THE COMPOSERS AND REPERTOIRE Alexander Raichev (1922-2003) was one of the most prominent representatives of Bulgarian music culture. The active social involvement and optimistic pathos as witnessed by his work reflects characteristic features of Bulgarian music after the 1950s. In 1985 Yovcho Krushev (1957-) composed and published the Sonata-Elegy for Viola and Piano, a work that became immediately very popular, featured in all Bulgarian competitions. Krushev dedicated the sonata to the violist and editor of the soloist’s part, Professor Ognyan Stanchev. What Bartok did for Hungary and Enescu did for Romania, Pancho Vladigerov (1899-1978) has done for Bulgaria: the widely-acclaimed national composer’s music most impressively reflects the soul of his nation. Several works of his such as the Bulgarian Rhapsody Vardar, are considered to be emblematic of Bulgarian music. Inspired by the song “May this lonesome cry be heard far and wide” by Dobri Hristov, it was widely popular and performed in Vardar, Macedonia, as a Bulgarian folk song. In 1922 Vladigerov composed his Rhapsody Vardar for Violin and Piano, Op.16. On request by his friends the composer dedicated this work to the “fighting Bulgarian youth in Macedonia” and changed the original title Bulgarian Rhapsody to Bulgarian Rhapsody Vardar. Due to political reasons this title has been altered throughout the years and has finally remained as Rhapsody Vardar. THE PERFORMERS Born in Eisleben, Germany, a son of Bulgarian musicians, Marian Kraew began violin study at the age of six. At age eleven, he started studying under the famous Professor Klaus Hertel and in 1992 he became his regular student at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Leipzig. Since 2002, he has been the first concertmaster of the Munich Symphony Orchestra and educational supervisor and instructor of the orchestra violin trainees. Marian Kraew is regularly featured as soloist with the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestras of Dessau, Brandenburg and Jena; Dresden Symphony Orchestra, Nürnberg and Munich Symphony Orchestras, Sofia Philharmonic among others. Born in Dobrich, Bulgaria, Maria Hristova, violist, has studied under under Nobuko Imai, Wolfgang Klos, Andras Kiss and Dimitar Penkov; and has played in countless orchestras including the Munich Chamber Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Gustav Mahler Symphony Orchestra as well as soloing with the Munich Symphony Orchestra, Slovakian Radio Symphony Orchestra, West Saxony Symphony Orchestra and many others. Bulgarian born pianist Nadejda Vlaeva’s playing has been acclaimed wherever she has appeared. Her overwhelming musicality, poetic nature, and electrifying virtuosity have garnered accolades from many world-famous musicians. Lazar Berman called her talent “God-given”; Maestro Hans Graf observed that “her musicality and the depth of her interpretation amazed me,” and Arnold Steinhardt, leader of the Guarneri String Quartet, praised her as “one of those people of extraordinary ability whom we hope for but rarely see.” In 2006, the American composer Lowell Liebermann composed his Nocturne No. 9 for Ms. Vlaeva, which she premiered at the Husum Rarities of Piano Music festival that year. The following year, Mr. Liebermann composed his Variations on a Theme of Schubert for Ms. Vlaeva, which she premiered at Merkin Concert Hall in New York City. Ivajla Kirova, pianist and composer, is the founder of the Association for Promotion of Bulgarian Music in Germany, and Artistic Director of the “Bulgarian Musical Evenings in Munich” concert cycle. “The young Bulgarian pianist is an example of how the Bulgarian art can be developed and supported even beyond the country’s frontiers…”, announces the Deutsche Welle radio. Her career started early in her country where she won many prizes for young pianists. In 1999 she moved to Germany after she had been invited to serve as associate professor at the Munich University of Music and Theater. For a period of seven years she taught students from all over the world, participated as a judge at International Competitions such as “Classics and Contemporary” in Bulgaria and conducted master classes in Europe and Asia. She performed multiple concerts in Bulgaria, Italy, Spain, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Japan. Her live recordings have been broadcast by Bulgarian and Swiss Radio and German Television as well.