The concert is at 7.30 PM today, 9 November at the Bulgarian National Radio’s concert studio, Studio No. 1. The title of the programme hints at the blend of styles in each of the pieces, selected by Vlatko Stefanovski and Antoni Donchev, conductor of the BNR Big Band.

This is the first time that the legendary guitarist (and composer) will be soloist of the band. Having acquired fame dozens of years ago with his band Leb I sol (Bread and Salt), Vlatko has been in this country many times and has a great many fans here, which explains why there is such an enormous amount of interest in the event. Vlatko Stefanovski has performed at a great many music forums in Bulgaria, and at the opening of the Arts Salon at the National Palace of Culture last year, he presented Kristjan Järvi’s project Balkan Fever together with Miroslav Tadic, Teodosii Spassov, the Mixed Choir and the Symphony Orchestra of the BNR.

“We try to make music that is versatile and to invite musicians from different countries, musicians the public wants to hear perform. It is with this in mind that we included the concert with Vlatko Stefanovski, and it is a real pleasure to prepare for it,” says Antoni Donchev and adds that this is the first time Stefanovski will be playing with any big band in Bulgaria, though he has had such concerts in Slovenia. He has also been soloist of a number of renowned symphony orchestras in Great Britain, Germany, Austria etc. He has released dozens of successful albums.

“Out of the concert programme I would especially like to highlight the Suita Quasi Balkanika by Izidor Leitinger; we have been in contact with the Dutch composer for seven years,” says Antoni Donchev. “Back then I had just begun as conductor of the BNR Big Band. Izidor sent me this suite just after we had met. I was sure the right time would come to perform it and that time is now, with this concert we are presenting. We are absolutely delighted to be able to play this suite together with Vlatko Stefanovski. The music is beautiful, the composer has an intimate knowledge of the depths of the Balkan spirit, of Balkan music, blending irregular rhythms. The suite features motifs from several different folk songs and they are the pillars on which the musical score rests. We shall be playing some of Vlatko Stefanovski’s popular pieces arranged for big band by Izidor Leitinger and other composers, as well as songs from his time with Leb I sol and from his solo career. They include “Gypsy song”, “Yovano,Yovanke”, Kalaidjiisko oro”.

English version: Milena Daynova