site.btaAutumn Arts Salon in Plovdiv to Open with Concert at Roman Theatre

The 21st Autumn Arts Salon will open on September 1 at the Roman Theatre in Plovdiv with a project by accordionist Kaloyan Kumanov entitled "Musicaria," said according to the city administration.

This is the largest cultural event in Plovdiv, bringing together festivals and individual events from all genres, including music, theatre, dance, literature, visual arts, exhibitions, art installations, and more. The official opening is always on this date, and the events continue throughout October.

Well-known actors and musicians will take to the stage, including Gergana Stoyanova and Simeon Vladov (hosts and vocals); Kamen Vodenicharov (vocals); Miroslav Ivanov (guitar); Stoyan “Stundji” Yankulov (drums); Julian Janev (piano); Radoslav “Riverman” Slavchev (bass); Elena Sirakova (vocals); 2 Naum (piano and vocals); Alexandra Borisova and Pepi Milanov (piano, vocals, guitar); Momchil Karaivanov (tenor) and Kaloyan Kumanov (accordion).

The audience will hear classical music, rock opera, Bulgarian folk music, funk, pop music, progressive rock, in a collaboration that only these virtuoso musicians can create and perform in person, the organizers said.

The Musicaria project is funded by the Municipality of Plovdiv and is part of the city's cultural calendar. The city administration team noted the interesting fact that Hollywood star Kevin Costner's guitar will be played on stage. The instrument was purchased at auction and donated to the concert participants.

Earlier in the day, the National Autumn Exhibitions will begin, as is tradition. This year's theme is "A Piece of the River." The curator is Vesela Nozharova from the Art - Deeds and Documents Foundation. This year's participants include: Antoni Raizhekov, Borislava Berbenko, Boryana Rossa, Velizar Dimchev, Kalin Serapionov, Kalina Dimitrova, Miryana Todorova, Nadezhda Oleg Lyakhova, Nevena Ekimova, Nia Tsenkova, Pravdolub Ivanov, Siyana Shishkova, Stela Vasileva, and Stoyan Dechev. The exhibitions will be held at the Balabanov House, the Hindlian House, and the Permanent Exhibition of Mexican Art at the City Art Gallery. The opening will take place at Atanas Krastov Square (Lapidarium) in the Old Town.

Kaloyan Kumanov is one of the few musicians in Europe who masterfully performs classical works on the accordion. He is a graduate of the Prof. Asen Diamandiev Academy of Music and Visual Arts in Plovdiv. After graduating in Bulgaria, he won a competition for concertmaster of theBarcelona Accordion Chamber Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Conservatory in Sabadell, Catalonia, and became the first Bulgarian to play in both of Catalonia's central accordion orchestras. For eleven years he taught accordion, solfège, and choral singing at the conservatory in Catalonia. He became a soloist and first accordionist in the Sabadell Accordion Orchestra conducted by Miguel Ángel Maestro. He teaches accordion, piano, solfège, and choral singing at the Liceu Conservatory, as well as at the Orfeo Gracienc Music School and at the Music Academy on the island of Menorca, where he is also principal conductor of the Accordion Orchestra. He participates in numerous musical projects and chamber ensembles. He has performed at venues such as the Palau de la Musica Catalana and Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, Spain, the Johann Sebastian Bach Hall in Leipzig, Germany, the Grand Opera in Paris, France, and others. He participated in theater plays as a composer and musician. He teaches master classes in accordion for classical and Balkan music. He gives lectures on pedagogical topics. Last year, he became part of the world-famous Barcelona Gipsy balKan Orchestra, whose music is based mainly on the folklore of the Balkan Peninsula.