Christmas Concert: London Christmas – Balkan Songs & British Strings

English Chamber Orchestra
London Bulgarian Choir
Stankov Ensemble
Yordan Kamdzhalov (conductor)
Dobrinka Tabakova (composer)

19:30, Cadogan Hall, London, SW1X 9DQ

Programme will include:

The World premiere of a piece written by the young Bulgarian composer Dobrinka Tabakova, and Bulgarian Christmas songs arranged especially for this occasion by the composer Kiril Todorov

Biographies:

English Chamber Orchestra
The English Chamber Orchestra is the most recorded chamber orchestra in the world, its discography containing 857 recordings of over 1,500 works by more than 400 composers. The ECO has also performed in more countries than any other orchestra, and played with many of the world’s greatest musicians. The American radio network CPRN has selected ECO as one of the world’s greatest ‘living’ orchestras. The illustrious history of the orchestra features many major musical figures such as Benjamin Britten, Daniel Barenboim, and Sir Colin Davies.

London Bulgarian Choir
Forty-strong and largely non-Bulgarian, the London Bulgarian Choir’s notable achievements include winning the title of BBC Radio 3 Open Choir of the Year in 2006, being featured as one of Joan Armatrading’s Favourite Choirs on BBC Radio 4 and performing at Westminster Abbey in 2010. The choir has collaborated with numerous rock and jazz musicians but this is their first collaboration with a classical ensemble.

Stankov Ensemble
Ivo Stankov (violin) & Vania Vatralova – Stankova (mezzo-soprano)
A third generation of musicians, the exuberantly talented Ivo and Vania Stankov have wowed audiences across Europe with their thrilling performances in major venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Bridgewater Hall, Glasgow Concert Hall, the Wigmore Hall, RAI Amsterdam, and have recorded for the Spanish and Bulgarian National TV and Radio. The ensemble has also performed a number of world premieres dedicated especially to them.

Yordan Kamdzhalov (conductor)
Critics recognize Yordan Kamdzhalov for his “gentle manner” (The Guardian), musical precision and the way he charms the orchestra. Yordan has performed with the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra, the Beethoven Orchester Bonn and the Orquestra Nacional do Porto. Recently, he has been chosen unanimously as General Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Opera Theater and of the Philharmonic Orchestra in Heidelberg, a position he takes up from the 2012-2013 season.

Dobrinka Tabakova (composer)
Dobrinka Tabakova is an award-winning young British/Bulgarian composer who lives and works in London. She regularly works with many of today’s leading musicians including Maxim Rysanov, Janine Jansen, Gidon Kremer, Julian Rachlin, Nick Daniel and others, and orchestras such as Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Kremerata Baltica, Kammerorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Amstedam Sinfonietta, Orchestra of the Swan, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra and BBC NOW.