site.btaBulgarian Music Professor Brings American Students to His Home City of Plovdiv for Cultural and Musical Immersion

A vibrant program by the Herb Alpert Music Center of Los Angeles City College (LACC) has come to an inspiring close in Plovdiv. For the first time, the project, traditionally held in Madrid, Spain, was hosted in Bulgaria’s second-largest city, bringing 22 students and five faculty members to share an eclectic blend of jazz, swing, Latin, fusion, soul, pop, R&B, and mariachi music.

Dr. Milen Kirov, pianist, composer, and professor at LACC, expressed his joy at leading the students through this unique cultural exchange. “I’m proud to have brought these students here, to work with them, and to show them the beauty and secrets of Plovdiv, introducing them to incredible musicians and Bulgarian music,” Kirov told BTA.

The month-long program included classes on choral music, composition, songwriting, jazz and pop ensembles, as well as a mariachi group performing traditional Mexican tunes. Renowned guest instructors enriched the experience: Dr. Todor Kirov, Milen Kirov’s father, led a masterclass on Bulgarian folk music and traditional instruments such as the gadulka, while folk singer and tambura player Vili Ivanova, Milen’s mother, taught traditional Bulgarian songs and vocal styles. Last week, musician Alexander Lekov presented a masterclass on playing in a rhythm section, and local jazz guitarist Nikolay Karageorgiev guided students through jazz improvisation techniques.

Students immersed themselves not only in music but also in the local culture. They attended rehearsals of the opera La Traviata ahead of a performance during the Opera Open Festival and enjoyed informal jam sessions with Plovdiv musicians at various clubs.

“The first three weeks in July, we worked intensely at the Plovdiv National School of Music and Dance Arts and held several informal jam sessions around the city,” Kirov said. According to him, the group's concerts at the school and Bee Bop Café earlier this week marked the highlight of their stay.

For many participants, including student Waylon Culpepper, the experience was transformative. Coming to Plovdiv was amazing, he said adding that he had never left the US before. He said that experiencing a different culture is incredibly important to him. Plovdiv is a beautiful city, and playing with local musicians is something very special, he added.

The tour concludes Thursday with a jazz and pop performance at In The Mood Jazz Club in Sofia.

Dr. Milen Kirov, a native of Plovdiv and a long-time California resident, blends European classical music, American jazz, and Bulgarian folklore in his compositions and teachings at LACC, where he instructs in theory, solfège, harmony, piano, and composition.