site.btaBulgarian Percussionist Vivi Vassileva Performs Europe Day Concert in Ankara

Bulgarian percussionist Vivi Vassileva took the stage on Friday night at the biggest acoustic hall of the Presidential Symphony Orchestra in Ankara. She performed as the soloist in a concert marking Europe Day. Conducted by Michal Nesterowicz, the programme featured Percussion Concerto by Danny Elfman and Carmen Suite No. 1 by Georges Bizet. The event is supported through the European Union’s Communication Strategy.

Vivi Vassileva has the extraordinary ability to captivate audiences with her talent and energy whenever she steps behind the percussion instruments. With every strike, she recalls a defining moment on the shores of the Black Sea, when she first realized that their rhythm sounded like the beating of her own heart. And each time she studies a new score, she strives to return to that same spontaneity and emotion.

"I grew up in Germany, but every summer we went back to Bulgaria to spend time at the Black Sea. On one beautiful beach there were musicians playing drums and darbukas. I was about seven or eight years old when I asked if I could try. The moment I started playing, it felt like magic. At home I knew notes and composers, but this improvised music came straight from the heart, you close your eyes and the rhythm simply emerges from within you, from the pulse of your own heart. It was an overwhelming experience, and from that day on, I knew these were my instruments," Vassileva told the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).

Vassileva is the youngest sister of another beloved Bulgarian musician known around the world - violinist Vasko Vassilev.

"What inspired me most was the way he gave himself completely to the music on stage, with every cell of his body, and passed that emotion on to the audience. As a child, it was quite an experience for me to be at his concerts. That is the true meaning of being a musician, sharing these incredible emotions and this immense love of life, which I believe music expresses better than anything else. Music is our gift to people," Vassileva said.

On the eve of Europe Day, which she celebrated with audiences in the Turkish capital, Vassileva says she continues to believe in the European ideal.

"I support the idea of a strong Europe. To me, it represents humanity’s greatest strength, our ability to stay connected and work together. I hope people continue striving toward that. Music does exactly that, it connects us. Today, at rehearsal, I got goosebumps when I heard the Ode to Joy," she added.

This will be Vassileva’s third performance in Turkiye and her first appearance in Ankara. She says she will leave the Turkish capital with memories of its traditional cuisine and its vibrant community of modern musicians.