Text size

105th anniversary of the birth of legendary piper Dafo Trendafilov

published on 1/17/24 7:40 AM

Photo: YouTube

On this day - 17 January - we celebrate the 105th birth anniversary of the legendary piper Dafo Trendafilov. He was born in 1919 in the village of Gela in the Rhodope Mountains and his whole life remains forever linked to this mystical land.

He began playing the bagpipes at the age of 14 and developed his characteristic, authentic style. Later, when the National School of Folk Arts opened in Shiroka Luka in 1971, he was the first to teach bagpiping.

Also known as a bagpipe maker, Dafo Trendafilov left behind more than 800 kaba bagpipes that he made. He appeared in background roles in the films Krayat na Pesenta (1971), Kapitan Petko Voyvoda (1981) and Time of Violence (1988).

Read more about the inspirer of generations of bagpipers in the publication To the Legend of the Rhodope Bagpipe Dafo Trendafilov with Love and Admiration from the collection of Radio Bulgaria.

Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!

Radio Bulgaria Editor's picks 105th anniversary bagpipe Dafo Trendafilov

More from category

Awakening a nation—a bright mission through the centuries

Bulgarians are among the few peoples in the world with a holiday dedicated to spirituality—the National Awakeners' Day. We celebrate it every year on November 1 to honor those who awakened the nation to freedom, knowledge and dignity during the dark..

published on 11/1/25 6:50 AM

St. Demetrius Day – a beloved autumn holiday in Bulgaria

St. Demetrius Day – October 26, is celebrated throughout Bulgaria, and his relics, kept in Thessaloniki, are a constant object of veneration by Bulgarians who often travel to Northern Greece. In the folk calendar, St...

published on 10/26/25 7:10 AM

The Anthem of Independence was performed for the first time in Burgas

The Anthem of Independence was performed for the first time on September 22, 1908, in the Black Sea city of Burgas. The author of the melody and lyrics—military bandmaster Georgi Shagunov—noted on the title page of the score that the anthem was..

published on 9/22/25 7:10 AM