© Photo: ubc-bg.com

"Some time ago, when I was asked this question, I started with my professors Pancho Vladigerov, Asen Karastoyanov, and Alexander Raichev", Dragostinov said in the interview he gave for Radio Bulgaria. "I was back to those wonderful years in Leningrad with Professor Boris Arapov. Today, already a little older, I want to tell about my first teachers whom I remember with joy. It is very important who holds your hand when you learn how to walk, and I was fortunate to come across "good people" in my first steps. Sonia Jeleva introduced me to the world of music. She showed me not only the white and black keys of the piano, but also all extremely interesting colors of music. She taught me my first lessons in harmony and polyphony. Later she took me to our great teacher Lydia Kuteva. Then my memories of Yanka Tsvetanova, my first teacher in school, intertwine with the picture of Sofia’s district Lozenets, where I spent my childhood. Low houses, green plots, plenty of sunshine - it was nice and clean. Mrs. Tsvetanova often said to my father: "Big things are in store for this boy if he takes the right road." She meant that I loved to play with the neighborhood pranksters. I was kicking the ball, chasing birds, and playing marbles. At the same time I loved playing the piano. That was my childhood."

© Photo: Georgi Stoyanov

In recent years, Professor Dragostinov has been actively engaged in teaching at New Bulgarian University and the National Music School in Sofia. He tells us more about his students, their attitude towards contemporary music, and their achievements in the field of composition.

"The system that New Bulgarian University uses appeals to me strongly. The students have their duties, but the teacher is the one who has to motivate their efforts and interest. This gives birth to a great friendship and the fruit of those relationships of which the ancient Greeks spoke. In a sense, teacher and student are aligned in importance. Three of my students brought the NBU and Bulgaria 11 major awards. I also teach chamber music ensembles in the Lyubomir Pipkov National School of Music. And recently I had the idea to set up Dragostinfolk Junior composed of the most talented young singers from the school and NBU. I rely entirely on their own feeling for the music we perform."

English version: Rossitsa Petcova