Bagpipe orchestra “Kavadari”

Bagpipe orchestra „Kavadari“ at the National High School for Humanitarian Sciences and Arts “Konstantin Preslavski” – Varna has been created in 2000. Dragni Dragnev – a bagpipe teacher – is its creator and current director. His pupils take part in the orchestra – current and former students from the National High School for Humanitarian Sciences and Arts “Konstantin Preslavski”.

The task the director has assigned to the band is to seek, preserve and popularize the instrumental bagpipe folklore in Bulgaria. The repertoire involves instrumental plays with authentic sound: “Brestashka Tropanka”, “Varnensko Daychovo”, “Trite Pati”, “Sborenka”, “Drankaliva”, “Vayashki Melodii”, from the area around Golitsa village, Sadovo village, et. al. Except for playing with Jura bagpipes, the orchestra plays melodies with Rhodope bagpipes as well.

The bagpipe orchestra takes active part in events and programs organized in Varna Municipality and “Music” Agency. The orchestra has participated in bagpipe festivals in Europe, it has numerous media performances and completed studio recordings. The orchestra has won awards in national folklore competitions: “Road Without Limits” – Dobrich; “Orpheus Spring” – Stara Zagora, “Magical Rhythms” – Novi Pazar, “Dinyu Marinov” – Varna, etc.

In 2005, the orchestra has been awarded with the special award of the Mayor of the city of Varna.

In 2013, the orchestra has received an invitation and takes part in a world record of Guiness in the city of Sofia – 333 Rhodope bagpipes perform the Rhodope suite for a total of 10 minutes. 33 of these Rhodope bagpipes are from Dragni Dragnev’s band.

In July 2015, the orchestra participated in the opening of the national festival in Rozhen, in a band of 40 bagpipe players.