[Bios]   [Music Clips]   [Tour Schedule]

B I O G R A P H I C A L  I N F O R M A T I O N 

Nikolay and Donka Kolevi

1) Nikolay Kolev is a famous Gadulka virtuoso from the village Karavelovo in the Rose Valley of Bulgaria.  After graduating from Shiroka Luka High School, he performed with the Sliven Ensemble for three years.  In 1984, he founded the orchestra Sopot. In the same year, he started the wedding band "Rozova Dolina" which became one of the most sought-after groups in Thrace.   In 1992, he also founded "Balkanski Glasove"--the singing group which took first place at the Varna Festival in 1994 and 1995.  Nikolay is also an accomplished composer and arranger of folk songs.  His compositions have been performed by such well known singers as Roumen Rodopski, Savka Sarieva, Donka Koleva and others.  Nikolay Kolev has taught at the EEFC Balkan Camps on both coasts, and has an adoring cadre of private students.  In 1999, Nikolay Kolev was the first Bulgarian to be recognized by the Slavic Heritage Council of America for his outstanding contributions in music. 

2) Donka Koleva is a vocalist prized for her rich, clear and melodic voice.  Also a graduate of the Folklore High School in Shiroka Luka, she worked as a soloist with the Sliven Ensemble for three years.  She then directed the chorus of the Sopot Ensemble, and soloed with the wedding band  "Rozova Dolina".  In 1994, Donka started recording with the National Radio and Television in Bulgaria.  In 1997, her recording of "Javore" was song of the year. 

She is equally famous for her unique tribute to the National hero Vasil Levski. Donka Koleva has taught at the Balkan Camps and done workshops with groups such as "Kitka", "Planina", "Chubritsa".   As a teacher, she is sought-after for her careful technique, gorgeous voice and iron fist. 

3) Nikolay Doktorov was born and raised in Varna, Bulgaria, on the coast of the Black Sea. He began studying kaval at age 12, then went on to study at the Folk High School of Music "Philip Kutev," in Kotel, Bulgaria. He finished his formal folk music study at the Academy of Music and Dance Arts in Plovdiv. Nilokay has played with the State Folk Ensemble "Trakiya" in Plovdiv, and toured worldwide. He has received many prestigious awards, including Gold Medals at the "Festival of 100 Kavals" in Koprivshtitsa, and has played on many recordings and participated in national television and radio shows in Bulgaria. For the past number of years, he has been serving as teacher, lecturer and music conductor of folk music throughout Bulgaria. 

Milen Slavov

4) Milen Slavov is a composer/performer. Born in Stara Zagora in the Thrace region of Bulgaria, he began playing accordion at the age of seven. At 13 he was a Gold Medalist for Folk Song Performance at the Koprivshtica National Folk Festival. He graduated from the Philip Koutev Music School in Kotel, then studied at the Musical Pedagogical Conservatory in Plovdiv. Slavov is a skilled master of tambura, accordion, and keyboard. As a teacher of tambura at the Koutev School, Slavov wrote original works designed specifically for his students. His compositions are still a part of the school's curriculum. In 1994 the Koutev School honored Slavov by adopting a photograph of him, with singer Zhivka Papancheva, as their official school emblem.

In 1992 Slavov founded Trio Nazdravica. His recording credits include composing, arranging, conducting and performing on Nazdravica's "Poluh ot Strandzha" (94), "Kitka ot Strandzha" (95), and "Samodiva" (97). In the U.S. he released the solo recording "Steep Path" in 1998, and the CD/Book "Richness of Music" in 1999.

Slavov has been Music Director & Composer for San Francisco's Westwind International Folk Ensemble, Guest Teacher/UCLA Ethnomusicology Dept., and Guest of the Community at EEFC's Mendocino Balkan Music & Dance Workshop. He has performed with Yuri Yunakov, Grammy-winner Kremena Stancheva, Kitka Women's Vocal Ensemble, Khadra, at California Academy of Sciences' Traditional Arts Program, Cotati Accordion Festival and East European Accordion Masters. A Book/CD of Slavov's original Bulgarian accordion music will be released by Mel Bay Publishing later this year. The California Arts Council has granted Milen Slavov the 1999/2000 Performing Arts Fellowship in Musical Composition

Musical Selections

Dilano Mome Hubavo (Dilano Lassie Beautiful)

Djufarski Melodii (Melodies)

Magla Padna (Mist Fell Down)

Gadulka Melodii (Melodies)

Just click on the title of interest from the above selections (then click on the title: the music will play and you can leave the page).

Private and group lessons are available for singers and instrumentalists at all levels. To schedule your lessons and for further information contact Joyce Clyde [email protected] or (510) 237-1124.

October 10 - 12 (Tuesday - Thursday): Folk dance event in Arcata (concert/dance party on Thursday).  For more information send email to [email protected].

October 12 (Thursday) Kolevi will perform a concert at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 3471 Jacoby Creek Road in Bayside, at 7:30. Prices are $8/$5 student/seniors. There will be opportunities for private/group lessons on Wednesday, Oct. 11. For more information call Linnea at 822-1656 or send her email [email protected] 

October 13 (Friday): Folk dance party for Stanford International Dancers , at Flex-It Aerobics Studio, 425 West Evelyn Avenue,  Mountain View at 8:00 P.M.  Please wear "soft-soled shoes. For more information, contact: Barbara at (650) 966-1775, or send Melissa Miller email [email protected]. Admission is $10.

Click here for a map showing the location of Flex-it Aerobic Studio.

October 14 (Saturday): Folk dance party at Moxie's Cafe, 128 Broadway, Chico at 3:00 P.M. For more information call 345-0601. 

October 19 (Thursday): Folk dance party in Sonoma. Please note: This is a private event and IS SOLD OUT!

October 20 (Friday): Folk dance event at Cabrillo College, Room 1117 Gym Building 6500 Soquel Drive (Park Ave. exit off Highway 1), Santa Cruz. For more information, call Annie Bacher (831) 684-9553 or send email to  [email protected].

October 21 (Saturday): The Kolevs' band to provide live music for the North-South Teacher's Institute in Aptos. Please note: This is a private event and IS SOLD OUT!

October 22 (Sunday): Folk dance party at Ashkenaz., 1317 San Pablo Blvd. near Gilman, Berkeley at 7:30 P.M. For more information, call the Ashkenaz recording at (510) 525-5450 or send email: [email protected].

Click here to see the location of Ashkenaz:

October 26 (Thursday): Folk dance party at Mandala, Bowcock Hall (formerly Wardwell Hall), St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, 43rd Avenue at Judah Street, San Francisco from 7:30 - 11:00 P.M. Admission is $8.00. To find out more about the Kolevs, visit their Website. For more information, call (415) 648-8489, send email to [email protected], or visit Mandala's Website. Click here to see the location of the Mandala:

[Return to top of page]

To return to the BayFolk, Folk Dance Directory home  page CLICK HERE

To return to the Directory of Teachers, Groups, Venues and Bands CLICK HERE

To return to the October Calendar page CLICK HERE