Constanța, Romania, July 2017
A Landmark Performance by the Sofia Boys’ Choir
On a sweltering summer day in early July, the Sofia Boys’ Choir of Bulgaria, under the distinguished direction of Prof. Dr. Adriana Blagoeva, delivered an extraordinary concert in Constanța, leaving the audience spellbound by its impeccable artistry and refined musicality. The choir’s crystalline sopranos and altos blended seamlessly with the resonant tenor and bass voices of the young men, whose musical foundations were cultivated from early childhood within this premier Bulgarian ensemble.
For the Constanța audience, the concert represented a rare and exceptional experience. Performances by boys’ choirs are uncommon, given the vocal challenges associated with prepubescent and adolescent singers. The rapid vocal transitions of young boys necessitate extended periods of stabilization, making consistent performance an achievement in itself. Globally, only a handful of similar ensembles exist, including the Vienna Boys’ Choir, Leipzig’s Thomanerchor of St. Thomas Church, Dresden’s Kreuzchor, the Boys’ Choir of Lithuania, Moscow Boys’ Choir, and the Riga Cathedral Boys’ Choir.
The Sofia Boys’ Choir, founded in 1968 by conductor Liliyana Todorova, holds the distinction of being Bulgaria’s first boys’ choir, operating under the auspices of Chitalishte Tsar Boris III – 1928. Initially composed of boys aged 8–15 drawn from various Sofia schools, the choir quickly distinguished itself for its musical excellence. Since 1989, Prof. Dr. Adriana Blagoeva, currently Dean of the Faculty of Theory, Composition, and Conducting at the National Music Academy “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” in Sofia, has directed the choir with unwavering commitment. In 1997, she established a youth formation comprising former choir members, further extending the ensemble’s legacy.
Internationally, the Sofia Boys’ Choir has been widely acclaimed, garnering prestigious awards including the Grand Prize, First and Second Prizes at the Guido d’Arezzo International Choral Competition (Italy, 1993); First Prize at the Georgi Dimitrov International Competition in Varna, Bulgaria (1997); First Prize at the Giuseppe Zelioli Church Music Competition in Lecco, Italy (1997); First Prize at the Neuchâtel International Choral Competition, Switzerland (1999); Second Prize at the inaugural Male Choir Competition in Bolzano, Italy (2000), where Prof. Blagoeva also received the Special Conductor’s Award; two Second Prizes at the Orlando di Lasso International Competition in Camerino, Italy (2003); and First and Second Prizes at the “Zvuchi Moskva” International Competition in Moscow, Russia (2012). The choir has produced nine dedicated recordings, participated in eight collective albums, and contributed extensively to Bulgarian radio and television archives. National honors include the Silver Lyre, Golden Lyre, and twice the Crystal Lyre from the Union of Bulgarian Musicians and Dancers, as well as the Golden Pen, Golden Plaque from the Bulgarian Choral Union, and the Honorary Plaque of the Union of Bulgarian Composers.
The Sofia Boys’ Choir has enjoyed resounding success across numerous international tours, performing in Russia, Greece, Poland, Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Belgium, Turkey, and Japan.
Visiting Romania for the first time, the choir performed a remarkable program at the Museum of Arts in Constanța, a hall adorned with the works of Nicolae Grigorescu. The concert repertoire, notable for its stylistic breadth, highlighted the choir’s technical mastery and expressive range. Standout performances included St. Degtyaryov’s Today Every Creature, W. A. Mozart’s Qui presso a Te, Zoltán Kodály’s Stabat Mater, Milko Kolarov’s The Motherland is in My Heart, Parashkev Hadjiev’s Good Night, Petar Lyundev’s Song with “La”, Philip Kutev (arr.) Dimyaninka, Petko Staynov’s De Bre, Dimo, the Mexican folk song Polka, Leonard Bernstein’s America from West Side Story, and encore pieces.
The choir’s angelic sound was achieved through the masterful balance of crystalline children’s voices with mature male timbres, guided by Prof. Blagoeva’s consummate artistry. The performance demonstrated exceptional precision, clarity of diction, and interpretive nuance — hallmarks of a choir at the pinnacle of musical excellence. Special recognition is due to pianist Zornitsa Getova, whose sensitive accompaniment enriched the ensemble’s performance.
The Sofia Boys’ Choir’s concert in Constanța was not merely a performance but a transcendent musical experience, a testament to the choir’s artistry and to Prof. Blagoeva’s visionary leadership — a true celebration of the enduring power and beauty of choral music.
Prof. Dr. Mariana Popescu
Composer, Conductor, Musicologist
Board Member, Union of Romanian Composers
