site.btaComposer Bozhidar Spasov: Ruse’s March Music Days Unites Different Genres and Epochs

The March Music Days festival continued with a performance of the German Trio Abstrakt in Ruse Wednesday. “I follow the festivals in Europe, but Ruse’s March Music Days has a very rare quality. It unites different genres and different epochs. Starting with the classics and ending with contemporary music,” composer Bozhidar Spasov told BTA Wednesday.

"Since 1975, I have written too many works, for better or for worse, which have been performed in many places. There is no other place in the world but Ruse where so many of my works have been performed, thanks to the festival and my friends from the Contemporary Music Ensemble," he added.

In his words, classical music is a very broad concept, but more contemporary classical music should be played in Bulgaria.

"It is mostly pre-World War II music that is performed in Bulgaria. It's good that contemporary music is also performed in Ruse," Spasov said.

He explained that the audience for classical concerts can be rejuvenated, starting with schools, via education, and forming enough ensembles.

According to him, Bulgaria needs an ensemble for contemporary classical music.

German Trio Abstrakt, saxophonist Salim Javaid, pianist Marlies Debaker, and percussionist Alexandre Silva, are on the bill of the Wednesday night concert in Ruse. The program also includes the premiere of two new works by Bozhidar Spasov.

One is Cherubic Song for Dragomir, which the composer wrote in memory of Dragomir Yosifov. It is for saxophone, piano and percussion. The other work is The Salamander Song. Spasov explained that it was written for Trio Abstrakt. According to the three performers, Spasov’s music is a pleasure to listen to, as his works sound colorful.

Before the concert, the premiere was held of the book The Musical Creativity of Bozhidar Spasov as a Reflection of Eastern and Western European Musical Traditions by Maria Kostakeva. It was written for the British academic book publisher Cambridge Scholars Publishing on the occasion of the composer's 75th anniversary.

March Music Days is one of Bulgaria’s longest-running and most prestigious festival stages. With a modern programming strategy and strong public recognition, it has been a key cultural event since its founding in 1961. Organized by the Municipality of Ruse, the festival annually transforms the city into a meeting place for elite artists from the global and European music scene.

BTA is among March Music Days main media partners.