The Varna Summer
International Music Festival
The “Varna Summer” International Music Festival is the first music festival in Bulgaria, founded in 1926 in the city of Varna.
Almost 100 years ago, just after the official opening of the Varna’s Sea Baths in 1926 - the first SPA center in the sea town, emblematic personalities of Varna society at that time, among them the composers Pancho Vladigerov and Dobri Hristov, set the beginning of the first in the country music celebrations, which later became the biggest International Music Festival in Bulgaria. Having received national and international recognition, today the Festival is a representative forum of Bulgarian and world music and music performing art.
The slogan of the first organizers "to unite the best music celebrities of the country" finds its continuation and advance in the promotion of Bulgarian music culture in the policy of Festival’s programming. A number of Bulgarian works have been performed for the first time within the "Varna Summer".
The Festival has multi-genre character and includes the following modules:
Core Program – symphony and chamber music
International Summer Music Academy
Music Lab – Varna
Renaissance and Baroque Music
Opera and Ballet
Crossover
Intermezzo – in partnership with the “Varna Summer” International Theater Festival
“Varna Summer for Kids” - series of educational concerts
Parallel Program – exhibitions, films, conferences and others
In its more than 90-year long history the Festival has impressed with the presence of soloists, conductors, symphony and chamber orchestras, choirs, opera ensembles, ballet companies from around the world. But the ambition of every next festival program is to present at the stage of the "Varna Summer" IMF both the renowned names of the world music culture and young artists - future stars. In 1987 the Festival became a member of the European Festival Association based in Geneva. Nowadays, EFA is one of the major non-governmental organizations working at European level in Brussels on the cultural policies of the old continent, which twice consecutively awarded the EFFE Label to "Varna Summer" IMF within the period 2015-2018.
web site: http://varnasummerfest.org/the_fest_en.php
The International May Choir Competition
The International May Choir Competition was established in 1975. In 1982 the competition was named after the famous Bulgarian composer Georgi Dimitrov – the founder of the modern Bulgarian choir school. Since1989 the International May Choir Competition has been a member of the Organizing Committee of the European Choral Grand Prix Competition, which is held in Arezzo (Italy) Debrecen (Hungary), Tours (France), Maribor (Slovenia), Varna (Bulgaria ) and Tolosa (Spain).
The six aforesaid choral competitions are among the most prestigious in Europe and they have won recognition thanks to there longstanding traditions, good organization and high artistic level. The competition is held annually in accordance with the Regulations, which are updated for each edition and adopted by the Municipal Council. The contest has the following main objectives:
– Promotion of Bulgarian choral art and vocal works. In accordance with the Regulations one compulsory Bulgarian song for each category is included in the competitive programme. There is also a special prize for best performance of Bulgarian song by a foreign choir.
– Promotion of European choral heritage from different epochs and styles among children and young people.
– Exchange of scores, exchange of information, contacts between Bulgarian and foreign conductors, singers and choral figures.
– Acquaintance of foreign participants with the rich Bulgarian culture, hospitality and natural landmarks of Bulgaria.
web site: http://choircomp.org/en/
The International Folk Festival – Varna
Varna is a candidate for European Capital of Culture 2019. Summer capital of our country, Varna is the festival city of Bulgaria. The International Folk Festival – Varna held annually for 21 years now in August has succeeded at time of dynamic changes of values to preserve and present the rich palette of our national and world folklore heritage and to be a tribune and criterion for the spiritual wealth of nations.
The Festival was founded in 1992 on the initiative of Varna Municipality. In its 20 editions up to now more than 150 folk ensembles have taken part, which means over 10 000 participants from 50 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and America, and another 56 amateur and professional folk ensembles from Bulgaria, among them the ensembles Pirin, Filip Kutev, Trakia, Zagore and Strandzha.
The main organizer of the Festival is the Municipality of Varna, the Society of Choreographer – Varna and Shumen University – Varna.