Classic FM Radio Orchestra

These young people play fantastically, with passion and they give out magnificent energy…
I learnt from them something new, not with my mind but with my heart.
Nigel Kennedy

Established in 2002 The Classic FM Radio Orchestra changed the concept of the Bulgarian audience about the classical music. The orchestra gained recognition as one of those ensembles creating real events in the country's music life. The young musicians put on experience and confidence giving more than 30 concerts a year.
The successful cycle The Concertmasters continues for the fifth season in a row, presenting talented young foreign and Bulgarian instrumentalists who have won the recognition of the world concert stage. During the current season these are the violinist Sasha Rozhdestvensky, the winner of the big prize of the First Genady Rozhdestvensky International Conductors Competition Simon Gaudenz, the pianist Antonio Soria, the cellists Adolfo Gutierrez Arenas and Amanda Forsyth, the conductor Maxim Eshkenazy, the violinists Svetlin Russev, Mila Georgieva, Vesko Eshkenazi, and the pianists Lyudmil Angelov and Georgi Cherkin. The programme includes established names like: Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Velizar Genchev, Jean Angelov and the king of the violin – Pinchas Zukerman. 

The youth and the professionalism of the orchestrants allow them to interpret all kinds of music with sparkling energy and mood. Along with the classical programmes the Classic FM Radio Orchestra presents in the Biochim Classic Jam Cycle a repertoire that broadens the term "classics" in the direction of film music, tango, jazz. Baroque will be presented during the current season by the Marburg Bach Choir and L'Arpa Festante Baroque Orchestra from Munich, and the works from the Medieval Age – by the Micrologus Ensemble from Italy. Bruno Membrey from France will be a guest performing film music and the Beltango Orchestra from Belgrade and the dancers from Argentina Gustavo Rosas – Christina Cortez and Veronique – Thiery from France will perform tango. Biochim Classic Jam will be opened by Mila Georgieva with the Sofia Soloists Chamber Ensemble.

In 2004/2005 the Classic FM Radio Orchestra gained experience in one more music territory – the opera. Tsvetelina Vassileva, Nadya Krasteva, Mariana Pencheva, Anna Tomowa-Sintow and Mariana Tsvetkova, all of them spreading the glory of the Bulgarian opera voices abroad, presented themselves with a great success at the Bulgarian Divas and De Luxe Concert cycles. 

The "star moments" of the concerts with Nigel Kennedy in March 2005 and Maxim Vengerov in March 2006 will remain memorable to the Bulgarian audience and the orchestra players. These concerts broadened the experience of the ensemble and turned the performing with each successive soloist and conductor into the next inspiration and pleasure.

At the end of August 2006 the musicians accompanied for the second time the President Georgi Parvanov during his official visit abroad – the Classic FM Radio Orchestra performed with a great success before the Norwegian Royal Family in Oslo.

The 2006/ 2007 season is the next challenge for the young musicians. Good luck!

                                                                      Yuliyana Karaatanasova