Wind Quintet “Pilekadone” brings contemporary Bulgarian classics to Hamburg

‘Pilekadone’ is a wind quintet with a provocative name (said to be linked to birds — ‘pileta’, meaning ‘chicks’) and a history spanning more than 25 years. Mila Pavlova (flute), Valentin Metodiev (oboe), Venelin Piperov (clarinet), Yasen Teodosiev (French horn) and Evgeniy Tonev (bassoon) have played together since their school days.

They have each built successful careers as soloists and orchestral musicians in renowned Bulgarian ensembles, yet their appearances as a quintet are particularly striking and often challenge tradition. Pilekadone's musicians present classical chamber music alongside other genres, including jazz. They transform their concerts into colourful performances featuring costumes, stage design and multimedia. They collaborate with distinguished actors, journalists, poets and translators — and sometimes even children.

These outstanding instrumentalists, with their vivid imagination and unmistakable creative potential, have inspired a number of leading contemporary Bulgarian composers to write works especially for the quintet. Among them are Vasil Kazandzhiev, the internationally acclaimed Dobrinka Tabakova (Grammy nominee), and Grammy Award winner Penka Kouneva, the most successful Bulgarian composer, who has built a career in Hollywood for more than a quarter of a century.

On 22 February, the five musicians of Pilekadone will perform in Germany’s second-largest city, Hamburg, at the invitation of the Bulgarian School in the city. From 5 pm at the Lichtwark Hall (Lichtwarksaal), the audience will hear two premieres: the world premiere of Concert Piece for Wind Quintet by Acad. Vasil Kazandzhiev, dedicated to Pilekadone, and the German premiere of ROOTS by Penka Kouneva, composed especially for the ensemble.

The programme will also feature several compelling pieces by Marin Goleminov, Dobrinka Tabakova, and Yavor Gaidov that have become firm favourites in the quintet's repertoire.

The organisers from the Bulgarian School in Hamburg promise surprises as well!

Editor: Elena Karkalanova

Posted in English by E. Radkova