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CONTACT: Julia Concert |
The SOFIA SOLOISTS Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1962. Since that time they have performed widely in Europe, North and Latin America, Japan, China, Australia etc. The Orchestra have made over 60 LP and CD recordings for Victor, SABA, Harmonia Mundi, Denon, Columbia, Balkanton and GEGA, besides numerous TV films.
The SOFIA SOLOISTS are well known for their brilliant interpretation of over 400 compositions from the Baroque to the present. They have given more than 60 premieres of new works, most of them written for the ensemble by leading Bulgarian Composers.
The virtuosity of the SOFIA SOLOISTS has made them a favourite quest at many international music festivals. Among the celebrated musicians they have performed with have been Henrik Szering, Heinz Holliger, Daniil Schafran, Nicanor Zabaletta, Patrick Gallois to name a few. Two of the most prominent Bulgarian conductors have led the orchestra &endash; Vassil Kazandjiev and Emil Tabakov. Since 1987, the conductor and artistic director of the SOFIA SOLOIST has been Plamen Djurov. Mr. Djurov is a graduate of the Music Academy in Sofia, where he majored in piano, composition and conducting. In 1984 he studied in Vienna with Karl Oýsterreicher. In addition to his work as a conductor, he is well known as a composer.
Selected reviews:
"The SOFIA SOLOISTS Chamber Orchestra really deserves its name. Everyone pf the thirteen musicians is an accomplished soloist possessing at the same time the capabilities and approach necessary for artistic ensemble playing. Their sound picture is marked with impressive homogeneity which remains unchanged during the performance of the most tender and the most turbulent passages. This outstanding quality of the orchestra makes possible a musical expression whose richness is presented in brilliant an inspired manner. Perfection and exceptional achievement dominate the audience impressions from the SOFIA SOLOISTS Chamber Orchestra."
Gewandhaus Hall, Leipzig 14 June 1989
"The SOFIA SOLOISTS Orchestra should be ranked whit the absolute world level. Each of the thirteen instrumentalists is a virtuoso but nonetheless finds place in the perfect harmony of a brilliant performance."
Arthur West, Volkstimme, Vienna 1 August 1980
"SOFIA SOLOISTS demonstrated skilful playing and brilliant conceptional unity. This is real first class string Orchestra with a vital, plastic and expressive style of playing."
Paul Weber, Lusemburger Wort, 7 July 1981
"The concert of SOFIA SOLOISTS was a rare experience. They gave the audience a charming impression which provoked a storm of applause. The highly talented artists presented two marvellous encores which once again demonstrated their fantastic virtuosity. This ensemble of exceptional renown completely lives up to its praise."
Olten, Switzerland, 1 February 1983
"An extraordinary ensemble combining sensitive musicality with mastery of the string effects."
Derek Moore Morgan,West Australian, 12 February 1982
The ensemble really lives up to its name; each of the thirteen musicians is a soloist and therefore we witnessed this evening a performance of the highest classÉ. Everything is flawless and absolutely accurate.
Aachener Volkszeitung, Germany,2 June 1986
"Whether Haydn has ever heard his works performed so perfectly and with such musicality we can rightly doubt."
Saarlius, Germany, 24 September 1984
"The SOFIA SOLOISTS gave such a perfect rendering of Vivaldi's "Seasons" that the four concerts were a revelation for everybody presentÉ "
Newspaper Times(London)
"The SOFIA SOLOISTS posses warm sounding and a natural technical perfection"
Newspaper Washington Post
"Their perfect musicianship is uniques"
Newspaper"Figaro" Paris
"The SOFIA SOLOISTS have brilliant and at the same time controlled virtuosity."
Newspaper Tempo (Rome)
"The SOFIA SOLOISTS is a superstring orchestra which found their way to the world musical elite as one the foremost formation of our timeÉ "
Achville Citizen, USA, 1976
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