As the present chief artistic director of National Ensemble for Folklore Songs and Dances ‘Pirin’, Dimitar Hristov, would put it into words, 2008 would be a year dedicated to the 75th anniversary of maestro Kiril Stefanov’s birth. The beginning of a series of venues is on 27 March in his hometown Blagoevgrad. An anticipated seminar on the subject ‘Art and Life” will be held, a plaque will be unveiled on the façade of his house and a concert of the ensemble will be held in Yavorov Hall from 6.30 PM. Numerous concerts in different towns during the whole year are to be organised.

As a pronounced and irregular talent Kiril Stefanov leaves a permanent and bright trace not only in the movement of folklore choirs but also as a whole in the area of musical art. Having the chance to contribute as a composer, a public figure, a choir-master, organizer, in his professional realization during the years, he becomes a chairman of the board of directors of Balkanton Music Company, President of International Folklore Festival – Varna, a member of the council for music at Ministry of Culture, a choir-master university professor at ‘Neofit Rilski’ Southwestern University. As a composer he writes choir songs for groups for classical singing, children’s and popular songs, music for various bands.

In 1956 when graduated from Bulgarian National School of Music (choir-master class) Kiril Stefanov starts leading Pirin ensemble. A notable part of its repertoire was composed by him. He creates 750 arrangements and author’s songs for folklore choirs. They reflect an emotional expression; simple harmony, outlining the specifics of the folklore-musical dialect; the later works of his show a harmonious impasto, correlating to building a form. Amongst the most popular pieces of the genre are the songs ‘Bre, ovcharche’, ‘Ya ti postilam shareni cherghi’, ‘Lele, kamen Yano’, ‘Stiga iodish, Yane mori’, ‘Aide tsafti, Rujo’, ‘Altan Maro’, ‘Mori aida, aida’, ‘Pilentse, postro slaveyche’, ‘Vila sei gora’.


Author: Manuela Boncheva
Translation: Vera Genova