site.btaVassil Kazandjiev's "Virtuoso Movements" Had World Premiere on May 29

Prof. Vassil Kazandjiev's Virtuoso Movements for Piano and String Orchestra had their world premiere under the baton of Yordan Kamdzhalov at the Bulgaria Hall on May 29. The concert also featured Kazandjiev's Festive Music and Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat major, as Mozart is one of Prof. Kazandjiev's favourite composers.

Genesis Orchestra performed with pianist Nadejda Tzanova as the soloist.

The concert is part of the Sofia Music Weeks programme.

Prof. Kazandjiev, who was a special guest, thanked the musicians on the stage after the concert.

Maestro Kamdzhalov said: "The professor [Kazandjiev] has always said music must be beautiful and exalted."

Nadejda Tzanova told BTA the composer wrote Virtuoso Movements in 2022 and dedicated it to her. The pianist said Kazandjiev is a man with incredible drive and energy, even at that age. The composer is 88.

Genesis Orchestra, of which Yordan Kamdzhalov is artistic director and chief conductor, brings together established Bulgarian musicians from Bulgaria, Europe and the world. The first chair violinist, Moni Simeonov, is Director of String Studies and Violin Professor with the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at the California State University, Long Beach.