Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Georgi Andreev presents a collection of folk songs from Thrace

Photo: Bozhidar Cholakov

The collection "Selected songs from Kichka Savova’s repertoire" presents 20 ‎emblematic examples of Thracian folklore, performed by the famous Bulgarian folk singer ‎during her lifetime. The publication will be distributed free of charge in ‎Bulgaria - in educational institutions where Bulgarian folk music is studied. ‎

The edition has been published thanks to the Kichka Savova Foundation ‎whose main mission is to support young participants in the annual ‎International Folklore Festival "With the songs of Kichka Savova" not only ‎during the competition, but also in their further development. The songs have been ‎arranged for voice and piano by Georgi Andreev, director of the Philip Koutev National Folk ‎Ensemble. ‎

The composer will present the collection on June 18 at 1 p.m. in the hall of the ‎Trakia Folklore Ensemble in Plovdiv, immediately before the closing concert of ‎the participants in the master class, led by Darina Slavcheva. Darina is a soloist of Trakia Folklore ensemble, a teacher of folk singing at ‎the National Academy of Music Prof. Pancho Vladigerov and, above all, one ‎of Kichka Savova’s most talented students. ‎
The master class, which she holds for the third year in a row, is for laureates ‎of the international folklore festival named after Kichka Savova. The event ‎dedicated to the work of the folk singer, who left a bright mark with her rich ‎repertoire and her unreserved dedication to the Thracian folklore tradition, this ‎year took place in the second half of May. 

Among the laureates included in the master class are: Victoria ‎Taneva, Teodora Evtimova, Maria Hristova, Plamena Manolova, Blagovesta ‎Georgieva, Yehaya Dimitrova, Nevena Koleva and Maria Kancheva. After the ‎presentation of the collection, the gifted children will perform their gala ‎concert, which traditionally ends the master class.‎

Kichka Savova was born in 1934 in the village of Sladun near Svilengrad. She passed away in 2018, leaving behind dozens of recordings and collections of folk songs she sought out. As already mentioned, she also left a number of followers, students, admirers, as well as a folklore festival in her name, held in her native village, where in 2020 a commemorative plaque was placed.

The song "Chula sam, lyube, razbrala" ("I've heard, my love, I've understood") is a beautifully told timeless story - about the impossible love of two young people madly in love.

"I heard, my love, I understood that your mother does not want me.
She wants to separate us.
We will part easily, but we will hardly forget each other..." sings Kichka Savova.


Read also:



Translated and published by Rositsa Petkova



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Three days, six stages and over 7,000 participants – Koprivshtitsa brings together the best amateurs from Bulgaria

The heart and rhythm of the Bulgarian spirit – with these words we can metaphorically define the National Festival of Bulgarian Folklore. Traditionally, since the distant 1965, the event has been organized once every five years on the first weekend of..

published on 8/6/25 12:14 PM

A film tells the story of Munich-based Bulgarian ensemble ‘Lazarka’

The number of Bulgarian folk dance ensembles abroad is growing and, alongside Bulgarian schools, they are among the key centres that unite compatriots overseas and preserve their connection to their roots. Recently, some of these dance troupes returned..

published on 8/5/25 9:45 PM

The 'White Roses' Bulgarian folk choir from Pescara, Italy, is performing in Bulgaria for the first time

A Bulgarian amateur folk choir based in Italy has returned to Bulgaria for its debut performance before a home audience.  Most members of the choir, named Beli Rozi (White Roses) , have lived in the southern Italian city of Pescara for over a decade...

published on 8/2/25 11:45 AM