On January 25 the Bulgarian National Radio celebrates its 84 birthday. Friends of the Bulgarian National Radio and people who have worked for the BNR over the years and view this public media as keeper of Bulgarian spirit and dignity attended the celebrations. The 2018 Sirak Skitnik annual awards were presented at the ceremony as well. Sirak Skitnik prizes are awarded for contribution to the development of the Bulgarian National Radio as public media. The Sirak Skitnik Awards were founded in 2001 and were named after the first Director of Radio Sofia – Sirak Skitnik who worked in the public broadcaster between 1935 and 1943. He was a talented artist, art critic, poet, public figure and theatre critic. Sirak Skitnik annual awards are divided into three categories: Sirak Skitnik grand award – for significant contribution to the development of the Bulgarian National Radio; Sirak Skitnik award for radio journalism; Sirak Skitnik award for radio show bestowed on a BNR team for its outstanding professionalism and original ideas.

The Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra won the 2018 Sirak Skitnik grand award. Last year the BNR Symphony Orchestra marked its 70^th birthday. The orchestra had a very successful tour in South Korea, recorded a set of emblematic pieces by renowned Bulgarian composer Pancho Vladigerov which will be included in a jubilee CD on occasion of his 120^th birth anniversary. The BNR Symphony Orchestra participated actively in various forums connected with Bulgaria’s rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The orchestra has been conducted over the years by many celebrated musicians such as maestro Vasil Stefanov, Vasil Kazandzhiev, Alexander Vladigerov, Milen Nachev, Rosen Milanov, Emil Tabakov, Rosen Gergov, etc.

The Sirak Skitnik statuette was created by celebrated Bulgarian sculptor Vezhdi Rashidov. The Chairperson of the BNR Public Council Raina Konstantinova bestowed the prize on the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra. When talking about the music the radio cannot do without, we should not forget the gift, the efforts, the deprivations and the character of the people who make it, Raina Konstantinova said and specified that the BNR Symphony Orchestra is among Europe’s best orchestras. We were not very surprised when we received the Sirak Skitnik grand award, maestro Mark Kadin, conductor of the BNR Symphony Orchestra told Radio Bulgaria:

It is a great honor for us to be laureates of this prestigious award which is recognition of our daily efforts. It feels good when our efforts and work are noticed. The members of the symphony orchestra have two rehearsals a day. I feel at home when I am in Bulgaria. Pancho Bladigerov, Petko Stainov and Marin Goleminov are my favorite Bulgarian composers. We care about the quality of our music the most. Unfortunately, there are concerts in Sofia which are not at the necessary level, but we are doing our best to be uncompromising in our job.

The Radio Theatre of Hristo Botev programme won the Sirak Skitnik radio show award on the occasion of its 80^th anniversary. Once, Sirak Skitnik himself said the following: A new type of work appeared with the start of the radio in Bulgaria- the auditory play. The contemporary writers have the opportunity to show their skills, wit and inventiveness without thinking of the heavy stage accessories. In the past 80 years the Radio Theatre allowed all celebrated Bulgarian playwrights, actors, directors and composers to demonstrate their talent. Can you imagine how many artists and sound-producers worked in Studios 2 and 5 of the BNR to create this huge archive of nearly 4,000 titles, Mitko Novkov, Chief Playwright of the Radio Theatre said during the ceremony.

I am very pleased that the Radio Theatre won the Sirak Skitnik award on its 80^th anniversary. Sirak Skitnik contributed a lot to the development of the so-called auditory plays. On the other hand, this is a huge responsibility, because the achievements of our colleagues who worked for the Radio Theatre in the past were huge. That is why we should always think of the successful past when talking about the future. We must try to outperform the ones who worked at this section before us. That is why we make documentary stories about the problems of our time. We also make portraits of successful contemporaries. We often associate the radio theatre with plays and dramaturgy, but it is much more than that.

Marta Mladenova from Horizont programme of the BNR received Sirak Skitnik individual prize for radio-journalism.

This year Radio Bulgaria was also nominated for Sirak Skitnik awards. The motives for the nomination pointed to the fact that It was the only media in Bulgaria which published in nine foreign languages information from the calendar of the Bulgarian rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union prpoviding full coverage of related events throughout the entire period of six months. Furthermore, the interest in Radio Bulgaria’s web sites increased significantly. In the first 6 months of 2018 the interest in its web sites saw 40 percent increase and its publications were read by nearly 1 million users from many countries round the world.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov