cialis The Center for World Music congratulates board member Dr. Timothy Rice, who was awarded an honorary doctorate from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, the oldest and most prestigious university in Bulgaria. The award recognized Dr. Rice’s decades of study of Bulgarian traditional music, song, and dance, and his efforts to bring it to a wider audience. “Dr. Rice is an esteemed ethnomusicologist,” said Rick Speer, who first reported this news on the East European Folklife Center message board, “and a fine musician himself!” The ceremony included a lecture by Dr. Rice on “Four Paradigms for Ethnographic Research on the Bulgarian Musical Experience.”
Upon receiving the award, Dr. Rice commented:
I do not have the words to express my sincere gratitude for this incredible honor. It is very personal and emotional for me because of my long love of Bulgarian culture and music. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
A long-time member of the Department of Ethnomusicology at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, Dr. Rice has published numerous articles and books in his field. Among these contributions are his books May it Fill Your Soul: Experiencing Bulgarian Music (Chicago, 1994) and Bulgarian Music: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture (Oxford, 2003).
We at the Center for World Music are proud to have Dr. Rice as a member of our Board of Directors.
For further information on Tim’s career, please see:
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The Center for World Music would like to welcome Marie Hayes to our family of outstanding teaching artists in residence, joining our World Music in the Schools program.
Marie Hayes has been singing Balkan harmony music ever since she attended a Kitka Women’s Vocal Ensemble concert in Oakland in 1990. There were ten woman on the stage, elbows linked in a semi-circle, singing the most captivating music she had ever heard. She was also struck by the rich, refined choral style of Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares, whose music initially amazed her. Ultimately, it was this exciting and expressive nature of the “village voice” sound that drew her in.
It wasn’t long before she found friends in San Diego who wanted to join her. Their quartet, Harmonija, whose motto was “Harmony Music from the Balkans and Beyond,” entertained people for the next decade. They performed at coffee houses and parties, and gave many concerts for San Diego Folk Heritage, often teaching workshops at that organization’s annual music festival. Marie performed for ten years singing and playing percussion with Eastern Exposure, a Balkan dance band that played live music for folk dancers all over Southern California. She has recently formed a new a cappella vocal group, Trio Zheni, with singers Mary Ann Downs and Stacey Barnett.
As a teacher of Balkan singing, Marie’s main goal is to help students learn to listen to each other and work together to produce a sound they can be really proud of—and feel the thrill of hitting a perfect chord that makes the whole room ring.
Marie takes workshops and private lessons regularly from world-renowned singing teachers sponsored by the Eastern European Folklife Center. These include Bulgarians Donka Koleva, Tatiana Sarbinska, and Iliana Božanova, UCLA Balkan Choir Director Tsvetanka Varimezova (and her daughter Tanya), Bosnian Mirjana Lausevič, and Macedonian Esma Redžepova. She has also studied with American master teachers such as Mary Sherhart and Michelle Simon for Balkan singing, Canadian Brenna MacCrimmon for Turkish singing, Christos Govetas for Greek singing, and Polly Tapia Ferber for doumbek (drum) and frame drum. Because Balkan rhythms are varied and sometimes quite complicated, she finds that a knowledge of drumming is essential.
Marie has a degree in sociolinguistics from UCSD, where she also studied music. She has taught English as a Second Language at Miramar College, been a tutor for the Laubach Literacy program, and spent seven happy years as a teacher at Mission Bay Montessori Academy, where she loved teaching music and movement to the preschoolers in her class.
Photograph by Steve Gould
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Martin Koenig, a good friend of the CWM, has spearheaded an extraordinary project to document disappearing music and dance cultures of the Balkans. His efforts are coming to fruition in the form of recordings (in partnership with Smithsonian Folkways), a book, and exquisite fine-art photographs. Very much worth the attention of lovers of traditional performing arts . . .
After my first visit, I felt an urgency to preserve the music and dance traditions that were disappearing throughout the country. I was driven by the goal of documenting and recording the traditional music and dance of each place I visited, by permanently memorializing them on 16 mm film stock and audiotape.
https://centerforworldmusic.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Balkan_Echoes.jpg4141140Lance Nelsonhttps://centerforworldmusic.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/logo_w_red_type_52.pngLance Nelson2015-01-08 09:20:112023-01-23 11:21:11Balkan Echoes: Voices, Images, and Recordings from Bulgaria and Macedonia
Immerse yourself in the vibrant sounds and soulful spirit of Bulgaria through a performance by Ivan and Tzvetanka Varimezov, two of that country’s most esteemed folk artists. Rooted in the musical traditions of the Strandzha and Thrace regions, their program showcases the haunting tones of the gaida (bagpipe) and the dazzling ornamentation of Bulgarian village singing.
Through their shared artistry, they bring to life centuries-old songs of love, celebration, and ritual—music that has long united communities and marked life’s most meaningful moments. Interwoven with their artistry are stories of the regions and traditions that shaped this music, offering audiences a rare glimpse into Bulgaria’s living folk heritage.
Following the concert, audience members will have the opportunity to engage with the artists in a Q&A session, gaining a deeper insight into the cultural roots and expressive power of Bulgarian folk music.
About the Artists
Ivan and Tzvetanka Varimezov are master musicians and educators from Bulgaria, internationally recognized for their artistry and leadership in preserving and sharing traditional Bulgarian folk music. They directed the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music’s renowned Balkan Ensemble for some twenty years, inspiring generations of students through their teaching, choral direction, and ensemble work.
Ivan Varimezov was born in Bulgaria, where he was raised in the rich folk traditions of the Strandzha region. He studied folk music at the Kotel High School for Folk Music and earned a B.A. in folk instrument pedagogy and choral conducting from the Plovdiv Academy of Music and Dance. Recognized as one of the most outstanding gajda (bagpipe) players of his generation, Ivan has performed as a soloist with leading Bulgarian ensembles including the Trakiya Folk Ensemble, Ensemble Pazardzhik, and the Bulgarian National Radio Folk Orchestra. He has also toured internationally with The Cosmic Voices from Bulgaria, The Angels Choir (Angelite), Les Grandes Voix Bulgares, Balkanfolk, and Trio Bojura.
Ivan taught at UCLA from 2001 to 2021, where he served as Professor of Bulgarian Folk Music and directed the UCLA Balkan Ensemble. During that period, he organized numerous concerts across California and led multiple study tours to Bulgaria, providing students with firsthand experience of Bulgarian music and culture. In recognition of his artistry and leadership, Ivan received the Golden Lyre and Crystal Medal from the Union of Bulgarian Musicians and Dancers, as well as an Honorary Citizen Award from his hometown of Sredets for his lifetime contributions to Bulgarian folk music and culture.
Tzvetanka Varimezova is a celebrated Bulgarian singer, conductor, and educator. Known for her brilliant, ornamented vocal style and her deep knowledge of regional song traditions from the Pazardzhik-Thrace area, she earned her B.A. in choral conducting and folk instrument pedagogy from the Plovdiv Academy of Music and Dance. Early in her career, she directed the choir of the professional Ensemble of Folk Song and Dance Pazardzhik. Later, she served as a soloist and choral director with several of Bulgaria’s foremost women’s choirs, including Les Grandes Voix Bulgares, The Cosmic Voices, Trio Bojura, and The National Ensemble Filip Kutev.
From 2001 to 2021, Tzvetanka served as a professor at UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music, where she co-directed the UCLA Balkan Ensemble alongside her husband, Ivan. During that period, she trained and conducted choirs across the U.S. and internationally, including Kitka (San Francisco), Nevenka (Los Angeles), Dunava (Seattle), and Mila (Minneapolis). She has also led workshops throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. Her artistic leadership has brought UCLA students and American choirs to Bulgaria for major performances, including appearances at the National Festival of Folk Art in Koprivshtitsa.
In recognition of her lifelong dedication to preserving and sharing Bulgarian folk music, Tzvetanka received numerous honors, including Bulgaria’s Voice of the Year Award (2017) and a national Lifetime Achievement Award for Contributions to Bulgarian Folk Music (2018).
Together, the Varimezovs have led numerous international study groups, bringing UCLA students and folk ensembles from around the world to perform at major festivals in Bulgaria. Through their artistry, mentorship, and tireless advocacy, they have strengthened cross-cultural understanding and ensured that Bulgaria’s rich folk traditions continue to thrive on a global stage.
Tickets
General Seating: $40 | VIP Seating: $60
Complimentary valet parking is available for this event from 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM. Please check in with an attendant near the venue entrance.
This is the fourth of six concerts in our 2026 Global Stage Passport Series. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter for more information about upcoming events.
2026 Sponsors
Presenting Partner
Funders
This activity is funded in part by the City of San Diego Cultural Affairs.
This activity is funded in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency.
This programming is supported in part by Creative West and the National Endowment for the Arts.
https://centerforworldmusic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Varimezovi-1.jpg7501200Laurel Grinnell-Wilsonhttps://centerforworldmusic.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/logo_w_red_type_52.pngLaurel Grinnell-Wilson2025-11-11 17:18:472025-11-24 15:34:09Ivan and Tzvetanka Varimezov: Music from the Villages of Bulgaria
