ANTIKA BULGARIA Int. Cultural Club, San Francisco presents:

Annual MAY CELEBRATION of BULGARIAN ARTS & CULTURE 2010 San Francisco BayAreaBULGARIA

DETSKI PANAIR / CHILDREN’S FAIRE
May, 2nd

THE MAGIC OF THE RHODOPE MOUNTAIN
May, 7th

ILIANA BOJANOVA & TODOR YANKOV
May, 13th & May, 14th

SPASOVDEN – (CANCELED)
May, 15th

BULGARIAN Saints KIRIL & METHODY CULTURAL FESTIVAL – 10 YEARS ANIVERSARY

Now in FOUR REMARKABLE EVENTS:

May, 20th SLAVIC CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT May, 21st IVAN MILEV & NIKOLAY KOLEV CONCERT May, 22nd 10 YEARS Sts KIRIL & METHODY FESTIVAL – GALA ! May, 31st HRISTO VITCHEV’S QUARTET – A JOURNEY TO THE ROOTS
SLAVIC CONCERT WITHOUT BORDERS
May, 20th

IVAN MILEV & NIKOLAY KOLEV CONCERT
May, 21st

10-TH SAINTS KIRIL & METHODY FESTIVAL – GALA !
May, 22nd

HRISTO VITCHEV QUARTET – JOURNEY TO THE ROOTS
May, 31st

If you like this festivities and are interested to become a PROUD SPONSOR to May Celebration of Bulgarian Arts & Culture 2010, please call or E-mail us.

With $50.00 donation you will earn a PERSONAL PASS to all of the events of BG MAY 2010.
With $100.00 donation you will earn a FAMILY PASS to all of the events of BG MAY 2010.

Contact: antika_bulgaria@yahoo.com
Cell: (510) 666-7701 or (510) 367-7094

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT ! WE NEED IT! WE APPRECIATE IT !

DETSKI PANAIR / CHILDREN’S FAIRE

Detski Panair - Children Faire

May 2nd, Sunday, 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Croatian American Cultural Center
60 Onondaga Ave., San Francisco

http://www.croatianamericanweb.org/ event_details.php?id=124

Donation: $10.00 per family

Parking on the street

MARTENICHKI Dance Group will celebrate its 1st Birth Day on 2nd of May.
You are invited to the party at The Detski Panair/Children’s Faire.

DETSKI PANAIR / CHILDREN’S FAIRE is a family oriented multinational event where
kids, parents and artists of Literature, Music, Art and Dance meet for FUN, easy way to warm up for young folks to the main BG Snt’s Kiril & Methody Bulgarian Festival on 22nd of MAY at the same place. There will be Show with our professional guest, short workshops “for children aged 1 to 101” sorted by age and interests followed by Children’s and parent’s TALENT SHOW including the MARTENICHKI Bulgarian Dance Group & Families and kids from The New Bulgarian School in Bay Area and Russian American School San Francisco www.RussianAmericanSchool.org

Also: Children’s BAZAAR for books/games/ toys no longer used (bring yours if you have some) Goodies, Birthday cake – proshtapulnik ritual and more – please, bring some traditional food too to share (optional).

Here are the devoted members of our team:
BILIANA STREMSKA (artist)
EMANUELA NIKIFOROVA (violin)
VANIA DOBREVA (piano)
FILIP ANDRETSUDIS (dancer, musician)
HECTOR BEZANES (gaida)
GEORGI KABAIVANOV, (gaida)
TANYA KOSTOVA (choreographer, stage director)
and more…

!!! Important message: If you are interested in being involved in kids’ activities at The Detski Panair/Children’ s Faire or in the future, or to promote your classes, please contact us via E-mail: antika_bulgaria@yahoo.com

4-THANNUAL THE MAGIC OF THE RHODOPE MOUNTAIN AND BEYOND

An Evening of Dance and Music with TANYA KOSTOVA, VASIL and MARIA BEBELEKOVI and VERNA DRUZHINA Band.

May 7th, 8:00 -11:00 pm, Friday night at
Flex-it aerobics studio, 425 W. Evelyn Ave. in Mountain View, CA
Admission $12, students half-price, children free.

TANYA KOSTOVA has had a varied career as a dancer, choreographer and dance director, dance researcher, lecturer and journalist. She has lived in the United States since 1995, and teaches dance regularly in the Bay Area.

Tanya hosts the Bulgarian Sn’s KIRIL & METHODY Cultural Festival each year since 2001 at the Croatian Cultural Center, witch is the core of Annual MAY CELEBRATION OF BULGARIAN ARTS&CULTURE in San Francisco Bay Area.
See Program of the 2010 festivities below or on www.bayareabulgaria.com

VASIL BEBELEKOV grew up in the Rhodope Mountains of Bulgaria and started playing the gajda at an early age. His wife, MARIA BEBELEKOVA also grew up in the Rhodope mountains and learned singing from her family. Both have taught at the Shiroka Luka Folk Music School and perform in the Bay Area and throughout of USA.

VERNA DRUZHINA plays music from Bulgaria and Macedonia and the group members include
DENA BJORNLIE – gadulka and vocals, MARK JENKINS – tupan and vocals, and JIM OAKDEN – tambura and accordion.

Don’t miss this Live full blown PARTY PO RODOPSKI – the Rhodope way !

ILIANA BOJANOVA and TODOR YANKOV, BULGARIAN MUSIC & DANCE workshops.

May 13th, Thursday, 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm
The Mandala Folk Dance Center, Bowcock Hall, 1399 – 43rd Avenue
Admission is $10.00

May 14th, Friday, 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Flex-it aerobics studio,425 W. Evelyn Ave., Mountain View, CA
Admission is $12

Iliana Hristova Bozhanova was born in 1961 in Galabovo, in the Stara Zagora region of Bulgaria. She grew up in a family of musicians and singers in South Thrace. In 1981, she graduated from the National School for Art Instructors in Plovdiv. She completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in “Bulgarian Folk Dances and Choreography” at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv, the oldest folk arts academy in the Balkans and the most acclaimed in Bulgaria.

At the age of fifteen, Iliana became a member of the folk dance Ensemble Rachenitsa in Plovdiv.Her experiences with the Ensemble, under Artistic Director Dimitar Doichinov, inspired Iliana to devote the major part of her life to Bulgarian folklore. Through the ensemble she had the opportunity to perform Bulgarian folk dances in other parts of Bulgaria, as well as in Greece, Serbia, Poland, Belgium, Portugal, France, Italy, Holland, and Russia. She met many wonderful people through this group, and it was here that she took her first steps as a dance teacher.

In 1981, Iliana became choreographer and artistic director of two children’s folk dance ensembles – Ensemble Radost in the village of Yoakim Gruevo, and the Children’s Ensemble of the Roza Dimitrova Orphanage in Plovdiv. She created her first dance choreographies for these children and also introduced both groups at the Festival for Amateur Folk Art in Plovdiv. Since October of 2004, Iliana has been the director and choreographer of Ensemble Voivodintsi which is comprised of 4 dance groups, 3 of children and 1 of adults, 2 singing groups – man and woman. Iliana has been invited to serve as Dance Coordinator for the Folk Seminar to be held at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv this July. She will also teach a new class, a Survey of Bulgarian Folk Dance, during the Seminar. Besides her work as a dance teacher and choreographer, Iliana has worked as a technician of architecture and civil engineering. She is married and has two sons.

Todor Yankov (accordion) was born in 1962 in Plovdiv, but he grew up in the village of Dobralak in the Rhodopi Mountains in a large family. His father, Vasil Yankov, was a well-known gaida player in the area. Todor began to play gaida, like his father, and then when he was 10 year old, he took up kaval. Soon after that he became an orphan and had no one to send him to study at Shiroka Lûka Music High School, which had been his dream. When he was 16, he discovered the accordion and began to teach himself to play.He is also a wonderful singer. For many years he played with the Hisar folk orchestra at different holiday celebrations. He has been the accordionist for the following folk dance ensembles: Rûchenitsa, Hebar, Pûldin and now-Ensemble Voivodintsi. In 1980 he graduated from the Construction Trades High School in Plovdiv, where he studied electrical installation. He currently works as a machine operator in the Plastics division of Liebher Corporation.

Iliana and Todor have met each other in 1984 in Ensemble Ruchenitsa.Soon after that their roads of life went in different directions. In 2004,Todor invited Iliana to be his colleague and work as a Choreographer in the village of Voivodinovo. Both of them have founded Ensemble Voivodintsi with 32 dancers and singers.Now the members are about 100. The villagers are proud of their Ensemble!

SPASOVDEN – (CANCELED)

Folkloric spiritual retreat

May 15th, Saturday, noon – May 16, Sunday, noon
195 El Solyo, Ben Lomond, CA
at Karen Guggenheim’s “Pod Zlati Bor” in Santa Cruz mountains.
Suggested donation $15.00

This is an ancient and unique ritual for well – being and health with music, stories, candles and a vigil, blessings and music… and dance again. Preparing ritual food together and sleeping over is encouraged as it is a main part of the old ritual of sleeping over in a monastery, a church or under sacred trees – reconnecting with God, Universe, Nature…

SLAVIC CONCERT WITHOUT BORDERS
An Evening of Slavic Classical and Traditional Chamber Music

May 20th, Thursday, 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
The Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St, Berkeley
Tickets: $15.00, Seniors and Students: $10.00

This concert is to celebrate the richness, the vitality and the togetherness of the Slavic culture. In honor of Sts KIRIL & METHODY, The PROTECTORS of EUROPE as the brothers KIRIL & METHODY were pronounced by The European Union.
Artists and friends from neighboring cultures are invited to join the concert/celebration.

THE CONCERT features SLAVIC COMPOSERS Pancho Vladigerov, Georgy Zlatev-Cherkin, Sergei Rachmaninov, Frederick Chopin, Antonin Dvorak, Sergei Prokofiev with:

ALEXANDER VOLONTS -viola
ALEXANDER ZEILIGER-baritone
ANDREY GORBATENKO -double bass
EMANUELA NIKIFOROVA – violin
JOYCE LEE – violin
IRINA BEHRENDT -piano
KATRIN MARSHALL-Biggs- violin
MARIA BOROZINA – violin
MICHAEL GRAHAM – cello
PAUL RHODES -cello
PEPRON PILIBOSSIAN – piano
ROMAN FUKSHANSKI -clarinet
SIMEON SIMEONOV – violin
And also fine Slavic traditional music with:
IVAN MILEV – accordion
NIKOLAY KOLEV – gadulka
HECTOR BEZANES – gaida
Ukrainian Group “KOLADA”

IVAN MILEV & NIKOLAY KOLEV CONCERT

May 21st, Friday, 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
The Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St, Berkeley
Admission: $15.00 Seniors and Students: $10.00

Accordionist extraordinaire IVAN MILEV and gadulka virtuoso NIKOLAY KOLEV from New York and The Bay Area’s BILL LANPHIER, bass and BRYAN BOWMAN drumming, BACK TOGETHER after four years!

IVAN MILEV http://www.myspace.com/ivanmilev is a landmark of contemporary Balkan folk music. Throughout his 40-plus year career as an accordion player in Bulgaria, he established the rules for Balkan folk music. His style fuses classical, jazz, Eastern European, and Middle Eastern music. Milev comes from a clan of famous folk musicians, learning the intricacies of Bulgarian folk music from his father, Atanas Milev, a renowned and innovative folk accordionist. In 1978 Ivan created his own Orchestra Mladost, which performed at festivals, fairs, in concerts, and on Bulgarian national television. Ivan’s exquisite performance and charisma won him many awards and gained him widespread popularity. With his band Ivan has defined the famous wedding music culture in the Balkan region since the 1970s. Ivan toured the U.S. in 2001 with saxophonist Yuri Yanakov. His playing can be heard on the soundtrack of “Everything is Illuminated,” a widely acclaimed independent movie. In 2006 Ivan Milev Band recorded its debut album, The Flight of Krali Marcohttp://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ivanmilevband Check out Chirpanliisko Horo http://www.lanphier.net/temp/bulgarika_mp3s/chirpanliisko_edit.mp3  from Orchestra Mladost by Ivan Milev.

NIKOLAY KOLEV http://www.gadular.com  is a renowned gadulka virtuoso from the village Karavelovo in the Rose Valley of Bulgaria. After graduating from Shiroka Luka High School, he performed with the Sliven Ensemble for three years. In 1984, he founded the orchestra Sopot. In the same year, he started the wedding band Rozova Dolina, which became one of the most sought-after groups in Thrace. In 1992, he also founded Balkanski Glasove, the singing group which took first place at the Varna Festival in 1994 and 1995. Nikolay is also an accomplished composer and arranger of folk songs. His compositions have been performed by such well-known singers as Roumen Rodopski, Savka Sarieva, Donka Koleva and many others. Nikolay Kolev has taught at EEFC Balkan Camps on both coasts and has an adoring cadre of private students. In 1999 Nikolay Kolev was the first Bulgarian to be recognized by the Slavic Heritage Council of America for his outstanding contributions in music. Check out Karavelovska Povratana Karavelovska_edit.mp3  from Gadulka Melodies http://www.gadular.com/flash/gadulka_melodies.html by Nikolay Kolev.

PLUS (May 21 and 22)

BILL LANPHIER, http://www.lanphier.net whose passion for Bulgarian music was sparked in high school, is easily one of America’s most in-demand Balkan bassists. Deeply involved with a diverse spectrum of music, Bill has performed live with Madonna (the Virgin Tour and Live Aid), The Rippingtons, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Linda Ronstadt and Rickie Lee Jones. Bill’s bass playing has been heard internationally on hundreds of radio and TV commercials.

BRYAN BOWMAN http://www.bryanlbowman.com comes from an accomplished family of folk dancers and classical musicians, and was exposed to Balkan music at an early age. Having recorded and performed with some of the West Coast’s top jazz and Balkan musicians, Bryan’s drumming brings an undeniable versatility and creative sensibility to all his musical endeavors.

10-TH SAINTS KIRIL & METHODY FESTIVAL – GALA !

The GALA PARTY of The MAY 2010 Bulgarian Cultural Festivities

May 22nd, Saturday, 3:00 pm – midnight
Croatian American Cultural Center, 60 Onondaga Ave., San Francisco, CA
Admission $15.00, Seniors and Students: $10.00



Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/niki76gg/10ThKirilMethodiiFEST2010?feat=directlink

The Festival features:
Special guests TSVETANKA VARIMEZOVA with SUPERDEVOYCHE – UCLA Balkan Choir and IVAN VARIMEZOV with The UCLA BALKAN BAND.
Accordionist extraordinaire IVAN MILEV and gadulka virtuoso NIKOLAY KOLEV with BILL LANPHIER, bass and BRYAN BOWMAN drumming.
BEBELEKOV 100 KABA Group
VERNA DRUJINA Band
BLACK SEA SURF Band
COPE FAMILY band
DA MOJEM Band
GRADINA and more.
The GOLDEN ICON of Snt’s Kiril & Methody RITUAL will take place as usual and kids will perform and wave garlands.
Food by HRISTO KOLEV.

HRISTO VITCHEV QUARTET – JOURNEY TO THE ROOTS

May 31st, Monday, 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
The Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St, Berkeley
Ticket: $15.00 Seniors and Students: $10.00

HRISTO VITCHEV QUARTET – JOURNEY TO THE ROOTS

Hristo Vitchev is a modern jazz guitarist and composer from Sofia, Bulgaria. Now residing in the San Francisco Bay Area, Hristo leads his impressionistic modern jazz quartet which features the Latin Grammy-nominated pianist Weber Iago, drummer extraordinaire Joe De Rose, and virtuoso bassist Dan Robbins. Hristo’s music is deeply inspired by Bulgarian culture, tradition, and history. His brand new large scale musical work “The Pereprikon Suite” which was inspired by the ancient Thracian city of Perperikon (located in the territory of Bulgaria) will be premiered at the 53rd Monterey Jazz Festival – the most prestigious jazz festival in the world – on September 18th, 2010. However, for the special occasion Hristo Vitchev will give listeners a taste of the new work by performing one of its movements on May 31st at the Hillside Club! He will also premier some very unique arrangements of traditional Bulgarian songs in a modern jazz quartet format.

The Hristo Vitchev Quartet’s 2009 debut album, Song for Messambria (dedicated to the magical Bulgarian town of Nesebar) quickly received outstanding reviews by the international jazz community and was selected as one of the six best jazz albums of 2009 by ejazz news.

As jazz critic Edward Blanco describes, “Vitchev is the newest guitarist to enter the national jazz scene and does so with a stunner of a recording in Song for Messambria, one of the finest debut albums I’ve had the pleasure of appraising this year.”

The record presents a unique blend of ECM-style modern jazz, classical, and Brazilian tone textures, and showcases the completely unique and masterful interpretation of the jazz idiom by each one of its members. In late 2009 Hristo Vitchev released his second studio album featuring Latin Grammy-nominated pianist Weber Iago. The Secrets of an Angel is an impressionistic landscape painted by the delightful and graceful conversation between the two instruments (guitar/piano).

As jazz critic Brad Walseth describes, “On the heels of his impressive debut recording, Song for Messambria, guitarist Hristo Vitchev returns along with pianist Weber Iago for a wonderful guitar/piano duet recording – The Secrets of an Angel…while the gentle title track shimmers like a glistening iceberg on a cold sea. The delightful two-part ‘The Last Pirate’ is a highlight – brilliantly showcasing the exciting romantic bend inherent in Vitchev’s music, while the nostalgic lullaby ‘Leka Nosht (Good Night)’ recalls a faraway youth and rounds out this fine release.”

Hristo Vitchev has appeared on countless radio shows including the Bay Area’s KCSM and KKUP, and Jazz FM 104 in Sofia, Bulgaria. Hristo has also performed in world-class jazz houses including Yoshi’s Jazz Club in Oakland, San Diego’s Anthology, the Herbst Theater in San Francisco, as well as major jazz festivals including the 2009 AT&T San Jose Jazz Festival.

For more information please visit:
www.hristovitchev.com and http://www.firstorbitsounds.com/eb/blast050710.html

Please feel free to contact us at antika_bulgaria@yahoo.com or Cell: (510) 666-7701 to make YOUR CONTRIBUTION to the MAY CELEBRATION of BG ARTS & CULTURE – 2009 and add your (if available) Bulgarian or related event to the List of Events of THE BULGARIAN MAY 2010.

See you all there !!!

Tanya Kostova, Founder, Director
ANTIKA BULGARIA International Cultural Club