Danislav Kehayov who is to celebrate his 50th birth anniversary in 2017 has dedicated his talent and knowledge to the Bulgarian folklore. He made over 400 recordings in the Bulgarian National Radio. Danislav is also a music teacher, a radio host and event coordinator. In 2010 his popularity took him to Saint Petersburg, where he was elected a Chairman of the Slavonic Road International Organization, which was established to help children and students who study the traditional art of the Slavonic Nations. Danislav Kehayov recently became artistic leader of Pirin-Blagoevgrad Folk Ensemble with the ambitionto restore its magnificence and fame.

Danislav Kehayov is born in the coastal town of Nessebar in a family of musicians. His mother was born in the village of Glavan (Stara Zagora district). Danislav admits that every time he went to his mother's village he learnt songs, fairytales and legends from the local elderly people. He inherited the love in Macedonian songs from his father's family, because his grandfather's forerunners came from the Aegean region. Once, Danislav met luckily Rusko Stefanov, who was a music teacher at the National School of Folk Arts in Kotel, and got addicted to music ever since. His parents encouraged him to develop in that field. When Danislav graduated from the German Language High School in Burgas, where he was encouraged to continue singing by his music teacher Maria Markova, he joined Paisii Hilendarski University and the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv. Currently, Danislav is working on his doctorate in male folk singing. He made a series of music tours worldwide. In 2005 Danislav Kehayov was recognized by the American Biographical Institute in North Carolina for his exceptional merits and contribution to the art field.

“To me folk music is not merely a profession, it is my life. I have been delving into the infinite matter of the local folklore over the years. The more know about folklore, the more I realize that I have a lot more to learn. I realized a long time ago that singing is not enough for me. That is why I majored music pedagogy, dramaturgy and art management. I launched a very interesting festival of ethnic groups. I head the Municipal School of Arts and Sunny Beach Ensemble in Nessebar. I have been serving as artistic director of perhaps the most attractive folklore ensemble in Bulgaria-Pirin. It was a great challenge to get in charge of that structure. The ensemble consists of 85 celebrated Bulgarian artists. Professionalism in Pirin Ensemble is at a very high level. Currently, I am preparing two new music shows and I hope that we will be able to present them to the audience next year. We organized various music tours in Bulgaria and abroad. I would like to fulfill as many new music projects as possible.”

English version: Kostadin Atanasov

Audio fule contains the following songs: 

1 Posgodilai Sei Sifrida, to the rendition of Danislav Kehayov

2 Edna BesheNedelia, performed by Danislav Kehayov

3 Zagradil e Duylger Dobri, to the rendition of Danislav Kehayov and Galina Durmushliyska

4 Andrea Duma Maika Si, to the rendition of Danislav Kehayov