The Gega New Publishers released a new album (Voice of the Rhodopes) with 19 songs performed by folk singer Mladen Koynarov, who has one of the most beautiful voices in the region of Rhodopes, South Bulgaria. The songs are accompanied by Georgi Mussorliev - gaida, Peter Yanev - gaida, orchestra of the “Rhodopa” Folk Songs and Dances Ensemble - Smolyan, Bulgarian National Radio Folk Music Orchestra. Conductors: Lazarin Kisyov, Dobrin Panayotov, Ivan Topalov, Kosta Kolev.

Mladen Koynarov is born on 15 September 1945 in the village of Oryahovets in the Smolyan district. He has concretized throughout Bulgaria since 1966, and in 1970 won a position in the Rhodopa State Ensemble for Folk Songs and Dances in Smolyan. To this day he is a soloist with this ensemble, and his work with “Rhodopa” has played an important role in the development of his own style and of his popularity as one of the best loved performers of Rhodope songs. He has personally uncovered and learned over 70 songs for Bulgarian National Radio and participated on more than 140 television programs. In 1978 he received the second prize in the Prix de Folklore competition of Radio Bratislava, and he is also the recipient of the Silver Lyre (1995) and Golden Lyre (1998) awards of the Union of Bulgarian Music and Dance Professionals.

What are the essential traits that distinguish the performance mastery of Mladen Koynarov?

Above all, his rich and powerful voice, giving him the possibility of delving deeply into the folk songs he performs. The singer takes advantage of the capabilities of his voice, freely shaping the sound without any suggestion of physical tension.

The talent of Mladen Koynarov goes beyond musical and vocal gifts, to his great love of the Rhodope songs and his unending search for perfection.