Choir of the Blind "Academician Petko Staynov"

The professional mixed choir of the blind was founded in 1935 by the composer Mihail Shekerdjiev under the name Balkan. Today (since November 17, 1986) it carries the name of one of the greatest Bulgarian composers, academician Petko Staynov. In this unique in the world practice singing team, work talented people with impaired vision. For them music is the meaning of life and their way of livelihood and realization in society.

By proving its high artistic level, on October 1, 1948, with a government decree, the choir is declared "professional", and became the world's first mixed choir of blind artists subsidized by the government.

The repertoire of the choir is very extensive and includes works from all genres and styles in the music - pre-classics, classics, romanticism, contemporary music, Church-Slavonic chants, author's works of Bulgarian folk songs, vocal-symphonic works.

The love and dedication of the blind musicians find their place in the production of gramophone records, audio tapes, two CDs, recordings at the Bulgarian National Radio, performances of hundreds of concerts in the country and abroad (Germany, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Armenia, Belarus, Hungary, Turkey, Greece).

Conductors of the choir were Mihail Shekerdjiev, Nikolay Bechterov, Dimitar Domuzchiev, Ivan Slavov, Vasil Koev, Marko Markov, Mihail Karamihaylov, Stoyan Babekov, Krassimira Spiridonova.

Since 1997, the conductor of the choir is Petar Matev. He graduated from the National Academy of Music "Prof. Pancho Vladigerov" in Sofia with specialty "choral conducting", in the class of Prof. Stoyan Kralev. He works with various choral formations - children, men, mixed, folklore, with which he concerts in Germany, France, Italy, Greece, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Spain, Turkey, Macedonia. From 1998 to 2004, he was the head of the Folk Ensemble "Chemerika", winning a silver medal in 2002 in the Folklore category at the IX International Choral Competition "Orlando di Lasso" in the town of Camerino, Italy. Since 1999, he is also the conductor of the Mixed Choir of the Transport Workers, Sofia, with whom he also performs in the country and abroad. In August 1999, together with colleagues from the choir, he creates the foundation "Choir of the Blind "Academician Petko Staynov", whose chairman he is until today. He has numerous recordings and four released CDs.

For its high achievements, the choir was awarded the Order Of The Red Banner Of Labour and the Order Of Cyril And Methodius – 1st Class, the Golden Lyre of the Union of Bulgarian Musicians and Dancers and the Golden Plaque of the Bulgarian Choral Union, winner of awards from festivals and competitions.

Choir "Academician Petko Staynov" takes a place as one of the leading ensembles in the Bulgarian musical culture.