The 10^th edition of the Young Virtuosos international contest gathers about 130 instrumentalists, still studying at high school. In the period March 24 – 30 those will compete in three categories – piano, flute and clarinet. There are participants from nearly 20 countries, Germany, Austria, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and almost all Balkan states among those. Head of the Liubomir Pipkov National School of Music in Sofia Milka Miteva is the initiator and founder of the contest that takes place in the building of the school. The program envisages also art meetings, workshops and concerts. The quality and popularity of Young Virtuosos made it a full member of the European Union of Music Competitions for Youth /EMCY/.

“This is a contest of hope and expectation, of youth and talent,” says Mrs. Miteva. “The number of the young instrumentalists, singers and theorists is growing each year. We are really happy with the EMCY invitation. Young Virtuosos is the only Bulgarian contest admitted. Luckily, the juries this year once again mark world famous names, such as Abdras Adorjan /flute/, a representative of Germany and Hungary simultaneously. Prof. Georgi Spasov from Bulgaria can be seen among his colleagues, along with Ljubisa Jovanovic from Serbia etc. Prof. Piero Vincenti from Italy will assess the young talents, along with Prof. John Cipolla from the USA and Bulgarian Prof. Petko Radev. The keyboard jury is headed by Prof. Milena Mollova. She has supported a huge number of young instrumentalists on their way to the world stages. One can say the same on Prof. Victor Chuchkov. The Bulgarian representatives will work together with famous pedagogues from Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Turkey…”

The America for Bulgaria foundation provides the awards. The event is upheld by the cultural ministry, under the auspices of Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova. Several special awards will be given, along with the three prizes in the different age groups, one of them provided by EMCY. The organization will also provide concert engagements in Europe to five of the best instrumentalists. Hundreds of talented performers went through the different editions of Young Virtuosos. The participants in the solemn concert, marking the start of the event are among them. We will hear violinist Kristina Georgieva there, one of the contest’s discoveries, as well as pianists Stefan Bonev and Asen Tanchev, Kristina Georgieva – flute, Lora Markova – violin. The work of Emerich Hans Ambil from Bulgaria will sound – the winner in the composition category last year.

English version: Zhivko Stanchev