Guests

04-08.12.2024

Aniello Desiderio – Italy

At the age of eight, Aniello Desiderio performed in public for the first time, displaying such outstanding gifts that music critics started to speak of him as an “enfant prodige”, “wunderkind”, “a genius”, “the Orpheus of the guitar”, “a guitarist of the century”, and...

Zoran Dukic – Croatia

“As a master of his instrument, Dukic demonstrated spectacular virtuosity over and over again together with a great maturity and powerful inspiration.” Il Gazzettino, Italy Zoran Dukic is one of the most distinguished classical guitarists of our time. His concert...

George Vassilev – Bulgaria/Switzerland

Known for his unique artistry, musical approach and instrumental mastery, guitarist George Vassilev was born in Varna, Bulgaria. He began guitar studies with Lijuben Haralambiev in his home town. In 1987, thanks to a grant from the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture, he...

Pavel Ralev – Bulgaria/United Kingdom

Described by John Williams as “a poet of the guitar,” Bulgarian classical guitarist Pavel Ralev is establishing a strong presence on the international concert platform. In 2023, he was conferred as an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, London, in recognition of...

Antonio Pompilio – Italy

After graduating with full marks and honours at Monopoli Conservatory of Music (master’s degree) under the guidance of Goran Listes and Marco Piperno, he began studying at Accademia Strata in Pisa, Italy, with Aniello Desiderio, who awarded him two scholarships as one...

Stefan Trifan – Romania

One of the most prominent guitar teachers in Romania, Stefan Trifan, born in the small town of Roman, started playing the violin at age 6. He discovered the classical guitar by the age of 15 and began studying it professionally at the Ionel Țiganus class in the Fine...

Stela Miteva-Dinkova – Bulgaria

Born into a family of musicians, Stela Miteva-Dinkova began studying the guitar with her father, Blagoi Mitev. In 1984, she was accepted in the Music High School, Dobri Hristov, located in Varna...

Rossen Balkanski – Bulgaria

Rossen Balkanski was born in 1968. In 1995 he was admitted at the State Academy of Music in Sofia in the guitar class of Emil Saev. He worked as a teacher of guitar at a music school and as a teacher of...

Stolina Dobreva – Bulgaria

Stolina Dobreva (Phd) was born in 1970 in Bourgas, Bulgaria. She finished the National School of Music “Lyubomir Pipkov” in Sofia, Bulgaria and graduated guitar and pedagogy in the “Staatliche Hochschule...

Plamen Markov – Bulgaria

Plamen Markov performs as a conductor at national and international music festivals. He conducted the philharmonic orchestras in Varna, Pleven, Vidin, Shumen and various chamber formations. He made concert tours in Hungary, Spain, Germany, Greece and France. Since...

Andrei Pitu – Romania

Andrei Pițu graduated from the “Ștefan Luchian” High School in Botoșani and is currently pursuing his studies at the State University of Music and Performing Arts in Stuttgart. His journey with the guitar began in the 3rd grade under the guidance of Carmen Cojocariu,...

Pleven Philharmonic Orchestra

Pleven philharmonic orchestra was founded in 1953 by the distinguished Bulgarian conductor Sasha Popov who was also the founder of the “Royal symphony orchestra” – the predecessor of the present-day Sofia Philharmonic. This finally crowned the numerous efforts of...

Svilen Voychev – Bulgaria

Svilen Voychev is a graduate of NUI "Dobri Hristov" - Varna in Sevdalin Stefanov's guitar class. In the period 2018-2023. obtained the degrees of "Bachelor" and "Master" in the specialty "Classical Guitar" at "HEMU" Vaud, Valais, Freiburg in Switzerland with teacher...

Stephanos Demetriou-Cyprus

Stephanos Demetriou was born in the city of Limassol, Cyprus. From an early age, he was inspired by the classical guitar and began to learn on his own as well as with various teachers. Subsequently, he continued his education in Sofia, under Assoc. Dr. Rosen...

Pleven Guitar Ensemble

Guitar ensemble at the National School of Arts "Panayot Pipkov", Pleven was founded in 2012. Its artistic director from its inception until today is Nikolay Mihailov - guitar teacher at National school of arts "Panayot Pipkov ”and organizer of the International Guitar...

Sevdalin Stefanov – Bulgaria

Sevdalin Stefanov was born in 1972 in the town of Dobrich. He started playing the guitar in 1981. After that he studied successively with Trendafil Mihailov from 1983 to 1985; Valentin Valchev from 1985 to 1990 and Lyuben Haralambiev from 1990 to 1992. In the period...

Ilin Papazyan – Bulgaria

Ilin Papazyan – Ninio is a native of the city of wind and princes - Sliven. He took his first steps in music at the age of 12, when he started taking classical guitar lessons at the "Guitar School" with teacher Naiden Doinov. A little later, he became interested in...

Milen Djurov-Bulgaria

Milen Djurov Guitar PhD student in classical guitar at the National Music Academy "Prof. P. Vladigerov ". Milen Djurov started playing guitar at the age of seventeen under the direction of Banko Bankov, with whom he studied classical music and studied Latin and jazz....

Plamen Maslev-Bulgaria

Plamen Maslev Mandolin He graduated violin at the National Music School and NMA "Prof. P. Vladigerov ". He studied mandolin with his father Ivan Maslev, founder of the Sofia Mandolinists Orchestra. He was a soloist of leading ensembles in Bulgaria - Sofia...

Evdokia Bobotsova-Bulgaria

Evdokia Bobotsova (mandolin) began studying violin at the age of 7 at the Dobri Hristov Children's Music School in Montana, and later continued with the mandolin. He studied mandolin with Lyubomir Kalchev and Asen Dimitrov - founders and conductors of the first...

Summer Guitar Academy

Rossen Balkanski – Bulgaria

Konstantin Kuchev

Konstantin Kuchev is a singer, instrumentalist and composer in the musical and theater projects Balkan Khans, Kamdjalov's Music Laboratory, Windoo, SatvoRiMi, the improvisational musical of the HaHaHa improv theater. Creator and presenter of the Discover Your Voice...

Nikolay Mihaylov-Founder and Artistic Director

Nikolay Mihailov is the creator, main organizer and Artistic Director of the Pleven International Guitar Festival. Nikolay Mihaylov is a teacher of classical guitar, chamber music and musical ensembles at the National School of Arts "Panayot Pipkov" - Pleven. He is...

Georgi Dimitrov-Jojo

Born in Sofia in 2000, the Bulgarian classical guitarist Georgi Dimitrov - Jojo is in his first year of his Masters of Arts at the Royal Academy of Music London, receiving the prestigious Bicentenary Scholarship. He completed his undergraduate degree with Paolo...

Svilen Voychev – Bulgaria

Stephanos Demetriou-Cyprus

Atanas Ourkouzounov – Bulgaria/France

Atanas Ourkouzounov is one of most interesting personalities in the Bulgarian contemporary music. Guitar player and composer with a rich musical background, he is considered one of the main authors in the...

Mie Ogura – Japan/France

Born in Japan 1973, Mie Ogura started very early to play piano at age of 3, flute at age 7. In 1994, Mie Ogura moved to France, and graduated with Diplôme from Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique...

Boyan Doychev Bulgaria

First musical steps at mid school “Marin Drinov” in Stanimir’s Dikov guitar class (Varna). Graduated in national, music school “Dobri Hristov” 1998-2007 in guitar classes of Liuben Haralambiev, Sevdalin...

Ilin Papazyan – Bulgaria

Hristo Neychev – Bulgaria

Hristo Neychev was born in 1996. He began his guitar training at the age of 11. In 2019 completed his higher education with a master's degree in NMA "Prof. Pancho Vladigerov ”, specialty“ pop and jazz...

Open Concerts (20-22.06.2024)

Acoustic Queen Project

One of the most popular Bulgarian musicians present an acoustic concert dedicated to Freddie Mercury in Pleven. On stage will be Slavin Slavchev - vocals, Slavcho Nikolov, Doni - bass guitar and vocals, Venko Poromanski - drums, Mihail Shishkov - son - keyboards,...

Slavcho Nikolov

Solo guitarist in the very famous Bulgarian rock band B.T.R. Composer and lyricist, co-organizer and manager of concert events, classical guitar teacher, member of mandolin quartet "Seasons". Member of the jury for the selection of the Bulgarian song for Eurovision in...

Dobrin Vekilov

Dobrin Vekilov, better known by his stage name Donny, is a Bulgarian pop singer, composer, songwriter and actor. Donny is the music producer of the talent show Great Expectations, the show "Like Two Drops of Water" and The X Factor Bulgaria. At the beginning of 2013,...

Slavin Slavchev

Slavin Slavchev began his professional development in the field of music already in his school years. His first musical performances were connected with his participation in the "Choir of Varna Boys and Youth" and the school choir "Klementina". In high school, he...

Mihail Shishkov

Mihail Shishkov was born in 1973. in the city of Sofia. He is a graduate of the "L.Pipkov" Secondary School of Music, Sofia, majoring in piano. Higher education, theater, NATFIZ "Kr. Sarafov", specialty Acting Mastery for Puppet Theater with art director Prof. Dora...

Venko Poromanski

Venko Poromanski - one of the most popular Bulgarian drummers with numerous performances in: Austria, Germany, Belgium, Great Britain, Latvia, Belarus, Romania, Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Canada and USA, Kuwait, Qatar, Japan, UAE, Australia and New Zealand. He...

NINIO and the Groovers

NINIO & THE GROOVERS - Ilin Papazyan - vocals and guitar, Mihail Filipov - keyboards, Lyuben Lyubenov - bass, Tsonyo Tsvetkov - drums Ilin Papazyan – Ninio is a native of the city of wind and princes – Sliven. He took his first steps in music at the age of 12, when he...

Rali & Kati band

RALI & KATI BAND consists of Ralitsa Haydarska-vocals, Katerina Vachkova and Borislav Kovachev-guitars, Momchil Ivanov-drums, Momchil Krachunov-keyboards, Pavel Kopchev-bass The project has existed since the beginning of 2024 and was specially created for the...

Ralitsa Haydarska – Bulgaria

Ralitsa Haiderska is 17 years old, a student at the "Panayot Pipkov" National School of arts - Pleven, majoring in folk singing with Mrs. Silvia Haydarska. She has been awarded many awards from competitions, including: participation in television and radio programs,...

Katerina Vachkova Bulgaria

Katerina Vachkova was born on 2008 in Pleven. Since 2022, she has been a student at "Panayot Pipkov" National School of arts - Pleven in the classical guitar class of Nikolay Mihailov. She won 1st places at: Sofia Guitar Festival (2021), Transilvania International...

Filip Donkov – Bulgaria

Electric Guitars Ensemble

An ensemble for electric guitars is the only project of its kind in Bulgaria, which was created in 2022 under the leadership of Nikolay Mihaylov. The composition of the ensemble includes students aged 12 to 18 years. He mainly performs rock music, and all arrangements...

LOS SENORES

LOS SENORES is an ensemble for adult amateur guitarists who perform popular Bulgarian and world hits. Professional guest musicians regularly participate in their composition, and this year the following will take the stage: Momchil Ivanov - percussion; Venelin...

Alexander Kirov – Bulgaria

Alexander Kirov was born in 2004 in the town of Svishtov. At the age of 9 he started lessons in classical guitar at the School of Arts "Stefka Filipova" - Svishtov, with teacher Angel Kolev, but...

Borislav Kovachev – Bulgaria

Borislav Kovachev was born in 2007 in the city of Pleven. At the age of 9 he started attending lessons in the guitar school of Lyubomir Anov and in 2021 in the community center "LIK" with teacher Nikolay Mihailov. In 2019 he won 2nd place at the International Guitar...