Mystery sounds of Bulgaria

South-East Advertiser (Australia)
September 1, 2004 Wednesday

WHAT: Zhiva Voda
WHERE: Bemac Indoor Space,
Yungaba, 120 Main St, Kangaroo Point
WHEN: Friday, September 3
BOOKINGS: Phone 3391 4433

MYSTERIOUS and spine-tingling Bulgarian close-harmony singing will be
performed as part of Bemac’s Cultivart series this Friday.

Bemac’s Sebastian Flynn said the event, titled Mystical Water, was
named after the trio Zhiva Voda (which carries the same meaning) and
features Morningside’s Bulgarian singer Reni Pavlova Bojilov, and
singer and choir conductor Ann Bermingham.

Mr Flynn said the group would be accompanied by Bulgarian musician
George Gaydov playing Gaida (Macedonian bagpipe) and Gadulka (a bowed
stringed instrument).

“They present an array of traditional songs from Bulgaria, the
Balkans and Macedonia together with traditional instrumental music
performed by George Gaydov,” he said.

“From village music to film music, the mysterious tones of Bulgarian
singing have enthralled the world.”

The Armenians, comprising Patrick and Heidi Keogh, will present
centuries-old dances.

Heidi was born in India but has an Armenian background and Patrick is
originally Irish.

Mr Flynn said the dance was a stylised form of cultural memory of a
nation eradicated from its homeland and resurrected on foreign soils.