site.btaTeen from Varna Wins Piano Competition in Orbetello, Italy

Zhelyo Todorov, an 11th grade pupil at the Dobri Hristov National School of Arts in Varna, won the First Absolute Prize at the Orbetello International Junior Piano Competition in Orbetello, Italy (May 3-9, 2024). His performance was also awarded 99 out of 100 possible points - the highest score in the entire competition.

Thirty entrants from 14 countries (Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam) competed in Todorov's Category C (15 to 17 years old) at the 2024 edition of the Competition.

The young man told BTA that the regulations require that competitors play a 15-minute programme comprising any number of works of whatever nationality or period.

Todorov performed two pieces: Mephisto Waltz No. 1 by Franz Liszt and Prelude Op. 15 by Pancho Vladigerov.

He told BTA that he started preparing for Orbetello at the beginning of the current school year. It took him long to learn the Mephisto Waltz which, he said, is a difficult piece to last through and risky because of its great length and many passages to play. His piano teacher is Boyan Bachvarov.

The young pianist believes that a performer is never completely satisfied with themselves, as was the case with him at the competition in Italy. "I wanted to do more things. I am aware that I will always strive to improve, but the award is a great incentive to work harder," he said, adding that the recognition reassures him that he is on the right track.

Zhelyo said that for now he does not plan to enter another competition with the same works, but will start preparing new material for next year and hopes to have the opportunity for solo performances in the future.