The Saturday before Palm Sunday, a week before Easter, is Lazaritza. In Bulgarian folklore, Lazarus carries an axe аnd the elderly believe he is the master of timber and bushes and helps people clear them so the land can be used for ploughing and planting.
St. Lazarus’ Day is also connected with 'lazarouvane', an old spring ritual for young girls who dance, sing and dress in wedding costumes.



This year St. Lazarus’ Day fell on 15th April and Zornitsa folklore ensemble, Sofia, traveled to the nearby township of Pernik where they had been invited to present a concert.

15 April 2006 - Pernik, Bulgaria Anna Travali

read in: photos: 16    comments: 0

This year's 41st anniversary Spring Festival will be headlined by superstar folk singer coming directly from Bulgaria, the renowned IVAN DYAKOV, as well as other top artists who will perform and teach traditional music, dance, and culture from every corner of the Balkans, including Bulgarian, Greek, Macedonian, Rrom (formerly known as Gypsy), Serbian, and Turkish genres. All events will take place at the International House, 1414 E. 59th Street, Chicago. The Spring Festival will begin 8pm, Friday, March 17, 2006, and conclude 5pm, Sunday, March 19, 2006, and artists and enthusiasts are coming from Bulgaria, New York, California, Seattle, Canada, and all points between.

14 March 2006 - Chicago, USA John Kuo

read in: comments: 0

On the 2nd of March 2006, in the Filip Kutev hall, in the The Union of Bulgarian Composers, was presented the book “Zlatoprystia from Strandja” by Mihail Bukureshliev, who described the life and the work of his friend and famous kaval-player Stoyan Velichkov.



On the presentation, in Stoyan Velichkov’s honor the Orchestra for Folklore Music to the Bulgarian National Radio performed three pieces. The concert finished with a performance of Folklore Formation “Stefan Kynev”, who, under the guidance of their choir-master Mihail Bukureshliev, have performed the songs, arranged by Stefan Kynev “Nedo, biala Nedo”(Nedo, white Nedo), “Ia chujte, chijte (Listen, Listen), and “Gankino horo”.

2 March 2006 - Sofia, Bulgaria Ema Konova

read in: comments: 0

On the first of March everybody should wear martenitsa, especially young children, just married couples or newly born domestic animals. Some of the fruit trees, the handles of the door, the vineyard also have their own martenitsa. There are special places where you can put martenitsa: on the wrists, on your neck as a necklace or on your left side of your dress. In some regions of Bulgaria there are special amulets according to people's social status.

1 March 2006 - Bulgaria Boris Dimitrov

read in: comments: 0

The anniversary concert celebrating the 80th birthday of choreographer Mr.
Ivan Todorov was held at the National Palace of Culture in Sofia, Bulgaria,
on February 24th. Mr. Todorov is the principal Art Director of the Students
House in Sofia. He holds many awards and is a member of CIOFF (organisation
for folklore festivals)-National sector. Mr. Todorov is an example of
professionalism and is devoted to Bulgarian folklore traditions and culture.

28 February 2006 - Sofia, Bulgaria Anna Travali

read in: comments: 0

The International Festival of Masquerade Games “Surva”, held every two years in the town of Pernik, near Sofia, is one of the most important cultural events in Bulgaria.
Surva has been officially organized by Pernik Municipality ever since 1966. Back in 1985 it became an international event and in 1995 the city of Pernik joined the International Federation of Carnival Cities as a full member.

29 January 2006 - Pernik, Bulgaria Anna Travali

read in: photos: 11    comments: 1

Exceptional dancing, outstanding singing, colourful, exquisite costumes and prodigious music all contributed to a marvellous concert held recently at the Military Club in Sofia, Bulgaria.
As well as the famous Bulgarian National folklore ensemble PHILIP KOUTEV, the visiting folklore ensemble DETELINA from Tokyo, Japan, performed Bulgarian national dances. The concert was breathtaking and...

6 December 2005 - Sofia, Bulgaria Anna Travali

read in: comments: 0

An interest in music recently brought Roberto Romagnoli, from Italy, to Bulgaria specifically to learn the art of playing bulgarian folk instrument tapan. Through Balkanfolk, lessons were arranged with a gifted tapan player, namely Genadii Rashkov who taught tapan at Balkanfolk workshop 2005 and played with "Zornitsa" Orchestra in the evenings.

19 October 2005 - Sofia, Bulgaria Anna Travali

read in: comments: 0

The tour to Turkey by "Zornitsa" ensemble was interesting and fun. This weeklong festival is held to coincide with Independence Day (September 5th) when Nazilli and surrounding villages were liberated from the Greeks. As well as "Zornitsa," groups participating were...

20 September 2005 - Anna Travali

read in: comments: 0

From the 7th till the 11th of august the international folklore festival in Varna was held.

There where 11 groups from all over Europe and further, from Latvia to Turkey and from France to Georgia and another 4 groups from Bulgaria.

12 August 2005 - Varna, Bulgaria Nanneke Schinkel

read in: comments: 0