On July 23, 2026, a special concert by the Sofia Philharmonic was held at the Festival and Congress Center in Varna, marking the hundredth anniversary of the start of musical celebrations in Varna. The program, conducted by Nayden Todorov, was dedicated to the legacy of Pancho Vladigerov and the rediscovery of the works of composer Veselin Stoyanov.
Vladigerov's Work Through the Eyes of His Descendants
The first half of the evening was dedicated to the musical heritage of Pancho Vladigerov. His original works "Song" from "Bulgarian Suite" (op. 21) and "Eastern March" (op. 19) were performed. The musical tradition was continued by his grandsons—twins Alexander and Konstantin Vladigerov. They presented original arrangements and orchestrations, including "Gospodsko Khoro" (op. 25) and "Fairytale" (op. 46) by Konstantin Vladigerov (for orchestra, piano, and trumpet), as well as "Ruchenitsa" by Alexander Vladigerov based on a theme by Ivan Hadzhiyski. The soloists in the concert were Alexander Vladigerov (trumpet, piano, and clarinet) and Konstantin Vladigerov. As an encore, the twins performed "Horo Staccato" by Diniku-Vladigerov.
Rediscovering Veselin Stoyanov
The second part of the concert was dedicated to Veselin Stoyanov, a representative of the second generation of Bulgarian composers. The audience was introduced to the composer's Symphony No. 1, characterized by its compact single-movement form and masterful orchestration, oriented towards the musical language of the 1960s. The performance of this work is part of an initiative by Nayden Todorov and the Sofia Philharmonic to rediscover Stoyanov's creative repertoire, following the recent performance of his Symphony No. 2 "Veliki Preslav" in Sofia on July 16.
Historical Context and Anniversary Parallels
The concert coincided with the symbolic date in 1926 when Dobri Hristov and Pancho Vladigerov laid the foundations of modern musical celebrations in Varna. The Sofia Philharmonic participates as the successor to the Guard Orchestra, which in 1926 conducted a true musical marathon with daily concerts until August 1, including works by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Bulgarian authors.
Cultural Events and Exhibitions
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Continuing the rich cultural program are the following events: the exhibition of the nominees for the "BAZA 2026" Award at the Sofia City Art Gallery (from July 28 to August 30), the exhibitions at the Museum of Humor and Satire in Gabrovo (until the end of October), and the exhibition "After the Image" by Yoana Tuzharova at the "Vaska Emanuilova" Gallery (until September 13).