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Give your support to the Bulgarian vocal group Ravnogorski Biseri and help their songs be documented and spread around the world!
Revenue to date (July 23, 2024) 90% = 4860 €
After 6 years of staying in the village of Ravnogor up in the Rodopi Mountains in Southern Bulgaria (every summer for the village festival "Nabora" and other holidays 2014-2020) and the organization of the "Festival of Friendship", where the singing group was at the head of the program, we, Nina Grancharova and Mikhail Dinchev decided that these exceptional traditional songs sung by Ravnogorski Biseri (Pearls of Ravnogor) must be documented and spread, both in the rest of Bulgaria and around the world!
The group's songs are several hundred years old and are very different from the other Rodopi songs. The women's group are the last living heirs who perform these songs at village festivities and smaller festivals for traditional music in Bulgaria.
We want to preserve (by recording) and spread these songs and therefore turn to you and hope for your support, as much as you can!
The documentation and distribution of the songs will take place through a sound recording, which will be released on compact disc (CD), but also uploaded online to all music platforms, such as Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Youtube and others. We will record the iconic songs that the group performs both a'capella but also accompanied by a bagpipe (kaba gajda). Solo songs will also be recorded. The music album will be aesthetically designed and accompanied by a beautiful cover and a booklet with photographs of the women in the traditional Ravnogor costume as well as pictures of the beautiful nature that surrounds the village. In addition to pictures, the booklet will also contain the lyrics of the songs as well as information about the village and its singing group, in Bulgarian and English.
The bagpiper who will play the songs is Angel Uzunov, who is one of the most prominent musicians in the area. He has repeatedly won prestigious prizes at bagpipe festivals and competitions.
The 12 women in the group are:
Angelina Krastanova, Yanka Toneva, Maria Shikova, Nikolinka Puncheva,
Stoyanka Koleva, Nikolinka Bilbileva, Elena Pashkuleva, Elena Stambolieva,
Elena Tomova, Petrunka Smerkaleva, Maria Hristoskova och Nedyalka Hadjieva.
Soloist: Stoyanka Koleva
Ravnogorski Biseri on stage in the center of the village
Angel Uzunov - bagpipe (kaba gajda)
Nina Grancharova
Mihail Dinchev
About us
The organization and implementation of the audio recording will be led by:
Nina Grancharova - folk singer, collector of folk songs with more than twelve years of experience in the field. She has also organized the "Friendship Festival" in the village of Ravnogor.
Mihail Dinchev - musician (tambura player), composer, educator, choreographer, folk dancer and concert organizer.
During 2014-2020, we organized a number of international music and dance events seminars in Ravnogor, which aimed to present the rich Bulgarian folk dance and music traditions for an international audience.
Concrete plan
The sound recording will be carried out at the end of June 2024 in the village of Ravnogor itself, which is the home environment of the singing group. We have invited a team of leading professionals in recording, mixing, mastering, photography and graphic design. These are Borislav Zgurovski (musician and sound engineer for Folk Ensemble Trakia) and Ivo Christov - designer, photographer and music producer. The layout and design of the album is planned to be completed in July (2024) and its release is planned for the beginning of August 2024. The record label Aide Aide Music & Dance, owned by Mihail Dinchev, officially releases the CD which will be pressed in a edition of 500 copies but also uploads the album online to all music platforms, such as Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Youtube etc. The album will be widely distributed and sent to all radio stations, media and programs where folk music is presented, both in Bulgaria, Sweden and in the world.
The project is carried out in close collaboration with and support from Hotel Borika, Ravnogor and in collaboration with the cultural center "April 23, 1876-1909." Ravnogor.
Why is it important to support our initiative?
- The songs from Ravnogor are a European intangible cultural heritage, which is important to preserve and present to the people of our time, as well as remain for future generations.
- The songs that the group performs have a historical value as they tell about the history of the village, the lives of the people, the feelings they shared at festivals, in the dance and in everyday life, and are performed in the special Ravnogor dialect.
- In a demographically rapidly changing world, it is important to create a kind of bridge of sound, image and memory between the old, ourselves and our children through this traditional culture.
You get!
Everyone who donated at least 30 € will receive a CD with the captivating Ravnogor songs! You will also feel the satisfaction of being a part of this project and that you have contributed to perpetuate something that might otherwise be lost.
For everyone who donated 80 € or more, there will be a gift of your choice. The gift is a pearl bracelet and a so-called kyustek (pearl necklace) which are handmade by Maria Hristoskova, a member of the singing group! Through your donation and the gift you receive, you give Maria the opportunity to earn something extra from her rare craft.
gifts
Maria Hristoskova
If you are a company that wants to be a sponsor with a larger amount, please contact us by email: tamburist[at]gmail.com
Budget
The campaign's total budget is 5 400 €, which we will try to collect from both donations and sponsorship.
The last date of the promotion is 31 August 2024.
The money will be used for the following:
- sound recording, mixing and mastering
- photography, layout and cover design
- PR video for the project itself
- printing of discs, covers and booklets in an edition of 500
- organization and preparation of the project
- payment for handmade gifts depending on the orders
- transport, hotel and food for the four officials Nina (organizer), Mihail (producer), Borislav (sound engineer),
Ivo (photographer and designer) and Angel Uzunov (musician) during the recording period (June 2024)
- fees for bank transfers 4-5% - release of the album on the online music platforms
Payment:
1. Via bank transfer in euros to account:
Iban: LT69 3250 0059 5486 4814
Swift/Bic: REVOLT21
(account holder Mihail Dinchev)
Revolut Bank UAB
(Address: Konstitucijos ave. 21B, 08130 Vilnius, Lithuania)
You can also search for the following Revolut ID to make the payment: @mihailbdi9
Write in message: Ravnogorski Biseri + your phone number (so we can reach you when the album is out)
ATTENTION! If you donate 80 € or more, write "gift" + your phone number in the message line if you want the gift (necklace and bracelet)
2. Via PayPal:
To the email address: tamburist[at]gmail.com
Write in message: Ravnogorski Biseri + your phone number (so we can reach you when the album is out)
ATTENTION! If you donate 80 € or more, write "gift" + your phone number in the message line if you want the gift (necklace and bracelet)
3. On site:
If you are in Ravnogor, you can make your contribution in cash in the library in the village's cultural center "April 23, 1876-1909". , address: Str. "Parva - 64". Also leave your phone number to the librarian so we can reach you when the album is out.
ATTENTION! If you donate 80 € or more and want the gift (necklace and bracelet), please let the librarian know and leave your phone number.