We left Kazanlak early on Thursday to return to Sofia. We went to the U.S. embassy, where the security was tight but the people were very welcoming and surroundings felt like home (especially the restrooms with automatic flushing toilets and faucets!). We received a warm welcome by the U.S. Embassador of Bulgaria and other employees of the embassy, whom we played a short program for.
The embassy held a wine and hors 'devours reception after the concert; it was refreshing to meet new people at this point of the trip that we could communicate well with.
The group gathered one last time Thursday evening at a restaurant near the hotel, where we reminisced about our trip and were thanked kindly by David for our cooperation and hard work. We also thanked David for his tremendous amount of time and work that he put into the trip and surprized him with a tambura that he had his eye on in Plovdiv when we stumbled upon the factory of a local luthier.
I think we can all agree that the performance experiences, friendships that we have strengthened, and things that we have learned and experienced from this trip will be something that we will never forget.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Kazanlak
We all wished we had more time to spend in Kazanlak. Stela's friend Stefan showed us around the city on Wednesday. We visited the Kremona instrument factory, where we toured the process of the guitar production process. It was a large factory and many of us were impressed and tempted by the quality of the instruments. We later went to the rose museum, where the rose oils and other rose products are produced. Kazanlak is known as the city of Roses.
We played at an art and history museum on Wednesday evening for a large audience. It was a different experience playing within the acoustics of the museum and playing surrounded by ancient artifacts and local art. We were treated with a wonderful dinner after the concert.
We played at an art and history museum on Wednesday evening for a large audience. It was a different experience playing within the acoustics of the museum and playing surrounded by ancient artifacts and local art. We were treated with a wonderful dinner after the concert.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Stara Zagora
It was an amazing experience playing in the Chamber Hall of the Zala Bulgaria in downtown Sofia. The sound in the hall was unbelievable, as was the audience who we wished we had 3 encores prepared for!
We arrived in Stara Zagora yesterday and we are staying at a gorgeous hotel overlooking a lake in the mountains. The best part about our hotel is the restaurant - although ordering a glass of white wine will get you an empty glass and ordering a glass of red will get you white, they have the freshest salads and their chicken is cooked all the way through!
We played a concert at the Stara Zagora library and again had a fabulous audience. Some of us went hiking in the mountains this morning and some of us went into the city today to explore the shopping and museums. This area of Bulgaria has some of the oldest artifacts in the world. The Neolithic Dwelling Museum includes remains from a clay house dating back to about 6000 B.C.
Tomorrow we are on to Kazanlak for a quick concert and then back to Sofia where we will play for the U.S. Embassy.
We arrived in Stara Zagora yesterday and we are staying at a gorgeous hotel overlooking a lake in the mountains. The best part about our hotel is the restaurant - although ordering a glass of white wine will get you an empty glass and ordering a glass of red will get you white, they have the freshest salads and their chicken is cooked all the way through!
We played a concert at the Stara Zagora library and again had a fabulous audience. Some of us went hiking in the mountains this morning and some of us went into the city today to explore the shopping and museums. This area of Bulgaria has some of the oldest artifacts in the world. The Neolithic Dwelling Museum includes remains from a clay house dating back to about 6000 B.C.
Tomorrow we are on to Kazanlak for a quick concert and then back to Sofia where we will play for the U.S. Embassy.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Plovdiv
We had a concert last night as part of the Chamber Music Series at the Ethnographic Museum in Plovdiv. It was a gorgeous outdoor setting and we had a fabulous time with the highlight being the audience clapping along to "Trong Com".
Plovdiv had been the favorite city for many of us. It will be sad to leave the friends we have made here from the music academy and of course, Stela Dinkova, the guitar professor at the academy, and her family.
Another highlight of Plovdiv was at the Open-Air 3nd century Roman Theater on Thursday night, where we watched a full dress rehearsal of Carmina Burana while sitting on the ancient stone steps overlooking the city.
We're leaving this morning to go back to Sofia where we will play a concert tomorrow night.
Plovdiv had been the favorite city for many of us. It will be sad to leave the friends we have made here from the music academy and of course, Stela Dinkova, the guitar professor at the academy, and her family.
Another highlight of Plovdiv was at the Open-Air 3nd century Roman Theater on Thursday night, where we watched a full dress rehearsal of Carmina Burana while sitting on the ancient stone steps overlooking the city.
We're leaving this morning to go back to Sofia where we will play a concert tomorrow night.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Plovdiv
We were in Dobrich for 2 days staying downtown. Dobrich closed down on Sunday and the streets were near empty, but livened up on Monday. The city was small with charming restaurants and cafes. We had a concert at the Hall of Mirrors on Monday; the audience was small but very receptive. Not a whole lot else to say about Dobrich.
After an 8 hour bus ride and a sketchy pit stop and lunch shared with flying friends, we arrived in Plovdiv where we had a long steep climb to our "hotels" with our luggage and guitars. Some of us are at the Plovdiv Guest House, which isn't bad without considering the bunk beds and combined toilet/shower restrooms. Others are at the Lamartine House, which is a beautiful early 19th century mansion with 19th century furniture, bedding, plumbing, and no air circulation.
Plovdiv is a gorgeous town, divided into distinct old and new sections. It is a different experience walking among the shops and running into ancient ruins of the Roman theaters. The cobblestone streets and authentic and easy to get lost in. The new downtown is vibrant and has cute street entertainers such as a puppeteer and mime. We will be playing a concert here on Friday and are expecting a large audience due to the posters we are running into for our concert on the streets.
After an 8 hour bus ride and a sketchy pit stop and lunch shared with flying friends, we arrived in Plovdiv where we had a long steep climb to our "hotels" with our luggage and guitars. Some of us are at the Plovdiv Guest House, which isn't bad without considering the bunk beds and combined toilet/shower restrooms. Others are at the Lamartine House, which is a beautiful early 19th century mansion with 19th century furniture, bedding, plumbing, and no air circulation.
Plovdiv is a gorgeous town, divided into distinct old and new sections. It is a different experience walking among the shops and running into ancient ruins of the Roman theaters. The cobblestone streets and authentic and easy to get lost in. The new downtown is vibrant and has cute street entertainers such as a puppeteer and mime. We will be playing a concert here on Friday and are expecting a large audience due to the posters we are running into for our concert on the streets.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
On to Varna
We played a great concert on Thursday night at the academy in Ruse. We had an enthusiastic and appreciative audience and were thanked with a buffet spread and champagne reception. The translators provided to us in Ruse were a tremendous help, showing us the best restaurants and entertainment that Ruse has to offer. An evening at the piano bar was filled with "interesting" interpretations of English pop music.
We traveled to Varna yesterday, which was a beautiful 3 hour drive through farm land and small towns. Varna is a large city with familiar surroundings like McDonald's and KFC, although for some reason we seem to be eating every meal at the hotel restaurant. We played another great concert last night at an art gallery. The audience was warm and friendly with a lot of smiles, video recorders, and 2 standing ovations. On the bus upon our departure, we were entertained by a rap performance written about our trip by Steve L., Russell, and Nick which we are calling "Bulgarian Rapsody".
Our rooms have views of the Black Sea, which some of us were able to swim in today. There was a warm current and the water was clear; we found that our American swimwear had a little too much coverage to fit in with the locals. Some of us went to the Balchik gardens in the morning where we saw a plethora of flowers and plants from all over the world put together by a Romanian queen. Others went to the local park in the main center, where they played music with Christian missionaries from all over the world. Tomorrow we are on to Dobrich.
We traveled to Varna yesterday, which was a beautiful 3 hour drive through farm land and small towns. Varna is a large city with familiar surroundings like McDonald's and KFC, although for some reason we seem to be eating every meal at the hotel restaurant. We played another great concert last night at an art gallery. The audience was warm and friendly with a lot of smiles, video recorders, and 2 standing ovations. On the bus upon our departure, we were entertained by a rap performance written about our trip by Steve L., Russell, and Nick which we are calling "Bulgarian Rapsody".
Our rooms have views of the Black Sea, which some of us were able to swim in today. There was a warm current and the water was clear; we found that our American swimwear had a little too much coverage to fit in with the locals. Some of us went to the Balchik gardens in the morning where we saw a plethora of flowers and plants from all over the world put together by a Romanian queen. Others went to the local park in the main center, where they played music with Christian missionaries from all over the world. Tomorrow we are on to Dobrich.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Ruse
We arrived yesterday in Ruse - all of our guitars arrived okay and we are staying at a hotel with gorgeous views on the Danube river on the boarder of Bulgaria and Romania.
Last night we attended a concert of the guitar orchestra from a local academy with a wide variety of music from Bach to the Pink Panther. We had dinner with friends from the orchestra and the guitarists from the orchestra of Plovdiv.
We are enjoying the local wine, cheese and fresh produce.
We are looking forward to another local guitar orchestra performance tonight and our concert tomorrow. Our next stop will be Varna on the Black Sea coast on Friday.
Last night we attended a concert of the guitar orchestra from a local academy with a wide variety of music from Bach to the Pink Panther. We had dinner with friends from the orchestra and the guitarists from the orchestra of Plovdiv.
We are enjoying the local wine, cheese and fresh produce.
We are looking forward to another local guitar orchestra performance tonight and our concert tomorrow. Our next stop will be Varna on the Black Sea coast on Friday.
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