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Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankoulov were the participates in the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest! Their amazing song "Voda"( "Water") brought to the country fifth place, a position Bulgaria had never reached before.
After the Semi-Final where Elitsa and Stoyan gave a flawless and overwhelming performance, the Bulgarian percussion duet went out on stage in Hartwall Arena charged with positive energy and determined to present the Bulgarian grooves and rhythms in the best possible manner. Everyone could see the emotion in every stroke of the duet and the large hall erupted in applause enjoying the three minutes of the Bulgarian percussion show.
Elitsa and Stoyan gave their best performance ever. Elitsa rocked the hall with her amazingly strong voice for her delicate body. What is more, she did it, unlike all the rest of the entrants, without the support of backing vocals. Elitsa and Stoyan looked comfortable and happy on stage, which quite naturally brought them the well-deserved position in the final ranking.
Still a toddler in Eurovision, only in its third year in the Contest, Bulgaria managed to bring to the fore a song that wins, if not contests, at least the hearts of millions of lovers of excellent music.
They came to you with rhythm and love!!!!
Elitsa Todorova was born on 02 Sept. 1977.
She studied at the "Philip Koutev" school of music
in Kotel, specializing in folklore singing; and the
"Dobri Hristov" school of music in Varna, specializing
in percussions. She then graduated from the "Pancho
Vladigerov" State Academy of music in Sofia, majoring
in percussions. She attracts both, the audiences' and
the critics' attention by her specific voice - strong,
deep-toned, clear and hardy, the tone-quality being one
of beautiful and rich ornamentation.
Todorova worked as a soloist at the State Dance
and Music Ensemble in Varna and the "Cosmic Voices of
Bulgaria" Choir where she performed authentic Bulgarian
folk songs, and compositions in Yiddish and Sanskrit.
In 2003 Elitsa Todorova began working with Bulgaria's
most popular and renowned drummer and percussionist Stoyan
Yankoulov. The unique Elitsa Todorova-Stoyan Yankoulov Duo
turned into a phenomenon in no time. Their high
professionalism and perfectionism underlies all their
performances.
Elitsa Todorova develops a percussions-playing style
of her own, combining quick ostinate rhythms on the
tarambuka with synhronized tarambuka with synchronized
playing and singing. The result is a mosaic of unique
vocal movements and impeccable musical improvisations.
She plays traditional percussion instruments in a most
non-traditional way. The singer easily mixes traditional
folklore with jazz, drum and base, ethno-motifs, classics
and spontaneous improvisation.
The result is fascinating. A magnetic voice and percussion
tell us their folklore-jazz story. In her repertoire Elitsa
Todorova plays instruments like the tarambuka, drums, maracas,
clavess, old silver coins, shepperd'schimes, horses' bells,
a magical thunder-wand, guirro, chimes, but of all musical
instruments the best, in her opinion, is human voice. Through
combining authentic Bulgarian folk songs with the energy of
percussions Elitsa Todorova presents in a most touchng way
the core, the potency and the emotional power
of Bulgarian culture.
She has been working with: "The Cosmic Voices of Bulgaria"
Choir, "Varna Ensemble", "The Mystery of the Bulgarian voices"
and the musicians: Stoyan Yankoulov, Theodosii Spassov, Ivo
Pappazov, Antonii Donchev, Jivko Petrov, Vesselin Vesselinov,
Rossen Zahariev, Michail Yossifov, Vasko Vassilev, Arabel Fon
Karajan, Anatoly Vapirov, Roushi Vidinliev, Rui Junior,
Pamela Nicolson, Okhai Temiz, Yamar Tiyam, Nikos ?ouliatos,
William Pluma, Habib Shamandy, Ivan Shopov DJ Cooh,
Hristo Yotzov the Bulgarian National Radio orchestra,
Classic FM Radio orchestra and many others.
She has taken part in concerts in Canada, Finland,
Portugal, Belgium, Austria, Luxembourg, Greece, Poland,
Turkey, Hungary, Switzerland, Croatia, Russia, Serbia
and Montenegro, Ukraine and in Africa.
Elitsa Todorova has presented Bulgarian cultural heritage
before the presidents of Bulgaria, Greece, Armenia, Hungary;
before H.M. Prince Albert, Koidjiro Matsura of UNESCO, PACE
ministers. She took part in 2005 most significant cultural
event-the launching of cultural corridors for South-East Europe.
Elitsa Todorova has been given the following awards:
The Golden Phenomenon statuette for 2005, for her phenomenal
achievements in the field of the singing and performing arts
and for promoting Bulgarian culture around the world;
A Honorary Diploma from the Republic of Austria's Embassy
for her great contribution to popularizing Bulgarian Jazz music
to Austria within the Step across the border 2005 European
Program.
"A mysterious, exotic and hot-blooded singer" 2005
Stoyan Yankoulov was born on September 10th, 1966.
At the age of 8 he started taking piano lessons. At the same time
he showed interest for percussion instruments. Since young age
he was the base of musical bands as a drummer. He graduated
from the musical school "Lyubomir Pipkov" in Sofia and then from
the State Musical Academy "Pancho Vladigerov" majoring in
percussion instruments. He was accepted in the Big Band of the
Bulgarian National Radio. Yankoulov plays with rock and jazz
bands, with folklore ensembles and with jazz-rock and fusion
bands. He was guest starring on folklore and jazz festivals in
Bulgaria, Finland, Belgium, Germany, Holland, France, Turkey,
USA, Macedonia. He performed in the projects of Bobby McFerrin,
Okay Temiz, Kornel Horvat, Carlo Rizzo, Arabel Karajan, Enver
Ismailov, as well as with Theodosii Spassov, Ivo Papazov, Milcho
Leviev, Simeon Shterev, Yildiz Ibrahimova, Anatoli Vapirov,
Petar Ralchev.
Yankoulov is a laureate of the Crystal Lira award - 2004 in the
jazz category by the Union of the Bulgarian Music and Dance
Activists, Classic FM radio and the National Centre for Music and
Dance at the Ministry of Culture. He was awarded an honorary
diploma by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Austria for
his great contribution to the popularization of Bulgarian jazz
music and for his spectacular performance on the Panorama of
the First Bulgarian Jazz Music Week Outside of Bulgaria.
Bulgarian National Associations "Phenomena" - a collective
member of the International Academy of Informatization in UN
awards Stoyan Yankoulov with a golden statue for exceptional
contribution in the field of art and popularizing Bulgarian
culture all over the world.
Stoyan Yankoulov records plenty of jazz, pop and ethnic music.
This has significantly influenced his unique playing style. He
manages to produce orchestra sound on percussion instruments.
Sometimes the listener has the impression that there is more than
one percussionist playing. "The acquisition of other techniques -
from bass, piano or other instruments is useful in this process.
For me to play means to communicate."
Yankoulov breaks and stretches the traditional way of playing
drums, tupan, percussion by applying new techniques and
non-standard musical ideas. Combining authentic folklore with
new ways of expression with percussion instruments Stoyan
Yankoulov reveals the unlimited variety and emotional intensity
of the unique Bulgarian culture.
Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankoulov's Friend Space (Top 4)
Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankoulov has 619 friends.
Dear friend
I am sending you this to let you know that my first release on the web through myspace and audigist is now accomplished.
Now you can visit my page at: www. myspace. com/chakradar to listen and download my music.
Thank you for the support and friendship.
Peace and love
World Village (UK) have announced the release of a new album by Bulgarian clarinet super star Ivo Papasov. The album, to be called Dance of the Falcon, will be distributed by harmonia mundi in the UK (released June 30th) and world-wide during the late spring and summer of 2008. Check www. myspace. com/danceofthefalcon
Our ethno projects »Zemlja« (1997) and »Nova Zemlja« (2000) have generated great interest over the years. This has resulted in the record label ORFEJ having decided to release a new CD which will be a mixture of the selected and most memorable songs from the two projects. The album is named TRECA ZEMLJA. As a gift to our audience, the new CD includes bonus tracks with an emphasis on the two exceptional remixes (from 2007.) of one of the most popular themes from the Putokazi collection – the song »Naranca«. The project TRECA ZEMLJA is kept exclusive, appeared as limited edition and is made to be available IN STORES ON THE 10th OF JULY.
