Being a teacher means vocation, devotion, love for children. Being a teacher or a doctor is something sacred in this world. One takes care for health and life, the other for the spirit, Milka Miteva, a long-time piano pedagogue says. Recently her pupils celebrated her 65th birthday with a concert in the hall of the Lyubomir Pipkov National School of Music. 24 May is a special date for Mrs. Miteva, just like it is for each Bulgarian:

“I associate the holiday with gratitude to my teachers, with all the achievements of the alumni of my school, my students. And one more thing - with flowers I receive and which I love very much. On the occasion of the holiday, I wish all my colleagues to be healthy and with much love and dedication to convey their knowledge, because children do not trust lying eyes.

At the core of our profession stands giving the knowledge and skills you have. But besides letters, numbers or notes, this includes the secrets of the art of music. Then things really receive magical meaning. One needs to get to the essence of the composer's design and manage to pass it on to the child. Sometimes you need to tell them a story or a tale in order to make them acquainted with the background of the work. Indeed, a link between student and teacher is established, which usually lasts for a lifetime. I still remember my teachers - Prof. Panka Pelishek, Prof. Milena Mollova, Prof. Mihail Voskresenski (in Moscow) to this day with incredible respect and much love. Maybe Mila Mihaylova, my teacher in the Music School is the one who gave me this love for the profession ... I knew from childhood that I wanted to be like her. Perhaps the teacher gives the most to a child - unconditional love, but also abilities for development”.

Milka Miteva has been a teacher for more than four decades, 25 years of which she spend as principal of the Lyubomir Pipkov National School of Music. She took the position in a difficult time with Bulgaria undergoing a series of economic and political crises. The building of the school was returned to the previous owners and Miteva had to provide a new roof for students and teachers. Later, funds had to be provided in order for a block of flats on Oborishte17 Street to be expanded and refurbished.

A dormitory for the students was built, as well as a large concert hall. (The first concert hall built in this country since “Bulgaria" Hall was built in Sofia in 1937)

“I was really an administrator at some point. I am glad that people appreciate what I have done for these years. But again I want to point out - for me the most important thing are my students. When I talk about them I always get excited and worry not to miss someone. Tanya Simeonova was my first piano student. She, as well as Veni Nikolova, Nikola Kovachev, Nayo Ticin, Paulina Dobrinova, Maria Stoeva, Rossi Milevska, Ivan Kyurkchiev have achieved a lot ... Among them is conductor Rossen Gergov - a boy who always causes admiration for what he is doing. My current students are also very talented - Mario Bobotsov, Ivana Zafiraki, Hristo Chuchkov, Claudia Zaimova and many other children who have this sparkle in their eyes, along with gratitude, respect and especially love. This gives me the strength to go forward, to discover the ‘little bugs,’ as I call the 5-6-year-olds, who are just starting to grow before your eyes.”

Years ago, at the idea of ​​Milka Miteva the international contest "Young Virtuosos" was created and she is still its artistic director. The contest is held annually and participants come from dozens of countries, while the jury usually includes the best pedagogues and performers from around the world.

“This year the fourteenth edition took place. It is actually not over yet, as the composition contest will take place in the autumn. We dedicate it to the 110th anniversary of Marin Goleminov's birth - a man who has a very important place in my life. When I won the director contest, he told me: ‘Remember that nobody shakes poplars, but only trees that give fruit. Prepare for very difficult moments.’ And that's what happened. I can proudly say that in the worst years of the transition period, I made the impossible to keep the school an island of hope for young musicians. It not only gives them a profession but makes them competitive - not only in this country, but also all across the world; in universities in Europe and the United States. This is an important achievement that I am proud of.”

English: Alexander Markov