Nikolay Kaufmann

Nikolai Kaufman (1925–2018) graduated in 1952 from the National Academy of Music in Sofia majoring in both Theory of Music and Trumpet. From 1952 to 1988, he consecutively worked at the Institute of Art Studies and the Institute of Folklore Studies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. In 1978, he was appointed professor at the State Academy of Music. In 1973, he received a Doctor of Art Study degree. In 1977 he was elected corresponding member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (1977). He was elected Academician in 2003. Kaufman is an internationally acclaimed folklorist. His folk music researches and his practice, which includes recordings of over 30,000 traditional songs and instrumental melodies, are fundamental to modern Bulgarian ethnomusicology. He is the author of books, collections and a number of articles and studies. He was awarded the Marin Drinov Medal and the Paisi Hilendarski Award by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Sofia University, as well as other national prizes for his contribution as scientist and artist. His music includes songs and instrumental works inspired from the traditional music. He arranged over 1,000 Bulgarian and Jewish folksongs for choral and instrumental ensembles. He also wrote piano pieces, among which the Anthology of Bulgarian Metric Rhythms for piano in four volumes. His traditional song arrangements were included in the world-renowned album series Mystery of Bulgarian Voices produced by Marcel Cellier. The second album, which was awarded the Grammy Prize in 1990, included three choral songs by Kaufman. A CD called Portrait of Nikolai Kaufman, features a selection of his best works. The CD is released by Riva Sound and the songs included are performed by the ensembles The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices and Cosmic Voices of Bulgaria, and also by the choir of the Pirin Ensemble.