Valentina IVANOVA
The School of Arts at the House of Culture in Kardzhali has been sheltering and developing talents from the city and the region for 70 years. The glorious anniversary will bring together current and former graduates and teachers, parents and relatives, the faithful audience tonight.
The event will be opened by the Children’s String Orchestra led by Maria Petkovska, who in March won the First Prize in the 12th National Competition “Road to Glory” in Sofia. The formation was created in the spring of 1963 by Petar Filipov. He has led the School for the longest time. From 1970, his wife Stefka Filipova became a pedagogue for the orchestra. Both left this world.
Radost Popova
Peter Filipov
Back in 1954, entrance exams were held for the first time and the first lessons began in piano, violin, accordion and solfège, and later – in cello, clarinet, classical guitar and percussion instruments.
The first head of the School was Ivan Gudev, after him – Dora Alexieva, Nedko Kazakov, Kiril Tonchev, Maria Mitkova-Petkovska, Galya Gavrailova, Toshka Susurkova, and currently – Hristina Machikyan.
Along with them, over the years, under the skillful guidance of a whole galaxy of teachers, many of its graduates from the School of Arts took their way to become professional musicians and teachers.
Christina Machikyan
The names of many outstanding musicians who left us too soon will remain forever in the memory of the people of Kardjalija. The name of the unforgettable Radost Popova stands out, whose contribution to the musical life of the city and the country is significant. Her works continue to be performed to this day.
Among the graduates of the School are the famous musicians Ivo Papazov-Ibryama, Neshko Neshev, Yuksel Akhmedov, the music teacher Snezhana Polikhronova, Petya Bagovska, professor of double bass, whose path began in the children’s string orchestra, etc.
The children’s string orchestra led by Maria Petkovska today
The school of classical ballet was established in 1957. The first teacher was Maria Bozhilova. There, teachers Dora Kehaiova, Ivan Panayotov, Rositsa Naydenova, etc. work tirelessly with the children. This is where the careers of Hikmet Akhmedov, ballet master, choreographer and pedagogue, and Angela Naydenova, a soloist of the Berlin Opera for many years, began.
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