We sing of maidens shining like the stars and the moon, of dancing so fast that you drop to earth like a ripe pear, of socks and peppers, love and pain. These are our favourite Bulgarian songs, which have delighted and moved audiences from Britain to Bulgaria. Welcome to our debut album. ~~~~~~~~~~ There is something about the haunting spine-tingling appeal of Bulgarian choral music that makes lifelong devotees of its fans. These traditional folk songs, sung in a complex and unique vocal style, have survived centuries of oppression – 500 years of Ottoman rule – and 50 years of communist cultural indoctrination, to emerge with their extraordinary dissonant harmonies, exotic scales, compelling rhythms and exuberant trills and hiccups virtually intact. In the early 20th century, Bulgarian composers, inspired by their own great treasure trove of traditional music, started arranging its tunes into beautiful masterpieces performed by choirs such as Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares, the Philip Koutev Ensemble and Trio Bulgarka. And so the songs went on to weave their magic among Western audiences, with early admirers including George Harrison, Frank Zappa, David Crosby and Kate Bush. These are songs of universal human trials – love, war, celebration, loss and hardship – and yet they seem more powerfully evocative than most ethnic musical traditions, transcending language barriers and often moving British audiences to tears. ~~~~~~~~~~ The London Bulgarian Choir is a vibrant, sociable and open-hearted group of singers embracing all nationalities, ages and abilities. The Choir was founded in 2000 by singer Dessislava Stefanova. Thanks to her patience and dedication, this group of largely non-Bulgarian singers has become a performing tour de force, winning hearts and minds at home, from the Yorkshire Dales to the Sussex Downs, and further afield, in Bulgaria's concert halls and mountain villages on a nationwide tour in 2005. In 2006, the choir won the Open Category in the BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year Competition and members of the choir sang on the soundtrack of the BBC’s Elizabeth, The Virgin Queen. ~~~~~~~~~~ Dessislava Stefanova Dessi grew up singing the songs of her native Bulgaria. Already an experienced international performer by age 18, she went on to become a professional singer with the renowned Philip Koutev Bulgarian National Folk Ensemble. Since 2000 she has been living in the UK performing, recording film soundtracks and leading workshops. Her voice can be heard lending drama to key moments in The Brothers Grimm, BBC’s Elizabeth, The Virgin Queen, Troy, Ghost Ship, Atlantis, Borat and Halo 4. ~~~~~~~~~~ "A magical performance from start to finish: theatrical, dynamic and moving." Howard Goodall, composer and broadcaster "Beautiful harmonies, simultaneously powerful and plaintive. The most sophisticated physical expression of song I've ever experienced." Eugene Skeef, percussionist and composer “A total delight, surprise, revelation... Listen and have your spirit kindled, your soul revived and your ears rejuvenated.” Max Reinhardt, Radio Gagarin