post. A 1981 graduate of the Bulgarian Folk Dance Program at the School for Teachers of Amateur Activities in Plovdiv, Cathie has been Director of the Bosilek Bulgarian Folk Dance Ensemble in New York for 25 years. Cathie likes to use her language skills (Bulgarian, Norwegian and French, among others) as a way of bringing people together.