Bust-monument of the composer Acad. Petko Staynov was unveiled yesterday on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the birth of the great Bulgarian composer. The monument is located in the Alley of Artists in the Borisova Gradina park. The authors of the project are the sculptor Prof. Valentin Startchev, artist Kamen Startchev and arch. Ivan Avramov.
The official event was attended by the Vice-President of BAS Corr. Mem. Evdokia Pasheva, the Minister of Culture in the Caretaker Government Velislav Minekov, representatives of the Union of Bulgarian Composers, the Union of the Blind in Bulgaria, musicians, scientists and citizens.
On the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the birth of Acad. Staynov, a national initiative committee was established headed by the President of BAS Prof. Julian Revalski, Full Member of the Academy and a number of events were held throughout Bulgaria. The commemoration of the anniversary is a joint initiative of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the “Petko Gruev Staynov” Foundation.
Acad. Petko Staynov played a fundamental role in the formation of Bulgarian musical culture and in the development of choral work. In 1941 he was elected academician of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, on his initiative the Institute for Music of BAS was established. He was an advocate for the study and preservation of Bulgarian folklore. The composer was the first director of the National Opera, under whose “umbrella” was then the Sofia Philharmonic.
More detailed information about the personality and work of Petko Staynov is published on the websites of the Petko Gruev Staynov Foundation (http://www.staynov.org/) and the Petko Staynov House in Kazanlak (http://www.staynov.net/).
