“In the dynamic world of today we are looking for new ways of reaching out to the audience, we are enriching our ideas, finding interesting ways of communion with the other art forms,” says young cellist Gabriela Kaloyanova. She is a member of the Silhouettes chamber ensemble of young musicians, former students in the chamber music class of Prof. Ventseslav Nikolov.

“Contrasts” – the ensemble’s debut project was presented in 2014 with the support of the International Summer Academy of the mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna, where the ensemble’s members worked under the guidance of foremost music pedagogues, like Prof. Hatto Beyerle from the Alban Berg Quartet, Prof. Marta Gulyas, lecturer in Budapest and Madrid, Prof. Avedis Kuyumjian, lecturer in Vienna, etc. In 2013 they won the special prize at the International Summer Academy. In fact, the academy marked a new beginning for the student ensemble. Gabriela Kaloyanova:

 “We won an International Summer Academy grant in Austria and we had to choose a name, as required. And we decided on “Silhouettes” – after the title of a work by Prof. Vassil Kazandjiev. We had formed the ensemble before that, when we were still at university. It has been five years since we have been working on different projects together. The three-concert cycle we are presenting is a project we conceived together with City Mark Art Centre. The first one was a joint project – the Silhouettes together with Prof. Nikolov. Together we selected works the audiences love, which are usually performed as an encore. So, that is the name we gave to the programme – Encore. The second concert, called “By Amadeus – personally” will be presented by our violinist Kalina Miteva. I would also like to mention the names of the other two members of the ensemble – Lilia Zhekova, piano and Christian Kaloyanov, clarinet. The instruments in the Silhouettes chamber ensemble are unusual, and that restricts our repertoire. Christian does the adaptations for the ensemble. The third concert in the series is in May. At it our tutor, Prof Nikolov will be playing fragments of Bach’s solo suites for cello. The audience will be able to make their requests – beforehand or on the spot – which fragments they want to hear. Prof. Nikolov has had concerts like this in Italy, and they evoked great interest.”

Here is Kalina Miteva with more about the concert “By Amadeus – personally” that took place on 22 April.

“We selected the title “By Amadeus – personally” because we wanted to highlight Mozart as an individual. We are all familiar with his music. But the preconceptions we have of him are not always true; we think it is his letters that contain the truth. We made a selection of letters he wrote to his father, his sister, his wife through the years, reflecting different stages in his life. The audience also got a taste of his sense of humour – not just the music, but in his letters too. The letters were read out by Petromil Denev, a very talented actor, a puppeteer who is studying directing. The programme included two piano quartets and three nocturnes – songs arranged for the ensemble. It was a rather bold decision to include piano quartets in our repertoire, as they include violin, whereas we have clarinet. The idea was given us by Hatto Beyerle, cellist from the Alban Berg quartet. And I think it turned out beautifully. I would like to read out an excerpt from one of Mozart’s letters: “I am happier if I have something to compose, for that is, after all, my only joy and passion. I cannot write poetically; I am not a poet. I cannot arrange my words so artfully that they reflect shadow and light; I am not a painter; I cannot even express my feelings and thoughts through gestures and pantomimes: I am not a dancer. But I can do it with the sounds of music; I am a musician.”

The audio file features:

- Allegro, part 1, Concerto for cello and string orchestra in G major, soloist Ventseslav Nikolov;

- Prelude to cello suite No. 6;

- Piano trio by Mozart K564, part 3.

English version: Milena Dahynova