Can't Find An Hour to Practice?
How About TWELVE Wonderful Days Of European Musical Immersion?

This Workshop Will Offer You:

• A program for adult pianists and classical guitarists of any level of advancement who seek to immerse themselves in a unique environment of music study and camaraderie. We also welcome non-performing music appreciators who wish to breathe this rarified air of art and culture. Many of the features of this curriculum offer much to lovers of music who do not presently play or who would just like to get started. We'll help you with that, too!
  

• Lectures by faculty members on subjects of general musical application, as well as more specific technical topics for the performer. In addition, there will be private lessons and master classes for both pianists and guitarists. For guitarists, there will be a special emphasis on ensemble playing and sight-reading. Lectures will include such topics as practicing, technique, memorizing, literature, relaxation, tone production, pedaling, ornamentation, nervousness, etc.
  

• A chance to rub elbows with music professionals for many hours and have a chance to get some of your burning questions answered. You will be able to observe close up demonstrations - those pictures that are worth a thousand words! There will be plenty of individual attention, concerts and cultural tours, dinners together and just a lot of fun!
  

• The Varna International Piano Masterclass will take part during the same period. All group classes, demonstrations and lectures  will be open to our students for observation.
  

•   Learn to Play with Orchestra program includes practice sessions and coaching with the conductor, rehearsal/readings with the Varna Philharmonic Orchestra. 
  
  

Refresh your love of music in a magical setting!

Varna is Bulgaria's third largest city and easily accessible from many major European cities as well as the capital, Sofia. It was inhabited  even before the Greeks established the colony of Odessos there about 580 B.C. Later, under the Romans and their successors, the Slavs, Varna became a major port trading with Constantinople, Venice and Dubrovnik. In 1393 it was captured by the Turks, who made it an important military centre.

Today Varna  is the main port for both naval and commercial shipping and, adjacent as it is to the coastal resorts of Golden Sands, St. Constantine (Drouzhba) and Albena, it has a stimulating cosmopolitan atmosphere. Sailors on shore-leave in unfamiliar ceremonial uniforms mingle with foreign tourists and locals as they promenade along shady boulevards, lined by dignified 19th and early 20th century buildings.

The city is known as the summer capital of Bulgaria for such traditional international cultural events – International ballet Competition, Varna Summer International Music Festival, Jazz Festival, Biennale of Graphics, Theatre Festival, Love is Folly Film Festival, etc.

Main places of interest are the Opera Theatre, the Museum of History, the Open-air Theatre, the Government Residence in the Palace of Euxinograde, the Sea Garden, the Roman Baths, and the Dolphinarium.

Central Varna is ALL within walking distance of the Black Sea - making it very pleasant and cool in the summer.

For more information about Varna see
http://www.bulgaria.com/varna/   
http://www.goldensands-bg.com/varna_en.asp

For more information about Bulgaria see http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/bulgaria/              

Faculty

Piano: Professor Milko Milkov
Born in 1965 in Varna   Milkov is a graduate from the Music school in his home town and Public Music Academy “P.Vladigerov”- Sofia, in the Julia and Konstantin Ganevy’s piano class.

In 1993 he received a scholarship from the Italian ministry of culture for specialization in the Master Class of the Music Academy “Santa Cecilia” in Rome where, he studied piano with Maestro Sergio Petricaroli and chamber music from Maestro Felix Ayo (founder of chamber ensemble “I Music” and quartet “Beethoven”). He participated in Master classes of interpretation with Maestro Marcello Abado (Italy) and Professor Germain Mounier ( France).

Milko Milkov is a laureate of the National contest “Svetoslav Obreshkov”- Provadia, International contest “Senigallia”-Italy, International contest for young musicians “Trofeo di Tortona”-Italy. He participated in the International music festival “Trintia dei Monti” in Rome in 1994. He has been a soloist with symphonic orchestras in Varna, Burgas, Ruse etc. and has toured successfully in Austria, Italy, Southern Africa, and Russia (where he played in the prestige hall “Rahmaniniv” in Moscow). He has recorded for the Bulgarian National Radio, as well as a compact disc recorded in First studio in Bulgarian National Theatre. In 1998 he was invited to teach piano at Kwangju Women’s University, Southern Korea, where he gave concerts and led Master classes in Seoul and Kwangju.

Currently Milko Milkov is a piano teacher and director of the program “Music Arts” at the New Bulgarian University-Sofia.

Pianos and Practice Facilities

There will be access to practice rooms and rehearsal halls at the Varna Music School (Secondary) from 8:00 to 20:00 daily. The pianos available are German and Czech (Foerster, Petrof, Blutner, Gayer and Czerny). The Music School is located about 5 minutes walk from the accommodation. All participants will be scheduled for up to 6 hours of practice/day. 

Concerto with Orchestra/ Learn to Play with Orchestra 

Interested participants will rehearse  a movement from a piano concerto or piano work with orchestra (see the Concerto List below) with the Varna Philharmonic Orchestra. As part of the  "Learn to Play with Orchestra" Program we will include a Master Class and 2 extra private lessons prior to your orchestra session.

Concerto Repertoire:

• Beethoven Concertos Nos. 1, 2, 3
• Chopin Concertos Nos. 1 and 2, and Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise*
• Grieg Concerto in A Minor
• Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue*
• Liszt Concerto No. 1 & 2
• Mendelssohn Concerto No. 1
• Mozart Concertos K. 466 in D Minor,  K. 488 in A Major
• Prokofiev Concerto No. 1 in D-Flat Major & No. 3
• Schumann Concerto in A Minor
• Saint-Saëns Concerto No. 2 in G minor
• Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1
• Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 2 in C. minor op. 18*
• Hayden D & G Major concertos
• Bach d minor & F Major
• Concerto by Pancho Vladiguerov (we will provide the piano score to participants who wish to play this piece)
  

How To Join Us

Full Participant Tuition: 1000EU*
Includes accommodation (2/room), breakfast daily, four  private lessons, 4 hours of scheduled daily practice time, all group lectures, and three group dinners. A single room can be booked at your request - please add 200EU. A 50% deposit is due upon registration.

Music Companion: 900EU
Includes same as above, without private lessons or practice time. A 50% deposit is due upon registration

Concerto with Orchestra Fee: 200EU

*Fees may be paid in USD/CAD equivalent.

Accommodation (upgraded with A/C) will be provided at the Hotel Cherno More Hotel)

Hotel Cherno More  (seen here) is located in the centre of Varna on the main pedestrian square, close to the Sea Garden, the Black Sea beaches and the main shopping street of the city.

How to Apply

Registrations may be made by e-mail or mail. Please send us your complete name, mailing address and phone number, a 600EU deposit is due when you register; the balance will be due by May 15, 2008. Payment may be made by personal cheque, bank draft or wire transfer (please contact us for bank information), in USD or CAD equivalent.

If you have any questions about the workshop, please contact us or:

Anne or Paul Williams
Tel. (001) 301-838-2756
Or by e-mail at 
Anne Williams: anne@guitiano.org

Paul Williams: paul@guitiano.org