Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

A concert hails 70th birthday of Artin Potourlyan

The celebration concert at the National Music Academy
Photo: Albena Bezovska
In spite of all sorts of political, economic and social cataclysms in Bulgarian history there have always been talented people who have adamantly withheld their creative and professional positions. One of them is no doubt composer Artin Potourlyan. A few days ago, the National Music Academy where he is a professor, organized a concert to celebrate his 70th birthday. Works from various creative periods of Artin Potourlyan were performed by famous musicians including Prof. Alexander Ilchev (violin), Prof. Lidia Oshavkova (flute), soprano Rositsa Panayotova, the pianists Diana Rahneva, Galina Apostolova and others. We also listened to Anaida Akopyan, a piano pedagogue and wife of the composer.

© Photo: archive

After graduating in composition from the Pancho Vladigerov National Music Academy in Sofia, Artin Potourlyan continued his studies at the Conservatory in Yerevan. Since 1990 he has been lecturing in polyphony at the NMA in Sofia. He has authored an opera, orchestral works, piano works etc.
“Every sound carries a message that is very important. Everything is very complex, but listeners accept it based on intuition. Vibration is energy directly linked to the nature of the materials that music instruments are made of, and to the nature of the performer. This matter can be organized in various ways but it is paramount for me that every sound should carry a message”, Prof. Potourlyan argues. His sensitivity to a range of timbres and the freedom with which he merges contemporary and classical music techniques of composition mark his individual style. We can spot this style in The Song of the Chepelare Rooster in the wonderful rendition of Gergana Ilcheva and in Four Spiritual Chants for pipe organ interpreted with brilliance by Velin Iliev.

English version: Daniela Konstantinova
По публикацията работи: Albena Bezovska


Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Plamen Bonev De La Bona and his latest single

For Plamen Bonev De La Bona, as a performer and songwriter, 2024 is a year filled with love. “Obicham” (I Love) is the title of his latest single, which also gave the name to his latest album, which collects ten songs. The singer says that he..

published on 11/27/24 4:42 PM

Dimitar & Hristo - ''Neslomen''

Acoustic pop with roots in Bulgarian folklore – this is the music associated with the duo Dimitar & Hristo. Dimitar Atanasov, Hristo Mladenov and the ''Time Machines’'' can’t wait to present their new songs from their brand-new album "Neslomen"...

published on 11/26/24 6:50 AM

On International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: Teodora Marcheva and Hell

25 November has been designated International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women by the United Nations since 1999. The idea is for governments, international organizations and NGOs to shed light on this problem, the real nature and..

published on 11/25/24 10:01 AM