Late last year, the Pirin State Ensemble for Folk Songs and Dances celebrated its 60th anniversary. In its biography the group has over 7,000 concerts in dozens of countries on all continents. They also keep unforgettable moments with their millions of fans worldwide.

Ruska Stoimenova, longtime soloist of the ensemble and also one of its founders, talks to Radio Bulgaria about how it all started for her:

"An advertisement in the newspaper brought me to the ensemble, the singer recollects. At that time, information about such events could not reach the ordinary people. And also the profession of the folk musician was not at all popular. Parents did not allow their children to take on such a career - they did not know where they would find themselves, what their mentors would be. Much credit goes to Zlatko Kotzev - the first director of the ensemble and Kostadin Ruychev - dancer and chief choreographer. They went round the homes of the talented boys and girls, talking with families, assuring them how significant this deed was. For two years we were rehearsing in the nearby town of Petrich. The Miladinov Brothers Community Cultural Center became our home - there were also the rooms where we lived. I remember our first performances, our first steps. As with any beginning, they were accompanied by difficulties. But also the achievements multiplied. We have had many wonderful moments on stage and we have toured the world. It is impossible to list all artists who contributed to the building of the group. But I should necessarily mention Iliya Argirov with whom for many years we were closing the vocal part of the program, and each time we joked that we came out on the stage for a singing contest. Maria Tomova and Zhivka Popova were the best duo in the history of the Pirin ensemble. Performers such as Elena Karakasheva, Teodora Karadelieva, and Tatiana Sarbinska left their songs in the legacy of the group.”

Among the personalities who left their names in the history of the Pirin ensemble is undoubtedly Prof. Kiril Stefanov who for almost five decades was the group's artistic director. He is the author of the best-known arrangements in their repertoire. Some of them were included in the second CD of "The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices" (1991), produced by Marcel Cellier and earning a Grammy for all performers in it.

"They say there are no irreplaceable people. That is true. But there are unique people”, Ms. Stoimenova continues. “One of these unique talents is Prof. Stefanov. An extrovert personality, educator, musician, manager, he seemed to always know what tomorrow would bring. There was large-scale thinking and in some inexplicable way he foresaw events for years to come. At the same time he knew how to talk to everyone. Today we have this wonderful young replacement - Stoyka Germanova and Dimana Tsureva… I know that the present conditions are much different and the current members of the group don't find it easy to do what they do. But they worthily represent the ensemble. I think the best traditions, preserving the wonderful songs, dances and instrumental pieces in the repertoire, can and should be combined with a modern look at Bulgarian folklore."

English Rossitsa Petcova