THE SOFIA
PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
THE SOFIA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA has established itself
as one of the leading music institutions. Its high
artistic achievements, extensive concert activity,
growing international recognition show the tendencies of
the contemporary Bulgarian culture. Throughout its 78
years long artistic history the Orchestra’s creative
development has been related to the names of the
outstanding Bulgarian musicians Sasha Popov, Konastantin
Iliev, Dobrin Petkov, Vladi Simeonov Dimiter Manolov,
Yordan Dafov, Emil Tabakov, Julian Kovatchev.
Since 2002 the Director of the Sofia Philharmonic
Orchestra has been Mr. Yavor Dimitrov - pianist and
composer.
The Orchestra has worked with many celebrated guest
conductors including Herman Abendrott, Igor Markevic,
Carlo Zechi, Janosz Ferenchik, Gennady Rozhdestvensky,
Yuri Temirkanov, Karlheinz Stokhausen, Kurt Masur, Kurt
Zanderling to name a few.
Soloists of the Orchestra have been Dmitry Shostakovich,
David Oystrach, Svyatoslav Richter, Rudgiero Ricci,
Yudzin Istomin, Andre Navara, Alexix Weisenberg,
Mstislav Rostropovich, Henrick Schering and many other
world famous Bulgarian and foreign performers.
The Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra’s repertoire covers a
wide spectrum of music, including contemporary pieces by
Bulgarian and foreign composers. The performance of some
concert cycles of works by Bruckner, Mahler, Beethoven,
Scriabin, and R. Strauss are among the highlights of
performing art.
Started its concert tours abroad in 1939 the Sofia
Philharmonic Orchestra has won a significant recognition
all over the world. They have performed on many
prestigious stages in Europe, Asia, America.
Highly acclaimed is the recording activity of the
Orchestra. They have realized a lot of records of CDs
for Balkanton, Gega-New, Mega-Music, Supraphon, Elan,
Freqvenz, Koch, Capriccio/Delta and others.
DIAN CHOBANOV
DIAN CHOBANOV (1971) has been conductor of the
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra for two seasons now. He has
proven his talent and has established his successful
conducting career on the stages of many European
countries. He was engaged by Concert direction Landgraf
(1997), Austrian National Radio (2000), Opera studio
Wiener Oktogon (1998-2000). In 1998 he won the entrance
examination for student-assistent of Maestro Ivan
Fischer and till 2004 he was regular guest conductor of
Dohnany Orchestra. He was engaged as pianist by Vienna
Philharmonic for a production with Seiji Ozawa (2002).
Since 2003 he has been principal conductor of the
Schönbrunner Palace Orchestra.
He graduated at the Pancho Vladigerov State Music
Academy, Sofia (1995) with V. Kasandjiev (orchestra
conducting), V. Atanasova (choral conducting), I. Vulpe
(opera conducting), and University for Music and
Interpretative Art, Vienna (2001) with U. Lajovic
(orchestra conducting), P. Lakovich (opera conducting).
He attended First International Conductors Course in
Dresden with Sir Colin Davis (2000). A year later he was
awarded with
Scholarship Janaczek-Found.
He was the first prize winner at the V. Stefanov Piano
Competition (1994); first prize winner at the National
Competition for Interpretation and Creative Art –
Plovdiv (1994); the winner of the special prize at the
4th International Austro-Hungarian Competition for
Conductors (1998); 2nd prize and Special Medal at the
Lovro Matachich International Competition for Young
Conductors in Zagreb (2003); being a semi-finalist at
the Prague Spring International Competition for
Conductors (2000).
LASZLO
FENYOE
In September 2004, the Hungarian cellist LASZLO
FENYOE (b. 1975) won the first prize at the Pablo
Casals World Contest and received a special prize for
the best first performance of Graciane Finzi’s
Variations, composed especially for the contest. In 2005
he received the highly prestigious Franz Liszt Prize as
a state award of Hungary.
He was only 13 years old when in 1988 he was accepted at
the Ferenc Liszt Music Academy, Budapest. Later he
studied in Lübeck with David Geringas and attended the
master courses of Miklós Perényi and Siegfried Palm. In
1987 he won the first prize at the Hungarian National
Cello Contest, followed by his successful career in
Paris, Budapest and Christchurch; he was awarded the
Pierre Fournier Special Prize in Geneva.
His repertoire ranging from Bach to contemporary music
demonstrates his accurate sense of style, and his
technical brilliance. He has performed as recital and
chamber player and after having played in top Hungarian
orchestras, at present he is a principal cellist of the
Radio Symphony Orchestra of Frankfurt. He is a regular
guest on all important stages in Europe, the USA, China
and Israel. He has recorded on CD under the label of the
Hessisches Rundfunk the world premiere recording of
Ernst Krenek’s Chamber music. |
