Information


	home info testimonials events music samples picture gallery links store close window		Strahil Ivanov Vankov - accordion and bagpipe Strahil Ivanov Vankov was born on May 16-th 1974 in Ivailovgrad city. In 1987 he begins to play bagpipe with professor Maria Stoianova - the first woman to ever play bagpipe. During the folowing year he gets accepted at "Middle Musical School - Shiroka Luka" with specialty bagpipe. There he perfects his bagpipe style with the help of the famous Bulgarian bagpipe player Vasil Bebelekov. Immediately after that Strahil begins to play with the popular clarinetist Mladen Malakov. Form there his journey of declaration on professional stage takes off with some of the biggest creators of the Bulgarian Traditional Music such as : Ivo Papazov,Peter Ralchev, Maria Karafezieva, and many more. Strahil owes his love for Bulgarian music to his father,Ivan Vankov,and his brother,Atanas Vankov,who are also famous with their talent in Bulgaria.With them he gets on the world stage with the accordion for the 1st time. Strahil lives in Chicago since 1995.From there his declarations on American stage begin. He also participates in the Musical Folk Festival in Mendocino,California as a accordion instructor. Currently Strahil plays with the group "Kolorit". ::UP

			Angel Zhekov Zhekov - kaval and keyboard Angel Zhekov Zhekov was born on October 3th 1974 in the city of Plovdiv. At the age of seven he begins to play the piano at the "Children's Musical Academy" in town Harmanly. The love for music,he gets from his father who is a well-known singer Jeko Angelov. Because of that at the age of ten he begins to play the kaval. In 1988 he gets accepted at the "Middle Musical Academy-F. Kutev" in town of Kotel. During the next year he begins to express himself as a solo of many respectable groups in Bulgaria as well as other countries. In 1993 he begins his education at the "Academy of Musical Art" in the city of Plovdiv. He participates in many concerts and festivals with the main orchestra of the academy. At the same time he works with some of the most famous groups in Bulgaria such as: "Orphey"- Georgi Yanev, "Yambol", "Trakia" - Ivo Papazov, Petar Ralchev, "Kanarite", and many more. During this period he also manages to compose folk songs for children, while combining the folk with other musical styles. During the next few years, Angel,wins recognition as one of the best players of Bulgarian kaval. In 1999 together with Nikolay Georgiev, Angel creates the folk formation "Akademica". At this time, Angel continues his career as a teacher and musician in Chicago with the group "Kolorit". ::UP

			Nikolay Todorov Georgiev - guitar - tamboura Nikolay Todorov Georgiev was born on October 23th 1974, in the city of Kustendil. At the tender age of ten he starts to play the tamboura. In 1993 he graduates from the "Middle Musical Academy-F. Kutev" in the town of Kotel. The same year he is accepted at the "Academy of Musical and Dance Art" in the city of Plovdiv. During his studies, he participates in many folk forums as a guitar solo in the main orchestra of the academy with the well known conductor Milcho Vasilev. While his first year at the academy,he gets invited to play with one of the most famous orchestras in Bulgaria: "Orphey" with director Georgi Yanev, where also plays the world-known accordionist Peter Ralchev. Later in the years, Nikolay participates with Peter in many of his projects. In his career as a musician Nikolay has played with some of the most famous musicians in the history of Bulgarian Folk Music such as:Ivo Papazov, Delcho Mitev, "Kanarite" and many more. In 1999 Nikolay becomes one of the creators of the folk formation "Akademica", which takes him on tours all over Bulgaria. Currently, Nikolay continues his career in Chicago with group "Kolorit". ::UP

			Krasimir Gospodinov Nedyalkov - keyboard, bagpipe Krasimir Gospodinov Nedyalkov was born on June 2nd, 1977, in the town of Sliven. The love for Burlgarian Folk music comes from his grandfather, Nedyalko Yanakiev, who played the kaval. At the age of ten Krasimir begins to take bagpipe lessons at the "Children's Musical Academy - Misho Todorov" in the town of Siven, with conductor Dobromir Iordanov. At the age of fourteen he gets accepted at the "Middle Musical Academy - Filip Kutev" in the town of Kotel. There Krasimir betters himself in the field by getting deeper into the basics of the Bulgarian Folk Music and all its specifications. He also learns how to play the piano, which later helps him with his career as a musician. In the year of 1997, Krasimir gets accepted at the "Academy of Musical Art" in the city of Plovdiv, where he betters his knowedge in the field of Bulgarian Folk Music. He also gets the opportunity to play with some of the most famous musicians in Bulgaria. Currently he lives in Chicago and is a member of the well-known group " Kolorit " ::UP

			Temenuga Mincheva Zhekova - singer Temenuga Mincheva Zhekova was born on Oktober 10th 1975 in the town of Sliven. In 1982,the Musical Development Class of Sliven discovered her talent and she is accepted to study piano and violin. A year later she begins to sing for the choir of "D.Chintulov" where she sings solo for six years. While her many declarations on stage, Temenuga finds her interest in the Bulgarian Folk Music and song. This is the main reason why she spends five years in the "Middle Musical Academy-F. Kutev" in the town of Kotel. In 1995, after her graduation from the musical academy listed above, she enters a competition of Folk singing and her amazing talent wins her the 1st place tropy,and an acceptance at the "Academy of Musical Art" in the city of Plovdiv. Temenuga sings in the main choir of the academy with the famous conductor and professor Vasilka Spassova. She wins recognition as the solo of the most complicated works of professor Ivan Spassov, professor Nikolay Stoykov and professor Stephan Mutafchiev. She finishes her education at the "Academy of Musical Art" with a degree as a conductor and a music teacher. After that she goes on tours all over the world with ensemble "Trakia". During her travels she meets the group "Kanarite", with whom she begins to work as the solo singer. They give her an oppotunity to work with the best musicians of Bulgarian Folk Music. In this period she also manages to create and produce her two solo albums. At this moment Temenuga lives and works in Chicago with the famous group "Kolorit". ::UP