About Us

INAUGURAL EVENT

On March 21, 2025, the Consulate General of Bulgaria in Los Angeles produced for the first time a concert featuring classical music by Bulgarian composers, performed by Bulgarian musicians. The concert was co-curated by the Grammy winner composer Penka Kouneva and violinist Blagomira Lipari. This concert inaugurated the Bulgarian Classical Concerts–Los Angeles series.

The event was organized in honor of Bulgaria’s national holiday. The program included compositions for string quartet, piano, and flute, inspired by Bulgarian folklore traditions and contemporary Western compositional techniques.

As part of the event, the 82nd anniversary of the rescue of Bulgaria’s Jews was also commemorated. A violin from the “Violins of Hope” project, provided for this concert by the descendants of attorney Isaac Behar, was played.

The event was attended by diplomats from over 20 countries, as well as mayors and representatives of local authorities; prominent figures from Hollywood and the music industry; public figures; board members of non-governmental organizations; business leaders, journalists, professionals, and many others.

The Consulate General of Bulgaria in Los Angeles expressed “sincere gratitude to the outstanding musicians who made this evening unforgettable”: Blagomira Lipari and Emilia Simeonov (violins), Ariana Solotoff (viola), Irina Chirkova (cello), Filipa Barsanova (flute), and pianists Milen Kirov and Penka Kouneva.

DIRECTORS

Violinist Blagomira Lipari, Composer Penka Kouneva and Filmmaker George Nicholas

Blagomira Lipari, a versatile solo, chamber, and orchestral musician has been awarded the Ivan Vazov Medal for her significant contribution to Bulgarian art and culture around the world, and the Exceptional Prix from the International Chamber Music Competition in Neerpelt, Belgium. She has been a featured soloist with the National Academy of Music Orchestra in Bulgaria, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and New Millennium Orchestra in Chicago. She has appeared on Bulgarian, Spanish and US national television, WCNY Syracuse, NY, and WFMT in Chicago. Acting co-chair of the Bulgarian Concert Evenings NY. Lipari serves on the Executive Boards of National Music & Global Culture Society in NYC and has been a co-chair of the Bulgarian Concert Evenings of New York. She has performed with Access Contemporary Music Ensemble, CUBE ensemble, DCINY, and the Society for New Music and has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Getty Museum, Orchestra Hall Chicago, Lincoln Center, Stanford University, University of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago, Harris Theater, and Paris Conservatory.

Penka Kouneva, Grammy-winning composer and studio orchestrator, has worked in Hollywood for 26 years scoring television (Dragon Age Absolution Netflix series), films (Aga, Encounter), video games (League of Legends, Prince of Persia) and theme parks (Heroes and Legends at the Kennedy Space Center). Her two orchestral albums, The Woman Astronaut (2015) and Rebirth of Id (2017) were released by Universal Music. Penka was born and raised in Bulgaria and holds the first-ever Ph.D. in composition from Duke University (1997) where she studied with the renowned American orchestral composer Stephen Jaffe. Penka’s notable awards include Duke University Distinguished Alumna, BMI Impact Award, Hollywood Music in Media Award, Sundance Institute Fellowship, Ovation Awards, Game Audio Network Guild Recognition Award, and Aaron Copland Award-Residency.

George Nicholas is an award-winning Bulgarian-American writer-director-producer whose 2023 short film Límite received international acclaim, earning accolades such as Best Short Film at the Havana Film Festival and Best Current Affairs Film at the Sedona International Film Festival, Carmel International Film Festival, Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema, among others. Límite also attracted widespread press coverage, including features in the San Diego Tribune, El Universal (Mexico), Bulgarian Telegraph Agency, and TV segments on CBS 8, FOX 5, Bloomberg TV Bulgaria and Televisa Espectáculos. Collaborating with his wife and creative partner, Eliza Bonev, he directed and co-produced the 2018 documentary Childless, which won Best Documentary at both the West Virginia Mountaineer Film Festival and the Marina del Rey Film Festival. A 2011 graduate of Bulgaria’s National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts, George was born in Slovakia in 1987 and has been based in Los Angeles, where he continues to craft compelling narratives that engage audiences worldwide.

ADVISORY BOARD

CONCERT PROGRAM FROM THE INAUGURAL CONCERT

PRESS RELEASE

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION STATEMENT

Our nation is enriched by the multitude of different cultures, traditions, stories and musical practices. Bulgarian Classical Concerts–Los Angeles prioritizes DEI goals via three distinctive practices: commitment to presenting diverse repertoire highlighting 50% non-Western works and works by under-represented populations (women, BIPOC people, LGBTQ). A second priority is including 50% diverse performers in our concerts, masterclasses and tours. A third priority is serving traditionally under-represented and under-served communities (vulnerable youth, economically disadvantaged population, incarcerated people). Through affordable tickets, our concerts are accessible to all. We all thrive and build cultural bridges where everyone feels appreciated, supported and seen. We strive to deliver musical performances at a world-class level of mastery, while keeping our concerts lively, joyous, wholly original and transformative.