May 19, 2013, Sunday, 7.30 p. m., The Concert Hall of National Music School "Liubomir Pipkov"

The musicians we are presenting tonight have been familiar to the audience of the New Symphony Orchestra for quite a long time. Ivaylo Danailov has been concertmaster leading the orchestra since 2011. Vesselin Dimitrov, Hristo Arolski and Petar Kushlev are permanent members. Rumen Traykov had his debut as a soloist of the New Symphony Orchestra with Liszt's Piano Concerto as far back as 2009. They have taken active part in the chamber concerts of the orchestra in various formats and styles.
 It is not only great friendship that brings these musicians together. Different as their personalities are, they all stick to a special musician's line of conduct, the aspiration to be fair to the score. They try to follow the music rather than subordinate it to capricious overlays. This calls for meticulous observance of the hygiene of musician health. It is far from being easy today, when classical music has turned from a cause and convocation above and beyond an occupation into conveyor belt production.
 Ivailo works in the Radio Orchestra. Vesko and Hristo work at the Musical Theatre. Pepi Kushlev is a founding member of the orchestra of Classic FM Radio. Their path has passed from the studies at the Academy and New Bulgarian University, the numerous master classes in various parts of Europe, and dozens of tours. They are young but they are recognized musicians with their special signature presence in the overall musical landscape. They are not only easily recognizable, they are outstanding.
 We can say that tonight is the official debut of the string quartet with the American String Quartet by Dvorak. These boys started half-jokingly with the summer street concerts and their group has imperceptibly grown into a permanent quartet formation whose future depends on them alone. I do not imagine that they would give up easily; I would just wish them good luck, they have all the rest it takes. And the participation of Rumen Traikov with the magnificent Piano Quintet by Schumann only unfolds the fan of my hope more widely because the young musicians who have made their choice to stay in Bulgaria are mature enough to inspire sense in my efforts. What else can I say but thank you and I love you!
Julia Hristova