Bulgarian singer Pavlina Gorcheva was gifted by destiny with a beautiful alto voice, creative inspiration and the mission to continue the tradition of Graovo singing. Pavlina became famous with her songs from the Graovo region (a folklore area in Central Western Bulgaria). In her music repertoire she mixed the original pieces with her melodic versions. Pavlina Gorcheva contributed a lot to the enrichment of the Graovo music style. The young Bulgarian folk singers like Pavlina’s songs a lot.

Pavina Gorcheva was born in the town of Pernik (Southwest Bulgaria). The folklore music broadcast on the airwaves of the Bulgarian National Radio triggered her interest in folklore singing. Pavlina was only sixteen when she joined the Bulgarian National Radio Folk Songs Ensemble whose choir later became popular as the Mystery of Bulgarian Voices. The young Bulgarian singer developed her music potential in this ensemble. She was a soloist in a series of choral scores composed by Krasimir Kyurkchiev and Stefan Mutafchiev. Pavlina Gorcheva recorded a very stylish repertoire for the golden archives of the Bulgarian National Radio. Her slow songs, also known as Svatovski songs were recognized as the pattern of the Graovo music style. Today, she helps many young musicians master this virtuoso style.

I had no teachers, Pavlina Gorcheva told Radio Bulgaria. After the war I listened to the radio only. Many songs to the rendition of Boris Mashalov, Mita Stoycheva, Lalka Pavlova, Atanaska Todorova and other celebrated Bulgarian singers sounded on the airwaves of the national radio. When I visited my village I enjoyed the performance of my aunts, but what I listened on the radio was much different. I liked Boris Mashalov’s timbre. Mita Stoycheva’s songs were very emotional. There were no amateur music formations at that time. I attended a job competition at the Bulgarian National radio thanks to the songs I listened on the radio and the rehearsals I made at home. I performed the song Stoyan Prez Gora Varveshe at the BNR job competition. I and five other young Bulgarian female singers got the job immediately, although the job competition was held on April 1 (April Fool Day). We formed an ensemble together with six other female singers who joined the BNR earlier. Now, singers are well-educated, they know the music notes. We relied mainly on our hearing. I learned a lot from accompanist Kosta Kolev. Georgi Boyadzhiev who worked at the Folk Music section once told me: You come from West Bulgaria. Go there, collect songs and sing them. When you visit the villages in your area take a company tape recorder with you. I used to meet many elderly and adult female singers. I accepted their lyrics, but didn’t like most of the tunes. I made my first recordings with Emil Kolev’s band. After the hearing Emil Kolev and Zhoro Boyadzhiev congratulated me with the words: See, you have good songs in your area, but they did not know that I created the music to these songs. I formed Graovtsi trio together with Mitev brothers from Vladaya. I also formed a Shoppe Sextet and created Oy, Shope, Shope piece especially for this formation. Stefan Mutafchiev wrote the choral version for Trakia Folklore Ensemble. I used to sing in the Cosmic Voices choir (now Vanya Moneva Choir) for eighteen whole years. Recently I took part at a very exciting concert in Pernik. This was my first performance in Pernik in the past thirty years. After the concert I received flowers from a young girl. She told me she knew the song Tsarnilchitse Devoichitse and we sang that song together. The audience was very happy. I am also very pleased that people sing and listen to my songs. The young Bulgarians like my songs, Pavlina Gorcheva concluded.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov