Piano Extravaganza is a music festival which aims at restoring the world's musical heritage by promoting works of high artistic value by composers who are little known, or who have been overshadowed by the most famous geniuses of classical music. The first concert of the 5th edition of the Piano Extravaganza festival will be held on September 25 at the elegant hall of the Military Club in Bulgaria's capital Sofia.

Prominent Bulgarian pianist Maestro Ludmil Angelov is the founder and art director of the Piano Extravaganza festival. He is to celebrate 20 years on stage during this year's edition of the festival together with brilliant violinist Vesko Panteleev- Eschkenazi. Here is what celebrated pianist Ludmil Angelov told Radio Bulgaria about his partnership with Vesko Eschkenazi:

“I believe that one of my happiest moments in music is when I have the opportunity to play music with someone without the need of verbal communication. It is very difficult to make chamber music, but it fills the artist with huge pleasure if it is done at a high level. In my view, we felt that way from the moment we started to work together - we made a big repertoire and played a lot of music pieces together. We are very busy, but it is always nice to work together and I hope our cooperation will continue in the future, too.”

Vesko Panteleev- Eschkenazi also told big words about his duo partner.

“I met Ludmil Angelov some 20 years ago when we were still students. Our huge repertoire covers perhaps all pieces for violin and piano. We have music cycles with sonatas by Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms and a large number of pieces from the Russian classical music as well as contemporary music by Piazzolla and Gershwin. That is why I am very happy that we can celebrate with the audience our 20th anniversary on stage. Ludmil Angelov is one of Bulgaria's most renowned pianists who played most of the music repertoire for piano, if not all of it. In other words, he is a man who leads by example and shows people how things should be done on stage. He is like an elder brother and a big friend of mine and I can always rely on him.”

The Piano Extravaganza festival is to meet the fans of classical music with Bulgarian opera singer Krassimira Stoyanova. One of the most-popular contemporary pianists Francesco Tristano will take a walk through the ages and music genres. He will start from baroque music and will go through the jazz period and the electronic music. The author's programme of pianist Borislava Taneva and Bulgarian soprano Mila Mihova will pay tribute to the little known Russian composer Arthur Lourié who lived and created music in the beginning of the 20th century. Pasion Argentina will surprise the guests of the festival with some of the best-loved pieces by Gardel, Ramirez and Piazzolla to the rendition of Ina Kancheva (soprano), Mario Hossen (violin), Klaudiusz Baran (accordion, Poland), Vesselin Vesselinov (Eko), Angel Dyulgerov (guitar) and Ludmil Angelov (piano). Polish accordionist Klaudiusz Baran will present a premiere concert for accordion and string orchestra by Marcin Blazewicz. His compatriot Piotr Orzehovski, also known in his country as the Piano Hooligan for his brave improvisations on stage, will hold a jazz concert with elements of the national Oberek dance. Another concert - this time of Spanish pianist Mario Prisuelos will acquaint the audience with Romantic composer Marcial Del Adalid, known as the Spanish Chopin. French pianist Pierre-Laurent Boucharlat will perform some of the little known sonatas by Beethoven. Two of the festive nights will be dedicated to the 40th death anniversary of Dmitri Shostakovich, including the Complete Chamber Works with piano to the rendition of pianist Ludmil Angelov, Dimitar Burov (violin and viola) and cellists Hristo Tanev and Atanas Krastev. The Piano Extravaganza festival will be held between September 25 and October 5.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov

The audio file contains the following works:

1: First Part of the Sonata in A major for piano and violin by César Franck to the rendition of Vesko Panteleev-Eschkenazi and Ludmil Angelov.

2: Aime-moi by Chopin to the rendition of Ina Kancheva and Ludmil Angelov

3: Tango por una Cabeza by Carlos Gardel performed by Vesko Panteleev-Eschkenazy and Ludmil Angelov