Bit of Bulgarian Culture for Merced

Playing the bagpipes, Vasil Bebelekov was born in a Bulgarian mountain town. Photo by www.mercedsunstar.com

By Krista Bjorn

Sun-Star Correspondent

Celebrating Bulgarian culture, dance and music is the goal of Saturday's Bulgarian Folk Music Concert-Dance at the Merced Multicultural Arts Center.

"It's all about bringing people together in wholesome fun and fellowship," organizer and folk-dance teacher Memo Keswick said. "We get to hear wonderful music from literally a master of Bulgarian traditional music, we get exercise, we get to momentarily escape all our daily stress and we often get to try wonderful culinary treats. Also, acoustic music performance is such a treat to find in today's electronic music-dominated markets."

The dancing will be accompanied with Bulgarian folk music played by Trio Mio comprised of Linda Green on the gadulka, Randall Kirschman on the tapan and Vasil Bebelekov playing the bagpipes, kaba gaida and jura gaida.

Bebelekov was born in the Bulgarian mountain town of Devin and was inspired to a life of folk music by his village traditions and the influence of his musical grandfather who also played the kaba gaida.

His intensive training in traditional music and vast experience performing throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East have made him one of the few masters of the traditional instruments he plays.

Both Green and Kirschman have traveled extensively through Eastern Europe perfecting their craft as folk musicians.

The event has been organized by folk-dance teachers Memo and Judy Keswick and Spanish folkdancer Virginia Illera.

"We've always wanted to offer the Merced community a live music International Folkdance event," Judy Keswick said.

"International music and dance varies incredibly from country to country, region to region, or culture to culture," Memo Keswick added.

"Memo and Judy told us about this event in class," Illera said. "Since then we have been learning basic Bulgarian dances and we would like to dance during the concert, with the live music."

Illera first began folk-dancing in her native Madrid, and has loved getting to know dances from other countries, especially Bulgaria.

"Learning them has been very interesting and challenging," she said. "It is the first time that Bulgarian musicians will play in Merced, and it will be very fun and interesting to enjoy music and dances from other country, such as Bulgaria. It is an opportunity to know part of the Bulgarian culture, their music and folk-dance, without having to travel to Europe. Also, people will be able to meet Memo and Judy, as well as other people that is currently taking folk-dance classes and might get involved with this activity."