Duet Donchev & Karparov
The Duet Karparov & Donchev has been existing since the mid-nineties. Both virtuoso instrumentalists are also prominent composers and arrangers. Their music is characterized by the fusion of modern jazz music with the vitality, rhythm and ornamentation of Bulgarian folk music. Piano and saxophone - Vladimir and Antoni are masters of their music instruments in such a way that the feeling often is that a whole symphony orchestra plays in front of the audience. Harmonious and percussive sounds mix with dominant melodies, breathtaking pianissimo and then suddenly a goose bumps fortissimo. The music of Karparov & Donchev promises an unforgettable musical experience, which is decorated by a lot of improvisation and fascinating musical interaction. Both musicians played in numerous jazz clubs and at many prestigious jazz festivals such as: Jazz am Rhein Festival; Go East Festival Ulm; Jazz Palma Comercial (Majorca); "B flat" Jazz Club Berlin; Art Jazz Club Bucharest; Bulgarian Cultural Institute Berlin and many others.
ANTONI DONCHEV - pianist, composer, arranger
Born on 5-th of February, 1959, Bourgas, Bulgaria. Piano lessons at age of five. Special School of Music - 1973-8, National Academy of Music - 1980-84. Father: Kiril Donchev (21.02.1936, Bourgas) - composer; mother: Stoyka Doncheva (25.01.1937, Bourgas); brother George (18.08.1967, Bourgas) - ac. bass player, composer; spouse: Nadya Doncheva (04.06.1961, Bourgas) - violinist; two sons: Kiril (1984) and Michail (1995).
The name of Antoni Donchev has been connected with all the major prestigious Bulgarian jazz awards over the last 20 years. His star appeared on the musical horizon when he founded the prominent "Acoustic Version" jazz formation, whose very first performance on an European music stage was awarded the Grand Prix at the Jazz Contest in Belgium in 1985. A year later "Acoustic Version" was given another award - this time even more prestigious - the jury headed by world known critics Joachim-Ernst Berendt and Pavel Brodovski gave the Grand Prix of the International Jazz Federation to Antoni Donchev and Christo Yotsov, giving them the "Europe's Young Jazz Artist of 1986" title. An exceptionally fruitful period followed, during which Antoni Donchev and "Acoustic Version" achieved great success at a number of world famous jazz festivals: Ost - West in Nuremberg, Jazz Yatra in Bombay and Delhi, Jazz Jamboree in Warsaw, Prague Jazz Festival, Jazz Fair in Zagreb, Moscow, Hanover, Roermond, Tbilisi, Thessaloniki, Istanbul a. o. Alongside with activities with "Acoustic Version", Antoni Donchev realizes a number of other projects with musicians from Europe and U.S.A. (Kenny Wheeler, George Garzone, Tomasz Stanko, Tommy Smith, Glen Moore, Vladimir Tarasov, Andy Scofeild, Petras Vysniauskas, Reiner Winterschladen, Eric Vloeimans, Lars Danielson, Zoltan Lantos, NDR Big Band a. o.); performs as a visiting piano player home and abroad; promotes piano concerts, dedicated to him, performed and recorded together with Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra; composes music for cinema and theater. He has production of Cd's for BMG, Sony Music, Polysound, Kukermusic, Balkantone etc. Over the last few years his cooperation with stage director Teddy Moscov has been very fruitful. Moskov's staging of "Swan Songs" in Schauspielhaus of Dusseldorf, "Macbu" at Bremer Theater, "Home No13", "Blue in blue" and "Cyrano" in Thalia Theater in Hamburg were most highly appraised by the German critics. Antoni Donchev is a model contemporary musician, easily and skillfully handling the broad variety of forms in performing and composing. He has no difficulty whatever combining the versatility of jazz stylistics with folklore and classical music in all their aspects. Since 2010 Donchev is leading the Big Band of the Bulgarian National Radio as conductor.
AWARDS:
1. Grand Prix & The Prize for Best Soloist - Hoeilaart, Belgium - 1985
2. Grand Prix & The Europe's Young Jazz Artist '86 Title - Leverkusen, Germany - 1986
3. The Silver Lyre of the Union of the Musician in Bulgaria -1988
4. The Best Theater Music Award - 1990
5. Film Music Award of the Bulgarian Film Association - 1997
6. The Golden Nipple Award - 1999
7. The Crystal Lyre of the Union of the Musician in Bulgaria – 2001
8. Film Music Award of the Bulgarian Film Association - 2008