News · 3 October 2026

“Morski Zvutsi” Sang in the Land of Glorious Ancestors

4th International Choir Festival · Novi Pazar

On 3 October the “Morski Zvutsi” choir travelled to Novi Pazar for the fourth edition of the “Land of Glorious Ancestors” International Choir Festival, which brought together more than 300 singers from Bulgaria and Romania.

The Festival

Twelve Choirs, Four Stages

From 2 to 4 October, Novi Pazar and the historic sites of the Shumen region became a stage for the choral art. The forum gathered 12 choral ensembles from Varna, Shumen, Burgas, Dupnitsa, Pavel Banya, Balchik, Novi Pazar and the Romanian town of Cernavodă, with concerts held on four stages: the “St. Petka Paraskeva” church, the “Hristo Botev-1872” community cultural centre, and the national historical and archaeological reserves of Madara and Pliska.

The festival’s name is no accident: Novi Pazar lies just a few kilometres from the first pages of Bulgarian history. This year’s edition was dedicated to 170 years of the Bulgarian community cultural centre (chitalishte) movement and the 100th anniversary of the Bulgarian Choir Union, while the hosts also marked anniversaries of their own: 150 years of choral activity in Novi Pazar, 50 years of creative work by Milka Danailova, and 10 years since the founding of the “Lira” Ladies’ Choral Formation.

The festival was held under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and the Mayor of the Municipality of Novi Pazar.

Our Participation

“Morski Zvutsi” on the Festival Stage

For “Morski Zvutsi” the visit on 3 October was the first appearance of the new artistic season. At the official opening in the auditorium of the “Hristo Botev-1872” community cultural centre, the choir, conducted by Dr. Valentina Georgieva, presented a programme that carried the audience from the contemplation of the northern lights through Bulgarian folklore to the sound of a modern pop classic:

In the finale of the concert all participants gathered on one stage and, for the first time in the history of the forum, performed its hymn together, followed by “Mnogaya Leta” (Many Years), after which the Deputy Mayor of Novi Pazar, Ayan Mehmedov, presented certificates and gifts to the ensembles.

The visit to Novi Pazar marks the beginning of a busy season for the choir: next come the jubilee concert “70 Years of the ‘Morski Zvutsi’ Mixed Choir” on 21 November at the Festival and Congress Centre in Varna, and participation in the 16th Krakow Advent & Christmas Choir Festival in December.

We thank our hosts from the “Hristo Botev-1872” community cultural centre and the Municipality of Novi Pazar for the warm welcome and the wonderful organization!