KEMENE SYMPOSIUM: May 1-2-3, 2009: Melnik, Rojen, Spatovo (Municipality Sandanski, Bulgaria)

Organized by: Formation Leb i Vino, Melnik

CONCEPTION:

On April 27th, 1973, The Union of Bulgarian Musicians accepted a Resolution, listing all orchestra instruments to be used in Bulgaria from this day on. The instrument KEMENE was not included. We believe it was the beginning of the end for this beautiful and ancient instrument, which has its roots in all Balkan and Asian countries. The instrument, in its authentic form, has not been adopted in musical schools in our neighbours R. Macedonia and Greece as well, which is leading to its diminishing use and eventual disappearance from the map of Вalkan culture.

Today, 36 years later, in our part of Western Bulgaria, where the instrument used to be very popular in the past, we only found five active kemene players, who could still remember how to master this instrument.

Vanishing with the instrument are the specific kemene melodies, the dances, played under its tunes, and the heroic stories that used to impress the emotional listeners for centuries.

Our desire is to gather the LAST known to us musicians, who play the kemene in its authentic style.

We would like to provoke meetings, conversations and outplaying in the authentic atmosphere of Rojen, Spatovo and Melnik, which will make these musicians recall the flourishing times of the KEMENE.

Let them share the most interesting facts about the instrument and stories form their lifes, sing their favourite kemene songs and play their most unique kemene melodies. We would like to invite children and connoisseurs to attend the open days, with the main idea, that some of them will continue the TRADITION and we, in our time, will not witness the vanishing of this instrument.

We are fully aware, that this 3 day meeting will not change much of the current situation, but let this be the beginning of an attempt to actually revive the interest in this instrument among the young people.

The entire symposium will be filmed on video. All kemene formations will receive copies of the video. The dance groups will receive video records of the dancing contest at Megdana, Melnik.

Kemene Symposium Manager:

Kemene Performance:

Play here or download the file