Cosmic Voices from Bulgaria

Artist Information

Biography

Cosmic Voices from Bulgaria are one of the most popular bulgarian Folk Choirs today, the choir was founded in 1994 by the producer Emil Minev and conducter Vania Moneva. Today this unique choir includes 18 female singers carefully selected by numoereous castings in different regions in Bulgaria. The characteristic sound of the singers is typical for the Balkan culture. The choir has released its first CD "The Choice" in 1994. Since then followed Jazz festival in Split - Croatia, Concert tours in Italy, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Holland, Belgium, tour in Austria - Voice mania Acappella Festival, Klangwolke Music Festival in Linz, and concerts in the two bigest cathidrals in Vienna, Festival in Budva - Montenegro, Concert at NATO base in Sarajevo,tour in Israel, Concert for the UN Mission in Vienna, Jazz festival Apolonia in Sozopol, Bulgaria, Concerts in Chisinau - Moldova and opening the European Musical Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria.
The choir has worked on numerous CDs productions with internationally acclaimed artists such as Vesselina Kasarova - BMG Classic/Red Seal - her CD with Cosmic Voices "Bulgarian Soul" earned the ECHO Award in 2004, Christian Kolonovits, Ikuko Kawai - JVC Victor Japan, Yoko Kanno - JVC Victor Japan. Documentation-Films for Cosmic Voices from Bulgaria were shown on international channel such as ARTE, ZDF ( Germany), the english composer Howard Goodall made a presentation for the choir on Channel 4 - U.K. Cosmic Voices recorded also some music for the Italian Film Production of "NOMAD II 2005", music by Carlo Siglotto and the japanese cartoon - "KIBA", music by Jun Miyake.

The two volumes of "Bulgarian Choral Folk Songs" belong definately to the biggest musical achievments of this unique choir - not only because they have been incredibly arranged by the composer Krassimir Kyurkchiyski, but because the Bulgarian Folk Music is a real musical treasure making a cross over between the european musical tradition and the east-european one,collecting in itself numerous cultural and ancient Balkan tribe influences - Thracians, Great - Bulgarian Tribes and the ones of the Slavonic Tribes. Cosmic Voices of Bulgaria is surely the best export cultural project of Bulgaria today and a real delight for the years. Two new CD releases - "Bulgarian Choral Folk Songs - Vol.1 and Vol.2" by "Cosmic Voices from Bulgaria" are already available on www.itunes.com

Instrumentation

18 female folk singers from Bulgaria. The singers represent different regions of the country and have been selected to join the choir by numerous castings.

Discography

Mehmetio - Intuition Music, 2000

Song to fly - CD by Yoko Kanno and Cosmic Voices from Bulgaria - JVC Japan

Bulgarian Soul (with Superstar Vesselina Kasarova) - BMG Classic, International ECHO AWARD 2004.

The European Hymns - acappella, 2006, an EU project CD for the Bulgarian Government

Jewish Songs - KVZ Music, 2006

Orthodox Chant - KVZ Music, 2006

New CD releases:

Bulgarian Choral Folk Songs, vol.1 and vol.2,
KVZ Music, 2007

Audio

• Rada`s mother talks to Rada, CD "Bulgarian Choral Folk Songs Vol.1" - New Release, KVZ Music, 2007
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• Dilmano Dilbero - CD Bulgarian Soul, BMG Classic, 2004, with Superstar Vesselina Kasarova
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• Vo zarstvie Tvoem - CD Orthodox Chant, KVZ Music, 2006
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Lyrics

• Dilmano Dilbero
• Rada`s mother talks to Rada

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• An incredible choir [+ Show ]
  

  "... Cosmic Voices from Bulgaria - an incredible and unique female choir that works very precisely w..."... Cosmic Voices from Bulgaria - an incredible and unique female choir that works very precisely with obertones and creates unbelievable harmonies..."
  
  Christian Kolonovits - Linzer Klangwolke Festival 2003, Austria.

• An ensemble to stand with the best [+ Show ]
  

  "In 1986, the visionary but, until then, rather stereotyped independent label 4AD licensed the relea..."In 1986, the visionary but, until then, rather stereotyped independent label 4AD licensed the release of the original Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares from ethnomusicologist Marcel Cellier's catalogue of extensive "field" recordings and set in train a whole plethora of recordings celebrating the Bulgarian a capella choral tradition. As an indication of how far this music has reached out from its specific local origins, a recent Desert Island Discs saw South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela set it alongside Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis in his personal pantheon. The traditional element here is provided by Cosmic Voices, an ensemble to stand, on this evidence, with the best that has gone before."
  
  Neil Horner, Music Web International

• CD Review - Bulgarian Soul [+ Show ]
  

  "...Together with the well-known female folk choir Cosmic Voices from Bulgaria and the Sofia soloist..."...Together with the well-known female folk choir Cosmic Voices from Bulgaria and the Sofia soloist Ensemble, Vesselina Kasarova, using the rhythms and harmonies of her native land, brings to life a superb magical musical atmosphere."
  
  BMG Classic - Germany.

• An extraordinary choir [+ Show ]
  

  "This unusual venture from the celebrated Rossini mezzo Vesselina Kasarova, invites us to share ...
  
  "This unusual venture from the celebrated Rossini mezzo Vesselina Kasarova, invites us to share the folk-song heritage of her birthplace, as well as the gifts of several of its national musical treasures--namely, the extraordinary choir Cosmic Voices from Bulgaria..."

• Exotic yet familiar. [+ Show ]
  

  "The women’s soaring voices have a unique, ethereal quality and the calculated minor and major disso..."The women’s soaring voices have a unique, ethereal quality and the calculated minor and major dissonances create an uncanny atmosphere that is impossible to resist. The rich, multi-layered sonorities captivate the senses and stimulate the imagination. This is music that is exotic yet familiar, the product of a vibrant culture that combines Slavic, Byzantine, Asiatic, and Turkish elements.
  
  Bulgarian choral singing in the folk tradition draws on a centuries-old practice of rich sonorities, complicated harmonies, and driving rhythms found only in this part of the world. The characteristic nasal sound of Bulgarian singing, the vocal ornaments and coloration, and the use of varied repetition are all distinctive, evocative qualities of this music.
  
  There is no harmony in the Western sense. Rather, the singers create a complex sonic tapestry by weaving together simultaneous and overlapping versions of the same melody. This is an ancient way of making music that, with its dissonant and modern-sounding intervals, seems amazingly contemporary."
  
  
  World Music Central,
  
  17.02.2007.
  

Setlist

Repertoir from the CDs:

Orthodox Chant
Jewish Songs
Bulgarian Choral Folk Songs Vol. 1 and Vol 2.

Basic Requirements

Calendar