The 9th edition of the Children’s Folklore Festival Orpheus Sings with the Sea attracted talented children from 37 Bulgarian cities and villages who were eager to demonstrate their skills in folklore music and dance. The initial idea of the organizer of the festival Mr. Plemen Georgiev was to turn children’s participation into a real holiday and encourage them to hold various performances on stage. Unlike the multiple festivals, where participants pay fees to join those events, the Orpheus Sings with the Sea festival has a noble goal. Mr. Georgiev provided the whole financing necessary for that event. He accommodates all children at his hotel in the town of Primorsko and pays the expenses of those children during the festival days. The Bulgarian National Radio made studio recordings of some of the most-celebrated music formations during previous editions of the festival.

The national schools of folklore arts in Kotel and Shiroka Laka are co-organizers of the children’s festival. Traditionally, this year’s festival was attended by Orpheus folklore ensemble from Chepelare, the children’s folklore ensembles Medeni Zvancheta from the town of Samokov and Belchinche from the village of Belchin Banya (Samokov Municipality), a folklore ensemble from the village of Draginovo (Velingrad municipality), Torlashki Napevi folklore choir from the city of Montana, Children’s folklore ensemble from the village of Nedelino, children’s ensembles from the town of Rudozem and the village of Gavrailovo. The dance troupes from the villages of Trilistnik, Kislovo and Katunitsa and the city of Shumen caused a furor on stage with their temperamental horo chain dance.

Here is what the artistic director of the Orpheus Sings with the Sea Festival Iliana Naydenova told Radio Bulgaria

“In September Helios Youth Center in the town of Primorsko welcomed for the 9th consecutive year the young Bulgarian musicians and their leaders. This year’s music season was exceptionally fruitful. The International Folklore Festival Bulgarian Rose was held earlier in August. The first edition of the Pop-rock Festival Notes on the Sand was also held this summer. In times of increasing globalization, traditional folklore has the vocation to preserve the identity of the nation. That is why we must keep it through such festivals, where folklore groups and ensembles from various Bulgarian schools and community centers can perform on stage. We should encourage continuity between the folklore groups. The ensembles from the town of Chepelare and Rudozem and from the village of Dragnovo are wonderful example of succession between children and adults. The bag pipers from Orpheus folklore ensemble and Delio Haidutin bagpipe ensemble from Rudozem always make strong impression during that festival. The organizers of the folklore festival have the noble task to arrange meetings between children and young musicians and enable them to exchange artistic experience, which contributes to the preservation of the traditional Bulgarian folklore. The festival is part of the cultural calendar of the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture. I hope that the 10th edition of the festival will last longer and welcome more participants.”

English version: Kostadin Atanasov

Audio contains the following songs:

1 Ogan Gori, Borna Sveti, to the rendition of Orpheus folklore group from the town of Chepelare, headed by Iliya Uchikov

2 Po Drum Hodya to the rendition of Children’s Vocal Group Medeni Zvancheta from the town of Samokov

3 Djelyana to the rendition of folklore ensemble from the village of Draginovo

4 Torlashka Kitcka to the rendition of Torlashki Napevi folklore formation from the city of Montana

5 I Az Se Malak Ojenih, performed by Mariana Evtimova, with accompaniment of bagpiper Ilya Uchikov