Milen
Slavov is a composer, performer and teacher. Born in Stara Zagora
in Bulgaria, he began playing accordion at the age of seven. He
graduated from Bulgaria's first professional folk music training
institute, then attended the Musical Pedagogical Conservatory
in Plovdov. He is a skilled master of the keyboard, accordion
and tambura. He plays and composes in Bulgarian traditional, contemporary,
improvisational, Eastern European and gypsy style.
Slavov has lived in America since
1997 and has toured throughout the US. He was a guest artist teacher
of the UCLA Ethnomusicology Department for the 98/99 academic
year. He has performed at the prestigious Carrefour Mondial de
l'Accordeon in Montmagny, Canada, the Californian Academy of Sciences,
Wild Iris World Music Festival and Cotati Accordion Festival.
He has appeared live on CBC (Canada's national radio), as well
as on other stations in the US. The Californian Art Council granted
Milen the 1999/2000 Performing Arts Fellowship in Musical Composition.
Milen's CD came as a part of a 'package',
which included a printed music book containing pieces performed
on the CD and the CD itself. The pieces were composed and played
by Milen on the acoustic accordion in the Bulgarian folk style.
Improvisatory character, technical security in performing technically
demanding folk music with its complicated trills, enthusiasm that
his playing reflects - these are the "trade marks" of Milen's
performing style.
This CD covers a specific area of
music - Bulgarian folk music and would be perfectly suitable for
that kind of interest. ***
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