Gokotel

Contact:
Galina Durmushliyska en Jaap van Beelen
Tel. +359 (0)453 2139 or +359 (0)453 2004 or +31 (0)6 24617333
Email: gokotel@planet.nl
Web: www.gokotel.com

Specialty: Ethnic Music
Region: East Balkan
Languages spoken: EN, NL, DE, BG

Galina Durmushliyska, professional singer since 30 years and Jaap van Beelen, her Dutch husband, welcome visitors for singing and music workshops in the town of Kotel located in the Stara Planina mountains. The town of Kotel has been declared an architectural and historical reserve. About 110 houses from the Revival Period have been preserved there. Workshops and stay for individuals and groups (minimum 12 persons, max. 24) are taking place in 3 of those traditional houses dating back to 1848 and conscientiously restorated by Galina and Jaap. 

Music workshop:
Song workshops for groups are organised in close collaboration with Ivo Boswijk, director of a Bulgarian and a Balkan choir in The Netherlands: Chubrica and Slavuj. Galina and Ivo have worked together with success since 8 years and organised this music week in cooperation with guest-teachers from the reknown ‘Filip Kutev’ music school in Kotel.  Music workshops consists in 10 day-study and singing of traditional songs and choir music from various part of the country: from shepherd songs to the nostalgic glissandi from the Rhodopi or the dissonants from the Šopluk.

Live music (Bulgarian and gypsies) are played in the evenings and other activities will be included such as hiking in the beautiful environment of Kotel and a Bulgarian dance workshop. Other activities can be  organisedon requestlike horse riding through the mountains or private lessons with ‘Filip Kutev’ school teachers to learn playing traditional music instruments such as kaval, gaida, gadulka, accordion. 

Dates: 25 June - 4 July, 6-15 August and 17-26 September 2009

Price: €450,- incl. all food, drinks, program and excursions; excluding transport costs to KotelKotel is easily accessible by bus from the Central Bus Station in Sofia (375 km, direct bus for 12 euro)