{March 27th, 2009} An Evening of Music with The Varimezov Bulgarian Ensemble

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The Society for the Diffusion of Useful Information is pleased to announce an evening of music with The Varimezov Bulgarian Ensemble.

The Varimezov family is fondly remembered by Museum members for their performance at the Museum’s 2007 Yule Celebration.

Friday, March 27th, 2009
7:30 p.m.
8:30 p.m.
There are no more seats available for either performance.

The Museum of Jurassic Technology
9341 Venice Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232

$12 General donation / $9 Museum members, students, seniors

Nota Bene: The Varimezovi will perform in the Tula Tearoom. Due to the unique restrictions of the space, we shall not be able to seat latecomers once the performance has started.

Ivan Varimezov, master player of the Bulgarian gaida (a goatskin bagpipe) and director of traditional folk instrumental ensembles, was born in the village of Sredets, near Bourgas, Bulgaria. He began his musical education at the knee of his uncle, Kostadin Varimezov, Bulgaria’s most famous bagpiper. Ivan continued his musical education at The Plovdiv Academy of Music and Dance, where in 1983 he received his diploma in instrumental performance and conducting.

From 1984 to 1991 he was a soloist bagpiper and conductor of The Pazardzhik Ensemble in the city of Pazardzhik. However, to play in The National Ensemble of Folk Songs and Dance Philip Koutev was his dream, and that dream came true in 1991. In 1993 he cofounded the group Balkanfolk. In 1996 he became a soloist once again with another prestigious ensemble, The Bulgarian Folk Orchestra, the same position held by his uncle for more than twenty years.

One of the preeminent bagpipers in Bulgaria, Ivan has toured the world as a soloist and a conductor. Since 2001 he has been a visiting professor at UCLA’s Department of Ethnomusicology, where he teaches gaida and conducts The UCLA Balkan Folk Orchestra.

Born in Pazardzhik, Bulgaria, Tzvetanka Varimezova received an M.A. degree in choral conducting and folk instrument pedagogy from the Academy of Music and Dance in Plovdiv. She is an internationally respected singer and conductor of Bulgarian-style choirs as well as an exceptionally gifted teacher.

Having directed the choir of a regional professional ensemble of folk song and dance in Pazardzhik for many years, Tzvetanka subsequently became a soloist and assistant conductor for a number of professional women's choirs across Bulgaria.

As a singer Tzvetanka is widely celebrated for her sweet and brilliant tone quality, for her coloratura-like flexibility, and for her skillful interpretations of the highly ornamented repertoire of the Pazardzhik region. She is also a pianist, accordionist, and tambura player, as well as a highly-regarded collector of folklore.

Working extensively outside Bulgaria, Tzvetanka has toured the world both as a vocalist and a coach for Bulgarian-style choirs in many countries. Since 2001, Tzvetanka has been a professor of Music at UCLA, where she teaches Balkan singing technique and conducts the UCLA Bulgarian Women's Choir Superdevojche.

Continuing the family tradition, Radka Varimezova sings and plays the gaida, while Tanya Varimezova sings and plays the tambura.

Tickets can be reserved online at http://www.mjt.org/events.   Reservations are strongly encouraged.

ALL SEATS ARE WILL-CALL. No tickets will be mailed to you. Please address queries to events@mjt.org. If you wish to be added to our events mailing list, please write "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject header of your e-mail.