site.btaBulgarian Folk Music at Risk Without Immediate Intervention, Study Says

An analysis of a field study presented here on Friday by the Bulgarian Music Association (BMA) warns that traditional Bulgarian instruments like the tambura, gadulka, and kaval flute could vanish within 10-15 years if immediate action is not taken to support folk musicians. The study highlights a severe shortage of professionals to fill the ranks in folk ensembles and educational institutions, which could ultimately lead to the collapse of these ensembles and the demise of Bulgarian folklore.

The study was presented at The Folk Musician Profession in Bulgaria – Current State and Issues of Education and Realization roundtable discussion. Participants included caretaker Minister of Culture Nayden Todorov, representatives from 10 professional ensembles, project leaders Dimitar Hristov and Antoanela Petrova, BMA board members, and Veselka Toncheva from the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies, who authored the final analysis.

The main reasons for the sector's dire state include low pay and no financial growth opportunities. This results in a lack of prestige for the profession, discouraging young people from pursuing folklore professionally. Most employees in the sector are of retirement age, BMA said.

The roundtable talks focused on the need for a long-term plan to improve the sector.

Minister Nayden Todorov emphasized the need for better funding for folk ensembles, proposing that they be recognized as independent cultural institutions, which would enable more effective budget management and allow for combined state and municipal support through regional cultural institutes. This proposal has gained consensus among the BMA and industry representatives.