Magic Bagpipe Sounds from the Rodopi Mountain

www.RuralBulgaria.com, Georgi Georgiev & Yana Dikova, 9th August 2006

The Rodopi Mountain is a place where each tree knows some legend and each meadow can tell a glorious story. It is a birth place of the legendary ancient musician Orpheus and a home of the unique wind instrument – the Rodopi Bagpipe.
The sound that swarms from the bagpipe is nothing else but the spirit of the Rodopi Mountain. As you hear the first chords of this instrument your can imagine sight of unapproachable peaks, venerable woods and mythical creatures. On 5-th and 6-th of August our team had the opportunity to feel this incredible excitement.

The meadow above Gela village was a wonderful scene for the IV Bagpipe Play Competition. The contest takes place each year and it is a natural extension of the fair that have been carried out here from centuries.

We arrived late in the night, putted up the tents, gathered around the fire and sang songs. When we woke up in the morning the first thing we saw, was the magnificent landscape and we drew a deep breath of the fresh mountain air.
The Competition started at 11 o’clock on the 5-ht of August. There were tree groups separated by age. Most of competitors were in the 3-th group which starts from age of 22. Just half an hour after the beginning the spellbound audience was dancing a graceful ring dance.

There was so much energy in the space that gave the feeling of unreality and trance. During the brakes the audience fell under the spell of one the biggest performers of songs from the Rodopi Mountain, Rumen Petov.
After 6 hours of playing, singing and dancing the time to announce the winners came. The prize of the audience was taken by the 83 years old Atanas Peev, who is a “teacher” of many of the other competitors and some of the members of the jury. Other attractive musicians were the Australian Cory Dale, who had heard a CD record of bagpipes and learned to play by himself, without any lessons.

He took the Second prize and the Third one was taken by Yotaka Ban. The 30 years old Japanese is a student in the Musician Academy of Plovdiv.
On the next day the gala concert was inaugurated by the President of Bulgaria, Georgie Parvanov. Afterwards the space in front the scene was filled with dancing people, while the best bagpipers were playing.
The musicians and the visitors could fortify themselves with a grilled rissoles, a meat balls and the traditional “cheverme”(a kind of barbecue with a whole lamb).
Unfortunately it was time to go and we were very sad to pack the luggage and to get in the cars. We are sure that we will be back next year and we hope to meet you there.


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