"Music discovered me," says Georgi Grozev and tells us with a smile how in kindergarten he went to sign up for piano lessons on his own. "And that is how my journey in music started, almost as a joke."

Georgi Grozev studies classical music at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent, Belgium and baroque trumpet in Brussels. He is a laureate of numerous national and international competitions. He has had concerts on three continents, including in prestigious halls such as Carnegie Hall in New York, Bozar in Brussels, Queen Elisabeth Hall in Antwerp and Tonhalle in Düsseldorf. He says that returning home is always more difficult than going somewhere else where the audience does not know him. What the Bulgarian dreams of is to make the world a little more beautiful with music.

"Belgium was a natural continuation of my studies in Bulgaria. I took what I could from the exceptional Bulgarian school, from my teacher Pencho Penchev. In a conversation with him at the end of my studies at the School of Music in Plovdiv, we both naturally came to the conclusion that it might be good for me to continue my studies somewhere outside of Bulgaria. I applied in several places. And I decided that I am a European in spirit so I can choose the center of Europe, namely Belgium. Then I made contact with the lecturers at the Belgian conservatories, in Brussels, Ghent and the one in Antwerp. In the end I decided to apply for Ghent, because the synergy between me and my trumpet professor was undoubtedly present, which is extremely important in such personal relationships."

The 22-year-old musician has already achieved a number of successes. He is a laureate of numerous national and international competitions. What is the feeling when you step on a big stage?

"The moment you are on stage and have to perform, you should know that the work is already done. The main preparation and this entire process - years of work and effort, have already passed. And in most cases I enjoy these moments,” Georgi says. “The truth is that if we talk about big world and European stages and about those at home in Bulgaria, I would say that returning home is always more difficult than going somewhere else where the audience doesn't know you. The responsibility to have the best performance because the audience is the closest to your heart always carries its own risks."

In order to support himself while studying in Belgium, Georgi works in several places.

"Unfortunately, these days students are not the biggest priority of world politics, or the politics of any country. So, these are difficult times not only for me, but for every student who studies abroad. I try to help my parents as much as possible by working in the music library at the conservatory. I teach trumpet at various academies in Belgium, mainly in Ghent. I also teach privately. I also have several vocal ensembles that I conduct. In fact, I do a little bit of everything, or a lot of everything, so that my education and daily life in Belgium can continue. It is not easy – not just for me, but for every student who has decided to study abroad."

What does the young musician dream of and are his plans for a future music career connected with his homeland?

"In any case, this is my home. I recently had a concert with the Sliven Symphony Orchestra. I always return home, at least to my parents in my native Plovdiv. A musician should not be limited by the borders of one country, but Bulgaria is on the list of destinations where I am happy to perform."

Publication in English: Al. Markov

Photos: personal archive Georgi Grozev, Golden Classical Music Awards, Sliven Symphony Orchestra