The Vivapiano international competition for non-professional pianists brought together participants from Bulgaria, Switzerland, Romania, Macedonia and Turkey. This year the event took place with the support of Sofia municipality, the Bulgaria concert complex, sponsors and enthusiasts. 

The Vivapiano competition was founded in 2010 by Daniela Dikova – a prominent performer, pedagogue and organizer of musical events. Her idea was to motivate people of all ages who want to “let music and the piano into their lives”. That is the reason why Vivapiano is for performers of all ages, with the participants ranging from children aged 4-5 to people over 70.

“The fourth edition is bearing the fruit we had in mind from the very outset,” she says. “The team includes people we have worked with from the very beginning, others joined later on. Our foundation is called ArtDenza. This year the Sofia Philharmonic has been giving us their wholehearted support and this had made things much easier for us. I am glad to say we had pedagogues from all over the country here to present their entire classes. And they all play Bulgarian music. This is one of the aims of Vivapiano - to popularize the Bulgarian school of composition. We have published sheet music with the support of the America for Bulgaria foundation, Sofia municipality’s “Culture” programme has also been of great help. My dream is to promote Vivapiano as a tourist destination and this idea has gradually been bearing fruit. The soprano competition Vivavoce was held for the second time within the frameworks of Vivapiano. In my dreams there is a Vivaharp and a Vivaclarinet competition as well. I would very much like to see the piano teaching methods applied in the European countries for adult students introduced in Bulgaria too. Evgenia Radoslavova who is a graduate of the Pancho Vladiguerov Music Academy has been working in Vienna for years where she applies a system of her own with excellent results. She is a foremost pedagogue in her teaching methods and is now a member of our jury. I am hoping we can further the exchange of ideas in future.”

Here now is Evgenia Radoslavova herself:

“I am delighted to be attending this unique forum once more and to be able to listen to the inspired performances of the participants. They help me see works I am familiar with in a new light. I would like to congratulate the organizers and especially Mrs. Daniela Dikova. In Vienna I use a teaching system for adults that is my own. I have people who started playing the piano after the age of 60. This is a method that brings the world of music to them in a way that is suited to their age. Two years ago I had two of my students, who were in their 70s, take part in the competition. I remember that they charmed the audience and the jury. It gives me enormous pleasure to be able to lend meaning to their lives in such a wonderful way.”

The jury included Corinne Walker from Switzerland who lectures at the Geneva Conservatoire, she also chairs the foundation that brings students of music from Bulgaria and from Switzerland in contact:

English Milena Daynova