From 4 to 8 June Balchik is the venue of the fourth edition of the Black Sea Sounds International Choir Festival. The forum has been named after the mixed-voice choir in the lovely resort town. Choir conductor Valentina Georgieva is the initiator of the festival, its artistic director and chairperson of the Music World Society in Balchik.

„This year we celebrate the centennial of the Black Sea Sounds Mixed-Voice Choir”, says Valentina Georgieva. “We have dedicated to this anniversary the festival as well as all concerts that we give this year. The forum also highlights the 80th birth anniversary of Prof. Ivan Spassov. A renowned composer, conductor and pedagogue, he wrote a range of emblematic choral woks. This year all Bulgarian choirs include his songs in their programs. Nine groups will perform nine different works by Prof. Spassov. During the four days of the festival audiences are invited to join six concerts featuring Bulgarian choirs as well as guest choirs from Italy, France, Spain, Denmark, Romania, Greece and Turkey. We respect the tradition of inviting a composer to lead the workshops of the academic choirs. This year it is Mr. Ambroz Copi, a composer and conductor from Slovenia, presenting his own works for mixed-voice and equal-voice choir. I am glad that folk ensembles have joined the festival this year. The workshop for them is led by Katya Barulova. The mandatory repertoire for the festival includes An Endearing Song by Tasho Barulov and A Sleeping Lad by Hristo Todorov. A special guest at the event is the Vasil Arnaoudov Chamber Choir from Sofia led by conductor by Prof. Theodora Pavlovitch, the Chairperson of our jury. The audience will listen to two choirs united with the name Cheerful Song (Bodra Pesen) from Shumen, Native Song (Rodna Pesen) from Haskovo, the Ivan Spassov Chamber Choir from Plovdiv and others.”

The program of the Black Sea Sounds International Choir Festival also features Nusha Studio for folk singing and the Ilinden female choir from Sofia, the Dobrudzha Voices Choir from the village of Sokolovo, the Vocal Studio at the Paissy of Hilendar 1870 Community Center in Balchik, Slavia Mixed-Voice Choir from Harmanli and others. Since its inception, the festival has been inviting foreign groups who perform Bulgarian songs. This line continues during the current 4th edition of the event with the appearance of the female Sedianka (Working Bee) choir from Denmark and the Bulgarian Voices Female Choir from Berlin. 

English Daniela Konstantinova

The audio to this file features the following tracks:
1/ Fair Phyllis I saw by John Farmer, in the rendition of the Black Sea Sounds Chair, Balchik
2/ Daybreak in Sleepy Gardens by Ivan Spassov in the rendition of Vasil Arnaoudov Chamber Choir
3/ I’m Sleepy, Want Go to Bed, arrangement by Kosta Kolev, performed by Sedianka folk group from Aarhus, Denmark, conductor Mikhail Deltchev