The incredible music of Ivo Papazov

published on 2/27/12 10:18 AM

Photo: BGNES

The incredible music of Ivo Papazov

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Clarinetist Ivo Papazov is an indisputable star among Thracian folklore virtuosos in Bulgaria and an internationally acclaimed musician too. In Timeout for Music we present his work on the occasion of his 60th birthday.

Ibryam Hapazov known across the world as Ivo Papazov-Ibryama was born on 16 February 1952 to a family of musicians from Gypsy and Turkish descent. He took up playing the clarinet as a child. His great talent showed very soon and the boy received music training. Years later he admitted that his foremost training was in fact his appearances on hundreds of weddings where he played the clarinet supporting his father, a renowned clarinetist himself. At 22 Ivo set up his first band. Papazov played folk music however enriched with a diversity of ornaments and improvisations. Very soon he rose to fame, and was recognized as a genius of the clarinet, and as the king of wedding music. In the late 1980s he met with British music producer Joe Boyd who ushered Ivo Papazov on the international stage of world music. The clarinetist worked with Trakiya Orchestra and toured Europe, Asia, America and Australia. Everywhere he got excellent reviews and was identified as the greatest clarinetist in the Balkans and as a supernatural genius of the clarinet. Papazov’s first two albums produced with Joe Boyd – Orpheus Ascending (1989) and Balkanology (1992) - paved his road to international acclaim. He was readily recognized as a virtuoso transforming traditional wedding music into a jazz phenomenon of its own merit.

In the year of his 60th birthday Ivo Papazov has shunned from any special celebrations, his manager Victor Lilov says and explains that this year will be just like previous ones – of many concerts and tours. In 2011 Papazov toured the Ukraine to the delight of the large Bulgarian community in that country.
“This tour was a major success with the way that a symphony orchestra interpreted works by Ivo and his band. In 2011 Ivo Papazov was awarded with the Sts. Cyril and Methodius Order. This distinction has come as an official sanction of his great contribution to Bulgarian music.”

With his unique music, Ivo Papazov has on many occasions been Bulgaria’s ambassador at prestigious festivals.
“Looking back in time the launch of his latest album The Dance of the Falcon released by Hamonia Mundi in 2008 once again drew the attention of music lovers to his big talent," Victor Lilov explains. "Ivo joined festivals such as Womad gathering audiences by the thousands. The festival in Toulouse was focused on Balkan music, and some of the foremost Balkan musicians had been invited to join it, among them Ivo Papazov. Some 20,000 people visited the festival every day. I must say that Ivo Papazov did a lot in popularizing Bulgarian music.”

One unforgettable moment in the career of Ivo Papazov came as the talented clarinetist was given the audience award at the world music contest organized by the BBC. Papazov received the award from producer Joe Boyd.

“This was indeed, a most moving event, back in 2005,” Victor Lilov goes back in time. It was important not only for Ivo, but for the whole team that had worked with him – and above all to the label Kuker Music that released the album Panair (Fair). Thanks to this album Ivo Papazov entered the nominations. The most beautiful moment was when he got on the stage to receive the prestigious award. He played a three-minute solo – to the surprise of organizers – and won a standing ovation. And I remember that many managers virtually flocked backstage – they wanted to know whether he would join their festivals too.”

Translated by Daniela Konstantinova

По публикацията работи: Valia Bozhilova

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The incredible music of Ivo Papazov

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