Lyulin Stamenov/Sofia Echo
The Spirit of Bulgaria group touring around the country and getting to know the people, culture and habits.
The Spirit of Bulgaria group touring around the country and getting to know the people, culture and habits.
THE team of the International festival Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival enjoyed a two-week holiday around Bulgaria getting acquainted with the culture, people and habits of the country in order to help promote Bulgarian music in Canada and the rest of the world.
Patrick Taylor, president and executive producer of the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival, said that the first two seasons of the festival were quite successful and they are about to do a third in the coming year.
"First we wanted to get to know more of the people and the culture of Bulgaria and then start working profoundly on promoting Bulgaria's music and arts in Canada," Taylor said.
Both festivals, called The Spirit of Bulgaria, were held in 1999 and 2000 and designed to be mainstream so as to attract North Americans and local communities rather than simply for the sake of the Bulgarian diaspora in Canada, Taylor explained. "We need more of these festivals to be organised to attract the multi cultural populations of North America," he said.
The initial idea came when Bulgarian-originated Antonia Antonova-Bates exposed Taylor and other associated with the festival to typical Bulgarian music. She introduced them to jazz, folk, classical and modern Bulgarian music.
"We started getting to know more of the country's traditions and history and we found out a history of 13 centuries," Taylor said. The music was different and unique for them and they decided to experience it in North America because nothing like that had ever been done in that region.
The company Euroculture specialises in presenting the culture of Eastern Europe to North Americans. What is of particular interest to them is the history of the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. The festival is of all disciplines, including classical music, bands, chamber groups and dance. For the coming third season of the festival the organisers want even to present Bulgarian icons and artists.
"All aspects of the artistic life of one's country is of interest to us," Taylor said, adding that the promotion of arts and culture may also lead to some business opportunities.
"We wanted to actually come here first and learn about the country and the people rather than read about it in the books," Taylor said.
The group have explored as many regions as possible, and when they go back they wil be ready to discuss how they are going to approach their third festival dedicated to Bulgarian culture in 2003.
For Patti Marshall, vice president of Euroculture, what was striking was the incredibly diverse landscape in Bulgaria which she did not expect to come across in such a small territory, with everything from the ocean to the mountains. It has been a great experience for her. "There is so much history in this place," she said.
Taylor said he feels like they are on holiday rather than a business trip, but they did do a radio show and got coverage from the local media.
Artists are looking forward to joining the festival. Brian Blain even played in Swingin' Hall last Wednesday night with the group Kafe.
Bulgaria Da (Yes) will be the catch phrase they will take back and share about Bulgaria. "We would recommend to anyone to come and visit," Taylor said.
They all loved shopska salad and white wine after a wine tasting they attended, and some said they would try to replicate some of the food after buying cookery books about Bulgarian dishes.
Blain said that anyone who comes one time would always want to come back and that he hopes to return again next summer. Brian Bates, Antonova's husband, has been here four times and would always love to come back.
The centre of the festival and main stage are hosted by Harbourfront Centre's du Maurier Theatre and the Church of the Holy Trinity, providing a showcase for the best Bulgarian talent performing a wide range of music from swing to fusion, blues to bebop. A 1000-seat tent complete with food and licensed beverage service, chandeliers, carpeting, and landscaped patio was constructed in the square. The festival's organisers hope to soon launch another event of the kind, especially after gathering such a great impression of Bulgaria.
Patrick Taylor, president and executive producer of the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival, said that the first two seasons of the festival were quite successful and they are about to do a third in the coming year.
"First we wanted to get to know more of the people and the culture of Bulgaria and then start working profoundly on promoting Bulgaria's music and arts in Canada," Taylor said.
Both festivals, called The Spirit of Bulgaria, were held in 1999 and 2000 and designed to be mainstream so as to attract North Americans and local communities rather than simply for the sake of the Bulgarian diaspora in Canada, Taylor explained. "We need more of these festivals to be organised to attract the multi cultural populations of North America," he said.
The initial idea came when Bulgarian-originated Antonia Antonova-Bates exposed Taylor and other associated with the festival to typical Bulgarian music. She introduced them to jazz, folk, classical and modern Bulgarian music.
"We started getting to know more of the country's traditions and history and we found out a history of 13 centuries," Taylor said. The music was different and unique for them and they decided to experience it in North America because nothing like that had ever been done in that region.
The company Euroculture specialises in presenting the culture of Eastern Europe to North Americans. What is of particular interest to them is the history of the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. The festival is of all disciplines, including classical music, bands, chamber groups and dance. For the coming third season of the festival the organisers want even to present Bulgarian icons and artists.
"All aspects of the artistic life of one's country is of interest to us," Taylor said, adding that the promotion of arts and culture may also lead to some business opportunities.
"We wanted to actually come here first and learn about the country and the people rather than read about it in the books," Taylor said.
The group have explored as many regions as possible, and when they go back they wil be ready to discuss how they are going to approach their third festival dedicated to Bulgarian culture in 2003.
For Patti Marshall, vice president of Euroculture, what was striking was the incredibly diverse landscape in Bulgaria which she did not expect to come across in such a small territory, with everything from the ocean to the mountains. It has been a great experience for her. "There is so much history in this place," she said.
Taylor said he feels like they are on holiday rather than a business trip, but they did do a radio show and got coverage from the local media.
Artists are looking forward to joining the festival. Brian Blain even played in Swingin' Hall last Wednesday night with the group Kafe.
Bulgaria Da (Yes) will be the catch phrase they will take back and share about Bulgaria. "We would recommend to anyone to come and visit," Taylor said.
They all loved shopska salad and white wine after a wine tasting they attended, and some said they would try to replicate some of the food after buying cookery books about Bulgarian dishes.
Blain said that anyone who comes one time would always want to come back and that he hopes to return again next summer. Brian Bates, Antonova's husband, has been here four times and would always love to come back.
The centre of the festival and main stage are hosted by Harbourfront Centre's du Maurier Theatre and the Church of the Holy Trinity, providing a showcase for the best Bulgarian talent performing a wide range of music from swing to fusion, blues to bebop. A 1000-seat tent complete with food and licensed beverage service, chandeliers, carpeting, and landscaped patio was constructed in the square. The festival's organisers hope to soon launch another event of the kind, especially after gathering such a great impression of Bulgaria.
