Benzion Eliezer

Benzion Eliezer (1920–1993) graduated from the Prof. Pancho Vladigerov National Academy of Music in 1953. He studied Composition under Professor Parashkev Hadjiev and Conducting under Professor Assen Dimitrov. As a student, he played the alt saxophone at the Jazz Ovcharov Orchestra (1946). From 1955 to 1960, he conducted the Pop Music Orchestra at Radio Sofia and in 1955 realised the first radio concert of pop music made up entirely of works by Bulgarian composers. A year later he was appointed conductor of the newly created orchestra at the Theatre for Satire in Sofia and he worked there up to 1958 (in 1960 from this orchestra emerged the Big Band of the Bulgarian National Radio). He was among the composers who laid the foundations of the Bulgarian pop music. He focused his energy on shaping a national style using elements of the Bulgarian folklore tradition. In that respect, a very interesting composition is the Fantasy for piano and jazz orchestra, which quotes the Bulgarian folkdance Buchimish throughout. He was appointed assistant professor (1964) and full professor of Harmony (1970), and was twice elected Deputy Rector (1972-86). He wrote works for symphony, string, traditional music orchestra; music for piano and orchestra; pieces for chamber and instrumental ensembles; pieces for piano; songs – children’s songs, pop and jazz songs; theatre music. He also made over 250 arrangements of traditional songs.