The fifth edition of the competition New Bulgarian Folk Music in the 7/8 Beat was held in the town of Chepelare on 16 October. This is a forum inviting musicians to present new vocal and instrumental works written on the basis of folklore. Its first edition was back in 2007 and was organized by the Municipality of Chepelare. Both the idea and the sponsorship have come from Dr Georgi Lazarov who lives in Baltimore, USA, but keeps Bulgaria deep in his heart.

The latest edition was dedicated to one of the most popular folk singers in this country, Boyka Prisadova who is an honorary citizen of the Municipality of Chepelare. The Ministry of Culture has been the patron of the event for two consecutive editions. More from Yana Dimova, representative of the event's organizers:

„The team of the Municipality of Chepelare is proud to have played host to the New Bulgarian Folk Music in the 7/8 Beat competition held once every two years since 2007. It is hosted by Chepelare because Mr. Georgi Lazarov, the ideologist of the forum, was born in the Rhodope Mountains. After the fourth edition, we decided to make the competition eligible for chamber works alone. We are very happy to welcome young composers to the event. The youngest applicant this year was 19 years old. The competition is held at two stages -selection in advance of submittedworks by a professional jury and a concert competition of short-listed works.Works over time have been performed by various professional formations. This year we invited Yudit Plus choir and the Bulgarian National Radio Folk Music Orchestra.”

In the Instrumental WorksCategory the jury singled out a few interesting creative solutions. The first prize went to the colorful work of Luiza Stanoeva, Around Bulgaria in the 7/8 Beat.

Vocal works short-listed for the final presented different points of view to the traditional Bulgarian song. No first prize was given, and the second one went to Kircho na Kioshka Sideshi (Kircho Sat in the Corner) by Ilian Yuruchki

The audience voted for its favorite- Memory by Petar Petrov.

Yudit Plus choir and the Bulgarian National Radio Folk Music Orchestrawho performed the works in the competition gave a brief concert during the break that the jury used to discuss the works which had made it to the finals. The concert was a salute of a kind to the audience that apart from folk music lovers, also included pupils from the National School of Folklore Art in Shiroka Laka and many young musicians who supported their colleagues.

This is in fact the mission of such events - to bring together different generations of musicians who present Bulgarian folklore at home and abroad, and to create new opportunities for talented Bulgarian musicians.

English Daniela Konstantinova

The audio file contains the following pieces:

1. Around Bulgaria in 7/8 Beat by Luiza Stanoeva

2. Kircho na Kioshka Sideshi (Kircho Sat in the Corner) by Ilian Yuruchki

3. Memory by Petar Petrov