site.btaStefan Valdobrev and The Usual Suspects Combine Love and Music in the Acoustics of Bulgaria Project

Actor and musician Stefan Valdobrev and his band The Usual Suspects presented The Acoustics of Bulgaria project at the Bulgarian News Agency’s (BTA) National Press Club here on Thursday. Valdobrev said that he decided to combine his love for beautiful places in Bulgaria with his love for music in that project.

The artist said: "This is a project I am as excited about as I used to be on the first day of school. Because I've been waiting for this moment and preparing for it for more than six or seven years. It started as a whim, as an idea, while I was travelling around the country. During our numerous tours and performances, I always stole some time to travel and see wonderful places in Bulgaria that really charge and inspire me, balance and harmonize me."

He shared that he kicked a pebble accidentally while visiting a fortress in country. The sound from the reverberation inspired him to have his group's next record created in such an environment, in some of the most iconic Bulgarian sites that are close to his heart, and not in a studio.

Valdobrev added: "When I found out that my mother’s family originated from the village of Dobarsko (Southwestern Bulgaria), I immediately connected the church in the village to the project. There are Thracian mounds that we played on as children, not knowing that there were treasures underneath, such as the head of Seuthes, for example. The church in Zemen, Perperikon, the Ovech fortress, the churches in Veliko Tarnovo, the Ancient Theatre (in Plovdiv, South Central Bulgaria), the Great Basilica in Plovdiv, all places that I am emotionally connected to, Begliktash, the Bukelon fortress."

Another band member, percussionist Stoyan Yankoulov, said: "I think about the people who will listen to this music. They will perceive this idea very emotionally, because they will feel not only the music, but also the places where it was recorded. What’s valuable for me is when music passes on messages and memories."

BTA Director General Kiril Valchev said that BTA will back a project, as it can inspire young Bulgarians from various villages across the country.

Nikolay Yanchovichin, Executive Director of BG Radio, thanked Valdobrev for making this project a reality and for inviting BG Radio to be partners. Yanchovichin pointed out that the Radio's motto has been "The modern Bulgarian spirit that knows its traditions" and added: "We expect, if not this year, perhaps next year to open the BG Radio Awards with a song from this project."

Deputy Minister of Culture Todor Chobanov said: "I want to express the enormous support of Culture Minister Marian Bachev and our entire team for such an interesting and exciting initiative. As an archaeologist, I can assure you that we, museum workers, people who deal with cultural heritage, always dream of finding the best ways to have the past intertwine with contemporary art. This is the so-called socialization of cultural heritage. And this project is an example of it."

Valchev said that over the past four years, BTA has initiated partnerships with great musical acts such as Lili Ivanova, The Fondation, Hilda Kazasyan. He added: "We organized a concert where Bulgarian bands and Desi Dobreva sang in Odesa, on the occasion of the Day of Bessarabian Bulgarians, and we partnered up with her in her concerts at home and abroad. We recently singed a similar contract with Iliya Lukov, who undertook, like Desi Dobreva, to hold several concerts for the Bulgarian communities, organized by BTA’s press club in Odesa (Ukraine) and Taraclia (Moldova), free of charge, again on the occasion of the Day of Bessarabian Bulgarians, on October 29. We are partners of Singing Artists. In the field of music, we have 18 contracts with the National Academy of Music; Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv; Lyubomir Pipkov National Music School in Sofia; Union of Bulgarian Composers; Musicauthor; Sofia Philharmonic; Sofia Opera and Ballet; the state operas in Plovdiv, Burgas, Ruse, Stara Zagora; the State Music and Ballet Center in Sofia, the Theater and Music Production Center in Varna, which also includes the Varna Opera; Cantus Firmus, which organizes the European Music Festival; the Piano Extravaganza Foundation and Lyudmil Angelov; the music festivals March Music Days, organized by the Ruse Municipality, the Dr Emil Iliev International Jazz Festival, organized by the Samokov Municipality, Bansko and the Association of Festivals in Bulgaria - for the jazz festival there."

"Let me remind you that over the years, after the restoration of the monthly LIK magazine, we have published almost a dozen issues dedicated to Bulgarian music. The first was dedicated to March Music Days (March 2022). The following were dedicated to Lili Ivanova, Shturcite, Burgas and the Sea, Apollonia, Mihail Belchev, and the 130th anniversary of the Sofia Philharmonic, the Kazasyan family of musicians, Pantcho Wladigeroff, the great bass Boris Christoff. Now, to this long list, we will add a partnership with Stefan Valdobrev and The Usual Suspects," Valchev said.