Academician Marin Goleminov is among the personalities who left a huge trace in Bulgaria’s culture. Marin Goleminov was a composer, conductor and pedagogue. He was also a brilliant publicist and pubic figure. His pieces are part of the music repertoire of popular musicians and Bulgarian and international chamber and symphonic orchestras. He wrote four symphonies, eight string quartets, three operas, two ballets and dozens of chamber and symphonic pieces. The 110^th birth anniversary of the renowned Bulgarian artist will be marked this year with a series of events.

The Marin Goleminov awards were held for the third time in his native town of Kuystendil on his birthday September 28. It is awarded by Marin Goleminov Music Association. The event was set up by Marin Goleminov’s granddaughter Lili Goleminova. Arabesque Ballet received the 2018 Marin Goleminov award. Arabesque held a wonderful show which started with a shorter version of the Fire-dancer dance drama (Nestinarka) – one of Goleminov’s classical pieces written in 1940.

Arabesque Ballet was established 50 years ago. We played Fire-dancer (Nestinarka) for the first time in 1978, the artistic director of the dance company Boryana Sechkova told Radio Bulgaria. Nestinarka has been always part of our repertoire since then and we performed it in many countries. We also performed The Night before Midsummer Day. Marin Goleminov’s music has an impressive and contemporary sounding. In my view, the show created by the tandem Goleminov-Arnaudova-Maria Trendafilova (costumes) is among the best ones in the Bulgarian choreography.

I remember Marin Goleminov as an exceptionally delicate and radiant person, Arabesque choreographer Olesya Pantikina says. He never tried to impose his opinion on others, but the presence of such personality was very encouraging. Years ago Associate Professor Bogoeva founded a contest for young choreographers whose task was to work with music from Bulgarian composers. Goleminov was among the first people who supported the contest with his Starobulgarski Kvartet (Old-Bulgarian Quartet).

Marin Goleminov Music Association bestows the Golden Quartet prize as well. This year Frosch Quartet received the Golden Quartet prize. Here is what one of the quartet’s members Petya Dimitrova told Radio Bulgaria.

It is a great honor for us to receive that award. We are happy that our efforts were assessed highly. However, this recognition is a great responsibility as well. Goleminov’s piece Five Sketches is part of our music repertoire and we perform it quite often on various occasions. However, Marin Goleminov created many other wonderful pieces. We like his Microquartet a lot and are planning to perform it very soon.

Dimitar Bozhilov is an amateur violinist. He is part of the governing body of Marin Goleminov Music Association and one of the most ardent guardians of the cultural traditions in the city.

The 110^th birth anniversary of Academician Marin Goleminov coincides with the 10^th anniversary of our association. May all who love art join our efforts to popularize the valuable Bulgarian music, including the music of the acclaimed European composer Academician Marin Goleminov. I remember what he said when Allegro Vivace show of the Bulgarian National Radio received the award for overall contribution to music: “Nothing can remain unnoticed when it is connected with people’s love and the pursuit of music and beauty”.

The Chairman of Marin Goleminov Music Association conductor Raicho Hristov (founder of Orpheus Chamber Orchestra – Pernik) also told us details:

Ten year ago I received a phone call from Mr. Bozhilov. Back then a group of enthusiasts had decided to establish the association and invited me to become its chairman. In the beginning we held 4 to 5 concerts per season. Now we have an average of 10 concerts a season. Our audience appreciates our high-quality programs and the concert halls are always packed. We also founded May Music Days Festival. We succeeded thanks to the financing provided by the municipal authorities and a private company in our town. I knew Marin Goleminov and had the honor to perform his pieces with the Orpheus orchestra. We made the premiere of the Chamber Music No 3 for two wald-horns and string orchestra. We also had a Concert for orchestra, three aquarelles for string, a concert for string quartet and string orchestra, but Five Sketches (for string orchestra) was our first performance. I remember that we invited Marin Goleminov at our concert. We were very nervous and made a pause after the first piece and Mr. Goleminov told us:” Very Well! Now go on!” This cycle of plays is very popular. One of Marin Goleminov’s best students Professor Dimitar Hristov used to call it a Little Night Music in the Bulgarian Literature.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov