Source: Publishing Atelier “Gallery of Words,” June 2018
Author: Rostislav Yovchev
With a grand concert titled “VIVA LA MUSICA!” on June 21 at 7 PM in Sofia’s “Bulgaria” Hall, the 50th anniversary of one of Bulgaria’s most iconic choirs—the Choir of Sofia Boys, the country’s very first boys’ choir—will be celebrated. The event is part of the international festival “Sofia Music Weeks” and will feature both new compositions and beloved pieces cherished by the choir members.
The concert will also include former alumni of the Choir of Sofia Boys, now confidently pursuing careers as professional musicians. During the event, the choir’s latest album, “Songs for Us,” a joint initiative of the Bulgarian National Radio and the Choir of Sofia Boys, will be presented. The album features recordings from the BNR archives of songs composed specifically for the choir.
It is impossible to discuss this choir without highlighting its driving force—the person without whom the choir’s current successes would be unimaginable. That person is the choir’s charismatic conductor, Prof. Dr. Adriana Blagoeva. For decades, she has been inseparably intertwined with the life of the choir, serving as its heart and mind, shaping its musical development, and guiding this intricate choral ensemble to perform with striking success not only in Bulgaria but around the world.
Adriana Blagoeva has the rare gift of channeling the boundless, often hyperactive energy of 21st-century children into the service of art, guiding them to embody music in its highest form: singing. The talented children of the Choir of Sofia Boys grow both musically and personally, turning music into a lifelong passion—even after they have left the ensemble. This is the choir’s great mission and the defining role of its artistic director, Adriana Blagoeva.
As her colleague at the National Music Academy, I witness the immense responsibilities she bears as Dean of one of the Academy’s most demanding faculties—the Theoretical Faculty—which brings together conductors, composers, musicologists, educators, and sound engineers. With the patience and tact she undoubtedly possesses, she continues, even beyond her Academy duties, to devote herself with unwavering musical energy every day—often without breaks—to mentoring her students, implementing new creative ideas, and seeking performance opportunities for the choir, regardless of the frequently challenging conditions in Bulgaria.
A choral ensemble, confidently led by Prof. Dr. Adriana Blagoeva, now boldly steps into the second half-century of its existence.
Let us attend their jubilee concert and applaud their dedication to creating art that springs from the pure, youthful voices of Bulgaria, celebrating and elevating Bulgarian culture and music.
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