In the coming days the Sofia Philharmonic is holding two concerts with guest-conductor Konstantin Ilievsky. The first one is on 14 February and the program features music composed by Theodosii Spassov. Here is how the organizers have summed up the event: “On the day when some celebrate love and others wine, Theodosii Spassov and his kaval (shepherd’s flute) will inspire us for the spring with its exhilaration, playful mood, flared up fires, kites and banter.”The own pieces that Theodosii will present as soloist are 12, including Say Bob, Fire Feast, Gypsy Dance and Kite.

The other concert is on 16 February with soloist Emmanuel Rossfelder, guitar. He will perform Joaquin Rodrigo’s Fantasy for a Gentleman. The concert opens with A Midsummer Nights’ Dream by Mendelssohn. By the same composer is Concerto for Two Pianos that will be performed by Alina & Nikolay Shalamov Piano Duo. The Shalamov Duo is a successful team and winner in the prestigious ARD competition. The concert closes with Sinfonietta by Brazilian composer Villa-Lobos, a work dedicated to Mozart.

Conductor Konstantin Ilievsky lectures at the conservatories in Bratislava and Vienna and has had many successful appearances as conductor in Bulgaria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, USA etc. He is conductor of the Dianopolis Chamber Orchestra in Bulgaria’s southern town of Yambol, and is often guest-conductor of the Sofia Philharmonic, and of the philharmonic orchestras in Vidin, Pleven and other Bulgarian cities.

English Daniela Konstantinova