White Hot Ovation: The performance drew magnificent applause. [in Bulgarian]Slaveikov Square, December 8, 2017

Stefan Vrachev is a classical musician and he has the pleasure of playing at this concert, although there are many superb jazz pianists in Bulgaria. However, Vratchev presented himself brilliantly and received the admiration not only of his native audience but also of conductor Eric Oksner, who shared his piano exhilaration with the Bulgarian team. Vratchev was not chosen for the concert after the usual casting with records sent to the conductor in America. It is proposed by the BNR team, although the pianist is part of the composition of the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra.

Hall 1 was packed with fans of La La Land, captured not only by love story and its bitter finale, but also by the music in the movie. To look trustworthy in front of the camera, Ryan Gosling really learns to play piano jazz and performs the pieces in front of the camera himself. But in the film sounds the performances of another musician, Randy Carburn.

He has a remarkable musical career in cinema. Composer, orchestra and pianist, another 19-year-old he goes on tour with Betty Midler, and 28 receives an Oscar nomination with Queens Jones for the music in The Color Purple . He also has a Grammy nomination for the arrangement of the song Over the Rainbow , performed by Barbra Streisand. Over the years his piano sounded in the recordings of more than 800 films, worked with composer James Horner, with many artists like Eric Clapton (the keys to the song Tears in Heaven are Randy Carburn) , Michael Jackson, Leonard Cohen, Celine Dion, Natalie Cole, Al Jero, George Benson, Frank Sinatra …

And any departure from Randy Carb’s imprinted performance in La La Land is sure to make an impression on the audience during the film’s concerts. This was the case in Hall 1. But the interpretations of Stefan Vrachev were so elegant that they added a new touch to Justin Hirwitz’s wonderful music. Applause was also given to the other musicians in the jazz band on the stage in Hall 1: Vili Stoyanov (trombone) , Mitko Shanov (bass) , Todor Boyadjiev (trumpet) and Rumen Boyadjiev-son (percussion) .

Currently, Stefan Vrachev is on a tour in Germany – he left early in the morning after the concert in the National Palace of Culture. That’s why we could not talk to him personally to reveal his approach to this score, the jump from classical jazz. But his Philharmonic colleagues shared with us our observations about that subtle feeling of style that the musician showed at the piano in Hall 1. Vladimir Djambazov, a walthorist from the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, defined Vrachev as a universal musician with exceptional technique, fit in every style From Baroque to Jazz. And he is modest (every Sunday plays a piano in an evangelical church), but to go live playing solo for a musical film, more confidence is required. However, Stefan Vrachev is the only pianist in the Philharmonic and the pianists rarely have solo performances in their orchestra concerts – they are mostly performed by guest musicians …

That’s why the applauded applause at the end of the concert-screening was not just for Justin Hawwitz, Randy Kirby and Ryan Gosling … They were also a recognition for our pianist.

Soon the Bulgarian audience will have the chance to hear again Stefan Vrachev, this time with Mozart’s performance – on December 23 in Bulgaria Hall, in the concert of “Quarto” “Mozartina – Christmas magic of music and dance”.