The Pleven Philharmonic delighted its fans with its first concert of 2024.
On February 7, the Pleven Philharmonic treated its audience to the first concert of the new year, filled with wonderful emotions. For the second time on the Pleven stage under the baton of Rosen Gergov, his three sons Kay, Ray, and Leo showcased their talents, captivating the audience at the Katya Popova Hall with their musicality and artistic presence. The event was attended by Violeta Jeremiava, the regional governor of Pleven, and Dr. Valentin Hristov, the mayor of Pleven.
The concert began with the performance of the youngest, Leo (born in 2014), who presented Mozart’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A major (KV 414). Leo’s precise performance of this challenging three-part composition for his age and his stage endurance thrilled both fans and experts, who highly praised his achievement. The enthusiastic applause was followed by an encore—a prelude by Rachmaninoff.
Leo studies piano with Professor Vladimir Harin at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, violin with his mother, and when he turns 9, conducting with his father, Rosen Gergov. He has won several awards from the Austrian national competition “Prima la Musica,” the Amadeus-Mozartian piano competition in Brno, Czech Republic, and the VIII International Competition “Bela Bartok” in 2024 in Austria. He has also performed solo recitals, and orchestra appearances, following his debut with the Pleven Philharmonic in November 2022 and the “Gergov Trio” with his brothers Kay and Ray.
Ray debuted in front of an audience at age 5 (born in 2012). At his first appearance with the Pleven Philharmonic, he performed Saint-Saens’ Cello Concerto and op. 132 Concertino for cello by Prokofiev. His performance mesmerized everyone with his charisma, depth, and fidelity to the composer’s style. Ray’s technical mastery and dialogue with the orchestra in performing Prokofiev’s work for the first time in Pleven and Bulgaria were remarkable! His ability to master his instrument (a 7/8 cello by Ambroise de Comble from 1755) and creatively utilize its tonal capabilities was remarkable!
Ray received prolonged applause and admiration from the audience, performing two parts of the solo suite by Johann Sebastian Bach. The young instrumentalist already has a collection of awards from competitions such as “Prima la Musica,” “Gustav Mahler,” “Herran,” “Popper,” as well as a special award from the Zagreb Chamber Orchestra from the International Competition “Antonio Janigro.” In 2020, Ray made his debut at Carnegie Hall in New York, one of the most prestigious concert halls in the world, and after his debut with the Pleven Philharmonic, he played with the Zagreb Chamber Orchestra, “Sofia Soloists,” and the Vratsa Symphony Orchestra.
Kay, Rosen Gergov’s eldest son, was born in 2010 and confidently walks the challenging path of classical music. He began playing the piano, followed by the violin, and for several years he played both instruments and won many awards: a special award for the youngest participant below the age limit of the Henle piano competition (2015), second prize in the same competition; first prize with distinction from “Prima la Musica” both with piano and violin (2016, 2018, and 2019); second prize with the violin as the youngest participant at “Young Virtuosos” in Sofia, first and special award for the best interpretation of Bartok in Graz, Austria; first prize at the International Violin Competition in Brussels, Belgium. In 2021, Kay won the Grand Prize at the International “Kocian” Competition in the Czech Republic, and in 2023, the first prize at the International “Mozart” Competition in Georgia, as well as a special award from the “International Cultural Federation 21st Century.” In his creative biography, there are concerts as a soloist with an orchestra, solo recitals, or with the “Gergov Trio” in prestigious halls, participation in festivals, and audio, and video recordings for ORF and BNR.
Each of Nicolo Paganini’s six violin concerts is a challenge for any soloist, a challenge that Kay Gergov impressively meets. His interpretation of Paganini’s Concerto in D major captured everyone’s attention with its beautiful and expressive melodies/themes on the violin, with a beautiful tone and brilliant virtuosity. (Kay plays a violin by Antonio Graniani from 1751.) If the listeners in the Katya Popova Hall hadn’t seen the soloist, they would hardly have guessed that he was only 14 years old. What precision, virtuosity, phrasing, what a palette of dynamic nuances and agogic deviations! In Pleven, and perhaps in Bulgaria, Paganini’s concerto in D major has not been performed by a violinist at such a young age, especially with the famous “huge” cadence in the first part by the French violinist and composer Emile Sore!
After the concert, Maestro Rosen Gergov shared that conducting his sons is challenging because it comes with greater responsibilities, but in reality, it’s very exciting and brings him great joy. “As they grow older, it becomes easier,” he added. The musicians of the Pleven Philharmonic partnered professionally, supported the talented soloists, and achieved admirable results in their performances of works by Mozart, Paganini, and Prokofiev.
Avgustina SERAFIMOVA
Photos: The author and the internet.
