For the 15th time in Sofia, European Music Festival to present quality classical music from the Old Continent

World-renowned ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS and leading musicians from Spain, Austria, Poland, and Switzerland to be presented at the festival

February 24, 2015, Sofia

Music company Cantus Firmus is to present the fifteenth edition of the European Music Festival, which is to take place from March 25 through June 10, 2015 in Sofia, as part of the 2015 Sofia Municipality Cultural Events Calendar. The Festival, which has established itself as one of Sofia’s most prestigious music events, is organized in collaboration with Bulgaria’s Ministry of Culture and UniCredit Bulbank. This year’s Festival program is to feature 15 events, including over 300 performers from 10 countries. The 2015 European Music Festival is held under the patronage of Ms. Rumyana Bachvarova, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria, and Ms. Yordanka Fandakova, Mayor of Sofia.
The opening concert for this year’s Festival is scheduled for March 25 and is to feature virtuoso violinist Mario Hossen, praised by critics as a “reincarnation of Paganini.” Alongside the Sofia Soloists Chamber Ensemble, conducted by Georgi Patrikov, Hossen is to perform the remarkable Piazzolla cycle, The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.
One of this year’s EMF highlights is the concert including the elite British chamber ensemble, ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS, which is to take place on April 6 at Bulgaria Hall. This ensemble is known for its outstanding musicianship, as well as its brilliant sound. Founded by legendary British violinist and conductor Sir Neville Marriner in 1958, the Academy bears the name of the famous Trafalgar Square church in London, which is also where the ensemble held its first public concerts. During the last couple of years, the Academy has been led by remarkable American violinist Joshua Bell. With over 500 recordings to date, the Academy is one of the most recorded chamber orchestras in the world. It has supplied the music for such milestone films as Amadeus, The English Patient, and Titanic, and has received numerous awards for these recordings. Bulgarian concert-goers will have the chance to hear this famous ensemble in a live performance of works by Dvorak, Elgar, Mozart, and Britten.
Only one day after the stellar British ensemble’s concert, as part of the Festival on April 7 magnetic Bulgarian violinist Mila Georgieva is to perform Brahms’s Violin Concerto, accompanied by the Classic FM Radio Orchestra under the baton of Luciano di Martino.
On the eve of Easter, the European Music Festival presents the magnifiscent St. Matthew Passion by J. S. Bach. This majestic almost 4-hour-long work, involving two choirs, five soloists, and orchestra, is to be presented at Bulgaria Hall at 7PM on April 1, as a co-production with the Bulgarian Bach Society Foundation.
Another notable festival highlight is the piano recital of Spanish pianist Judith Jáuregui, who will be performing in Bulgaria for the first time. The concert is scheduled for April 16.
The Beltango Symphonico Project at Bulgaria Hall on June 5 is to include the Belgrade Beltango Ensemble, the AGВU Sofia Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Bedros Papasian, as well as dancers Daniel Aranda from Argentina and Annatina Luck from Switzerland. For this event, world-famous Serbian bandoneonist Alexandar Nikolic has prepared special tango arrangements for quintet and orchestra.
This year, the EMF will once again provide performance opportunities for young and aspiring musicians. On April 29, National Music School students – prize winners at international competitions, are to make their solo debut with the Classic FM Radio Orchestra. On May 11, the National Music Academy WINDART wind quintet is to present a program with works by Mozart, Bizet, Goleminov, and Ferenz Farkas.
This year’s festival has an extensive roster, including artists such as Georgii Cherkin, Zornitsa Ilarionova, Assen Tanchev, Maria Ilieva, Koceto Kalki, and The Sofia Wind Orchestra conducted by Yuli Damyanov, among others.
As a tradition, the Golden Quill Awards Ceremony has once again this year been planned as part of the European Music Festival. Twenty four distinguished Bulgarian musicians, actors, writers, and fine artists are to be awarded on the occasion of the Slavic Literacy and Culture Day, May 24. The EMF will close on June 10 with a concert presented by Polish jazz duo Pawel Tomaszewski, piano and Wojciech Myrczek, vocals.
Tickets for all 2015 EMF concerts are on sale at the Cantus Firmus box office at Bulgaria Hall, as well as online at www.ticketsbg.com.