Из предисторията на Държавната музикална академия
Pre-history o f the State Music Academy

Summary/Abstract: The idea to establish an institute for acquiring music knowledge in Sofia appeared at the beginning of the XX century as a result of the social necessity for such knowledge. At that time music was lagging behind as compared to the other arts and literature, whereas the penetration into Bulgaria along various channels of European music presupposed the presence of prepared performers and audience. The private music school was established thanks to the initiative and activity of the educated musicians, backed up and stimulated by the then Minister of Education Dr. Ivan Shishmanov. They organized a committee to work out the statute of the music school, whose chairman is Nickolai Iv.Nickolaev and members: Karel Yozef Yermarj, Katia Stoianova, Dimitar Hadjigeorgiev and Henrih Vizner. The committee members worked hard to prepare this statute, but the initial variant turned out to be too complicated and inapplicable to Bulgarian conditions. After being revised and finally adopted, the school was opened on 15.01.1905. The school was private, but received subsidies from the state. It had departments for piano, solo singing, violin, flute, elementary theory of music and harmony. It started work with 23 pupils, whose number increased to 60 the next year. A new stage in the school life started in 1907, when the great Bulgarian composer and music theoretician Dobri Hristov moved to Sofia. His various activities and solid knowledge increased the level of the musical preparation in the school. The pupils’ successes were the reason for the school to become State Music School in 1912. During the period of the wars (1912-1918) the possibilities for music events lessened. In 1921 the State Music Academy was established. For decades it was the only higher music education institute in Bulgaria, where the most eminent Bulgarian performers and composers taught. The State Music Academy satisfied the needs for music specialists in Bulgaria.

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