Guest-musicians, in alphabetical order:
Christian Nedelchev - rebeck
Participates in:
- Byal ravnec (Lot Lorien)
Born in 1984 in Varna, Bulgaria. He graduated secondary school at National School of Humanitarian Science and Arts "Konstantin Preslavski" in Varna with profile - music. Since 2003 Christian has been studying at Academy of music, dance and visual arts in Plovdiv, Bulgaria in the instrumental and performing arts department. He plays in representative orchestra of the academy with conductor professor Milcho Vasilev. He also hosts broadcast about Bulgarian folk music on Radio Varna
Dilyana Cvetanova - violin
Participates in:
- Ballad for the lost(Lot Lorien)
- Tristan and Isolde (Elsewhere)
Violin teacher at National School of Arts "Dobri Hristov" - Varna, Bulgaria. She graduated from National School of Arts "Dobri Hristov" and State Academy of Music "Pancho Vladigerov" with a profile - violin.
Dragni Dragnev - bagpipe, kaval
Participates in:
- Ballad for the lost, Mari Mariiko (Lot Lorien)
Born in 1975 in Varna, Bulgaria. He graduate Secondary Music School of folk arts at Shiroka Laka, Bulgaria with a profile - bagpipe in Vasil Bebelekov's class. In 1998 Dragni finished Academy of music, dance and visual arts in Plovdiv, Bulgaria with a profile - bagpipe teacher and management of folk groups in Maria Stoyanova's class. After graduation he worked at the "Palace of children" in Sofia, Bulgaria. Dragni Dragnev has been employed as a bagpipe teacher since 2001 for the National School of Humanitarian Science and Arts "Konstantin Preslavski" in Varna, Bulgaria.
Ina Kancheva - soprano
Participates in:
- Dreaming you (Eastern wind)
Born in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1977. She began studying opera when she was eighteen at the State Academy of Music in Sofia. At the age of twenty, she was selected for scholarship graduate training in The European Opera Center in Manchester, UK. She has taken part in many Master Classes of Irina Gavrilovici (Wien), Montserrat Caballe (Andorra), Raina Kabaivanska (Accademia Chigiana, Fondazione Arena di Verona), Leo Nucci (Fondazione Arena di Verona), etc. Ina Kancheva is a recipient of numerous national and international prizes and she has participated as a soloist in many festivals in Bulgaria, as well as in Festival Castell de Peralada (Spain), Amadeus Festival and Flanneries Music Festival (France), Landmarks Summer Festival (USA), etc. Her opera roles include the roles of Celia from "Lucio Silla" (The European Opera Center and Covent Garden); Giulietta - I Capuletti, Violetta - La Traviata, Mimi - La Boheme, Gilda-Rigoletto (Staatsoper Hannover); Maria/Somewhere girl - West Side Story (Teatro alla Scala); etc. She also sang Gala concerts with RTVE Madrid, Concerts in Smetana Hall in Prague, Gala Concerts in Konigin Elizabethzaal in Antwerpen, The“Bells” by S.Rahmaninov with Balkan Philharmony Orchestra (Greece, Macedonia), Bilkent Simphony Orchestra –Ankara,Turkey, etc. Recently she has performed Micaela-Carmen, Violetta Valery-La Traviata both in Staatsoper Stuttgart and La Contessa Folleville in Rossini’s Viaggio a Reims during Rossini Opera Festival 2007. (origin - http://www.inakancheva.com)
Kiro Dimitrov - vocal
Participates in:
- Bulgari glava vdignali (Lot Lorien)
81 years old (during recording the song), from Bulgarian village of Brodilovo (Strandja area).
Latif Bolat - vocal, http://www.latifbolat.com
Participates in:
- Ballad for the lost (Lot Lorien)
Turkish singer, composer and scholar of turkish music and folklore. He is a native of the mediterranean turkish town of Mersin. After receiving his degree in folklore and music at Gazi University in Ankara, Turkey, he taught traditional music throughout the country. He then went on to manage Ankara Halk Tiyatrosu, a music theater company which performed traditional musical plays. Mr. Bolat also receives further degrees in Turkish history and Middle East religion and politics from Ankara University and in MBA from San Francisco State University. Now residing in Santa Fe, New Mexico, he is one of the most distinguished turkish musicians residing in the US. His concert and conference itinerary has taken him all across America, Canada, England, Turkey, Bulgaria, Singapore, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. The California Art Council rewarded Bolat with a grant for his contributions to the preservation of turkish traditional music. He has performed many concerts across universities in USA, as well as at the United Nations. Latif Bolat collaborated with George Lucas for the soundtrack of TV series of "Young Indiana Jones".
Maryana Cvetanova-Milanova - violin
Participates in:
- Ballad for the lost(Lot Lorien)
- Tristan and Isolde (Elsewhere)
Artist-orchestrant at Opera and Philharmonic Union in Varna, Bulgaria. She graduated from National School of Arts "Dobri Hristov" and State Academy of Music "Pancho Vladigerov" with a profile - violin.
Nelly Gancheva - cello (member of the early lineup of Lot Lorien)
Participates in:
- Tristan and Isolde (Elsewhere)
Artist-orchestrant at Opera and Philharmonic Union in Varna, Bulgaria. She graduated from National School of Arts "Dobri Hristov" and State Academy of Music "Pancho Vladigerov" with a profile - cello.
Nikolay Yordanov - flute, wooden pipe
Participates in:
- Dream (Lot Lorien)
He is a musician whose work appears in different genres of music and is always looking for new horizons. After graduation from National School of Arts "Dobri Hristov" and State Academy of Music "Pancho Vladigerov" with profile - flute, he worked with piano and ethnic instruments as well as composition. As a flutist Nikolay performed classical concerts in Bulgaria and abroad with piano, guitar, harp accompaniment with different chamber ensembles as well as soloist. He records in field of ethno/world music in Spain and Italy with musicians like Hevia, Xuacu Amieva, Paco Diez, Grupo Calicanto and for labels like EMI and Several Records. In these albums Nikolay participated as a musician, arranger and composer. He created several music bands in Bulgaria: Chembo, Nikolay Yordanov Group, Duo Balkany, Nestinary, Protuberansi. All are based on bulgarian, balkan folklore and original music. He is a member of the Union of Spanish Composers. Nikolay does active work as a teacher and journalist in field of ethnic and world music. He participated in a process of improvement in and creation of new wind and string instruments.
Petya Dragneva - folk singing
Participates in:
- Mari Mariiko (Lot Lorien)
Born in 1976 in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria. She graduate secondary music school in Pleven, Bulgaria with profile - tambura and folk singing. In 1998 Petya finished Academy of music, dance and visual arts in Plovdiv, Bulgaria with profile - folk singing, tambura and management of folk groups. After that she works with choir "Angelite" in Sofia, Bulgaria. Since 2001 Petya Dragneva is a teacher in the National School of Humanitarian Science and Arts "Konstantin Preslavski" in Varna, Bulgaria.
Roman Stolyar - flute, http://rstmusic.narod.ru
Participates in:
- Stoyan si konche izvede (Lot Lorien)
- Tzarevgrad Tarnov (Eslewhere)
Born on December 6th, 1967 in Novosibirsk (Russia). In 1989 he entered the Novosibirsk musical college. While studying jazz at the college, Roman developed an interest in contemporary and free jazz enriched by elements of classical composition and folk influences. His first project - a duo together with drummer Mikhail Wolfovitch was formed in 1990. In 1991 he entered the Novosibirsk state conservatoire and after graduating he continued his career as a musician playing in a lot of music groups, experimenting in different music styles. As an educator he worked in the jazz department of Novosibirsk musical college where he developed his own training course. Roman Stolyar has participated in many jazz and contemporary music festivals and concerts in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Poland, Denmark and the United Kingdom. He has released CDs for labels like Ermatell Records (Novosibirsk), Electroshock Records (Moscow) and Intuitive Records (Denmark). In February 2000 Roman Stolyar was chosen as a member of the Russian composers union and in 2001 he became a vice chairman of the Siberian branch.
Silvana Velikova - backing vocals
Participates in:
- Tzarevgrad Tarnov, Ballad for the lost II, Yasen mesec (Elsewhere)
Born in Dobrich in 1994. She studies at the "St. Climent Ohridski" music school and plays piano since 10 years. She also participates in the "Sarandev" vocal studio for pop/rock singers. She also loves theatre and participates in "Experimental Theatre". Silvana is also volunteer at the National UnAIDS Campaign and the YPEER-Bulgaria organisation.
Snajen Kovachev - vocal
Participates in:
- The old town (Lot Lorien)
He worked together with music band Simulant (Bulgaria) between 1988 and 1991 and he gave specific sound of the group, thanks to his unique voice tembre. In 1991 Simulant is one of the most popular music groups in BG radio air. The song "Niakoi neshto mi otne" is more than half an year on the top of TOP-10 in the Bulgarian National Radio.
Theodosii Spassov - kaval
Part of the most beneficial collaboration. Lot Lorien and Theodosii Spassov wrote together few new compositions (based on ideas by Theodosii, Kiril and tradiotional music). This collaboration rearranged all the compositions from "Eastern wind" and made many shows in Bulgaria and abroad. Lot Lorien and Theodosii Spassov released the album "Live in Ohrid" - live recording from a show in Macedonia in 2003.
Theodosii is born on March 4th, 1961. He began his early training on the kaval at the Kotel Music School and The Academy of Music and Dance in Plovdiv/Bulgaria. Theodosii Spassov has developed his own unique style of playing the instrument by synthesizing traditional folklore with jazz, fusion and classical music. He has toured all over Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Australia, Canada and United States. In 1995, "Newsweek" magazine recognized Theodosii Spassov as one of the most talented Eastern-European musicians in its "best of the East" article. At home in Bulgaria, Theodosii Spassov is national figure and musical hero. He is currently member of the company of the Irish music and dance "Riverdance" (1998-2001). Theodosii has worked with many composers and musicians like Ennio Morricone, Andy Sheppard, Yildiz Ibrahimova, Milcho Leviev, Ivo Papazov, Trilok Gurtu, etc. Mr. Spassov was honored with many prestigious awards like The Special Prize of Detroit Flute Festival, The International Academy of Arts in Paris Award, "Music Artist of the Year" at the National Music Awards, etc. (origin - http://www.theodosiispassov.com)
Photographers / artists / designers / poets / directors, in alphabetical order:
Dilyana Delcheva - artist, designer, music journalist
Designer and artist for the artwork of "Elsewhere". Part of her work is later used for the website design.
She also works as journalist at the Bulgarian issue of Metal Hammer magazine. She did design and artwork for bands like Sonata Arctica, Dreamtale, Absinthium, Gothmog, Leviathan, Amaseffer, etc.
Georgi Konstantinov - poet, http://www.liternet.bg/publish11/g_konstantinov
Author of the lyrics for "Janissar" (Lot Lorien)
Born in 1943 in Pleven, Bulgaria. He has published over 30 books of poetry, among which "I love you up to here", "A tree and a bird", "God's left hand", "60 pages of poetry", "Evening rainbow" and also prose works for children. His novel "Tuffo the red-haired pirate" has been translated into french, german, russian, polish, ukrainian, etc. His poems are included in anthologies of various languages: english, russian, japanese, german, etc. He is a national laureate for poetry. In 2001 he was awarded the "P. R. Slaveikov" prize by the Ministry of Education. An honorary citizen of the town of Pleven (2004). Nominated twice for the "Hans Christian Andersen" award (1994, 1996). Participant in poetical forums in Stockholm, Maastricht, Riga, Ljubljana, Thessaloniki, Nicosia, etc. Director of the "Plamak" magazine for literature and the arts. President of the bulgarian PEN centre.
Luis Reinoso Gonzales - poet
Author of the lyrics for "Cuando un hijo se te va" (Lot Lorien)
Born on December 6th, 1951 in Ciego De Avila, Cuba. Engineer - chemist and poet. He has worked for many years at the Bulgarian Academy of Science. In 1989 Rey Gonzales became a popular television host and showman. He is a member of the Association of spanish-speaking journalists in Bulgaria.
Nikolay and Marina Roussevi - artists, http://www.rousseviart.com
Artists and designers for the artwork of "Eastern wind". They did some art performances during many Lot Lorien shows
Plamen Krystev - graphic and web designer, http://www.pkrystev.hit.bg
Design and prepress for the artwork of "Elsewhere"
Plamen Mihaylov - photographer, designer, prepress, http://www.fotosalonvarna.org/, http://www.photoplace.bg/
Webdesigner for the early versions of the website. Designer and photographer for the artwork of "Lot Lorien". He also did professional studio sessions and advertisement for Lot Lorien
Stoyan Yankov - director, script, producer, camera, videoediting, http://www.facebook.com/BBGFilms
Author of the videos for "Different faces", "Blue eyes", "Gypsy song" (Elsewhere)
Todor Chapkanov - director, producer, videoediting
Author of the videos for "Mari Mariiko", "Toward you" (Eastern wind)
Vasil Miladinov, Zornica MIladinova - professional photographers
Concert photography and studio photo sessions for the artwork of "Lot Lorien"
Venelin Georgiev - cameraman
Camera on the videos for "Mari Mariiko", "Toward you" (Eastern wind)
Partners, in alphabetical order:
Rudolf Carrera, http://clcx.org
Our friend and main partner in USA, founder of Falcata-Galia Recordings and president of Carrera Linn Cultural Exchange.
Rudolph Carrera was born in Norwalk, California on August 17, 1970. He spent his youth throughout the United States, Mexico and Europe, acquiring both a healthy linguistic ability and a deep passion for the music of wherever he went. He has served as licensor, manager, A&R agent, label chieftain, retail clerk and writer of new music for nearly 15 years. His international training began as a licensor for Aprelevka Sound of Moscow, Russia, and he served as a talent scout for Tone Casualties Recordings, a branch of the Klasky-Csupo animation empire run by Gabor Csupo. He ran Falcata-Galia Recordings, which published music from Russia, Slovenia, Norway and the United States, and paired with David Katznelson of Birdman Records to run Tariff, whose releases for Dutch composer Roel Meelkop and Russian experimental troupe ZGA proved to be stunning in terms of packaging. Carrera currently serves as president of Carrera Linn Cultural Exchange, and will be splitting time between Balkan regional offices and Southern California.
Yasen Kazandjiev, http://scenderman.com
Ex-member of Lot Lorien. Manager and coproducer of the band till 2008.
