The Istanbul Flute Ensemble (İstanbul Flüt Topluluğu) holds its concert today (March 18) in Bulgaria Chamber Hall in Sofia. It is dedicated to the Music of Europe 2 series of concerts that started in the beginning of 2019. The previous editions of the Music of Europe already presented pieces by Russian, Norwegian, Macedonian, Serbian, Kosovan, Azerbaijan and Icelandic composers. Music of Europe 2 project is a continuation of Music of Europe 1 project – one of the most significant music events of last year’s concert season.

The Music of Europe 1 project was fulfilled between January and June 2018. It featured the music of all EU member states, Professor Borislava Taneva, Deputy Rector of the National Music Academy Pancho Vladigerov told Radio Bulgaria. It was linked with Bulgaria’s rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the concerts were held exactly in that period. The project received The Sofia Award. The Culture Fund of the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture supports both editions of the Music of Europe event. The Conductor of the Sofia Philharmonic Nayden Todorov came up with the idea about this project. The concerts are held in partnership with The Sofia Philharmonic and the National Academy of Music. In 2019 we continue with eighteen countries which for one reason or another are not part of the European Union. We invite performers from these countries, musicians from the Sofia Philharmonic and students from the National Academy of Music. I believe all concerts are quite interesting, but some of them are unconventional. The Music of Azerbaijan for instance turned extremely successful. Credo Quartet performed brilliantly the modern musical scores. I am very grateful to my colleague Milen Panayotov who contacted with the composers from that country. Azerbaijani composer Elmir Mirzoev arrived in Bulgarian especially for this concert. His piece was performed by Bulgarian pianist Lili Bogdanova. The concert in Sofia on March 18 is also very unconventional – this is how I would describe a formation of 13 flutes which include all variations of this music instrument – from bass-flute to piccolo flute. The musicians will perform pieces by Turkish composers written especially for them. This will be a unique experience. I would like to invite people to attend today’s concert and enjoy this nice flute feast.

The programme of the Music of Europe also includes concerts dedicated to Albanian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Moldovan, Georgian, Montenegrin and Bosnian musicians, as well as to European city states, etc.

In my view, Armen-Levon Manaseryan’s concert will be very interesting. Levon is a young and talented pianist who will present pieces of Armenian composers, Professor Taneva went on to say. I would not miss The Music of Switzerland concert either. The Swiss Bulgarian Association for Culture based in Geneva ordered pieces of female Swiss composers especially for this concert. They will be performed by Gergana Nestorova who is a PhD student at the National Academy of Music.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov