Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

Piano Extravaganza - music for connoisseurs

Photo: piano-extravaganza.com

The Piano Extravaganza Festival is one of the most exquisite music events in the Bulgarian capital. The programming of the forthcoming 10th edition has undergone some changes, but in the current situation this is inevitable. Due to the unstable situation, the organizers have decided not to hold the traditional Open Day to prevent crowds.

There are eight concerts in the program, two of them in a chamber hall. What they have in common is the participation of pianist Lyudmil Angelov, artistic director of the event. On October 2, when the opening takes place, the audience will have the opportunity to hear Schumann’s vocal cycle "The Poet's Love" - one of the iconic works not only in the composer's work, but also for the whole era of Romanticism as a creative direction. The vocal part will be performed by the tenor Bülent Bezdüz from Turkey – one of the three foreign participants in the festival.

There will be a chamber concert on October 4th, when famous Bulgarian violinist Mincho Minchev and Lyudmil Angelov will play together for the first time.

Lyudmil Angelov

One of the ideas of the festival is to support the new generation of performers. This year the representative of the young talents is Maria-Desislava Stoycheva with a concert on October 13th .

A piano recital by the Russian pianist Sergei Redkin is also planned for October 14th .


At the very inception of the festival one of its main tasks was stated to be the promotion of piano works of high artistic value by composers who have not gained popularity or have remained in the shadow of already established names. A similar example is the work of Prof. Andrey Stoyanov (brother of the composer Veselin Stoyanov), known primarily for his huge contribution to piano instruction in Bulgaria. Little-known piano works of Andrey Stoyanov will be performed by Prof. Rostislav Yovchev in a concert on October 10th.

Prof. Antonio di Cristofano

The program line called "Continuity" continues, in which Piano Extravaganza presents teachers and students, affirming the integral connection between them. Three concerts are planned – of the famous Bulgarian pedagogue and pianist Rada Chomakova (October 6th), of Prof. Antonio di Cristofano from Italy (October 21st), and of their students (October 9th).

The festival concerts will be held in several venues in Sofia, including the Sofia City Gallery, Bulgaria Chamber Hall and the Pancho Vladigerov National Music Academy.

Photos: piano-extravaganza.com, private library, Facebook /Antonio di Cristofano




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Lili Ivanova with a concert in the legendary Flagey Building in Brussels

After a ten-year hiatus, the prima of Bulgarian pop music, Lili Ivanova, will once again have a big concert in Brussels. The event is on March 6 at 8 p.m. local time in the legendary Flagey Building in the Belgian capital and is under..

published on 3/6/24 2:02 PM

Vienna is the first stop of B.T.R.'s European tour

2024 marks the 30th anniversary of B.T.R., which is one of the most popular and beloved Bulgarian rock bands. At the end of last year, the musicians marked the beginning of their anniversary with a big concert in Hall No 1 of the National Palace of..

published on 3/6/24 9:05 AM

Give Me Love brings together Hristiyana Dankova and Kristian Yankulov in a duet

Give Me Love is the first joint single by Hristiyana Dankova and Kristian Yankulov, two young but already well-known artists. Dedicated to pure love, which is almost a rarity these days, Give Me Love is a beautiful pop ballad with tender vocal..

published on 3/5/24 1:35 PM