Accordion player Kaloyan Kumanov is among the thousands of Bulgarian musicians who live outside their homeland. The instrument he chose as a child offers a great variety of opportunities for expression especially in the hands of a master player. Kaloyan can play anything on accordion - classical works from different eras, Bulgarian folk music, as well as traditional Spanish plays. He is a lecturer in 7 different schools in Barcelona and a soloist of the Accordion Orchestra of Catalonia (Orquesta de acordeones de Sabadell - Catalunya).

The young musician is originally from Dobrich. After graduating from the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv, he went to Spain, where he studies music pedagogy.

“I've also been involved with organising master classes,” he says. “I teach at one of the schools of the Conservatoria de Superior del Liceu, in Academia musical de arte Orfeo Graciens and others. Until recently, I was the conductor of the accordion orchestra on the island of Minorca. I was travelling there every Wednesday for 5 years. I teach different styles of music. I take this opportunity to thank my teacher at the Academy - Toncho Tonev. Besides classical music, we used to play a lot of folklore music -a great passion of Bulgarian accordionists. I was invited to a school of Catalonia where I lead a course on Balkan music. The work is very interesting for me. I have all kinds of students - not just accordionists, but violinists, pianists... Some are actors involved in performances and wanting to learn certain tunes to perform them on stage. I show them specific ornaments and teach them some interesting songs. They are most often interested in Bulgarian music, as well as Romanian music. In Spain folk songs like ‘Iovano, Iovanke’ are very popular and I have heard them in the performance of various formations.”

As a soloist Kaloyan participates in projects of famous Spanish artists.

“I enjoy this opportunity I was given in Spain,” he says. “I'm on stage with great performers. For example, I have recently participated in a project of a music company, working with renowned flamenco dancers. The head is a famous ballet dancer and I learn a lot from him. The project is a fusion between flamenco and other styles. The audience likes it, the halls are always full and the performances - successful. I am extremely happy when I perform Bulgarian folklore at concerts. Bulgarian music is truly amazing. In Bulgaria we have accepted this as a template phrase, but we need to think more about it. Each of our compatriots who went to live abroad knows that when you show Bulgarian art, the doors are open to you. I have had many occasions to experience joy and pride that I am a Bulgarian musician. I once went to listen to a Catalan band, performing Balkan repertoire. After the concert, I decided to congratulate the musicians. It turned out that they had listened to my concerts. The singer was delighted by our meeting. She said she was studying musicology and in one of the courses she is taught Bulgarian rhythms. I t is how to describe how I felt. There are so many great nations in this world but in a country with such musical traditions as Spain they study Bulgarian folklore.”

Kaloyan has been planning a project that will take place in Bulgaria with the participation of Bulgarian musicians. After so many years of absence from the local scene, the musician wants to do something interesting and memorable.

English: Alexander Markov

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