Georgy Valtchev, violin and Lora Tchekoratova, piano
Duo Biography
Performing together as violinand piano duo since 1996, Valtchev and Tchekoratova were first presented to thepublic at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in concert, entitled Musical Treasures from Bulgaria underthe sponsorship of the Cyriland Methodius International Foundation. Eversince, the artists have appeared together in numerous recitals and chambermusic collaborations throughout the United States and Europe to great audienceand critical acclaim. Their adventurous programming has led them to musical explorations andcollaborations with contemporary composers and has inspired them to createplatforms for cultural exchange between the United States and other cultures.The duo often presents the works of American composers in Bulgaria and viceversa, brings music from the Balkans to the Western stages.
The duo appears regularly at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall, the 92ndStreet Y, the Kennedy Center, and at many international chamber music festivalsand concert series, including Sofia Music Weeks, Varna Summer, and Apolonia inBulgaria, Baståd Chamber Music Festival in Sweden, the Deerfield Memorial HallSummer Concerts and the Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival in Blue Hill,Maine. The artists’ program "East of Budapest", featuring composers fromRomania, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Albania, was presented at universities acrossthe country, including New York University (Institute for the Study of theAncient World), Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA, and SalisburyUniversity in Salisbury, MD. Their debut CD of Béla Bartók's Violin and PianoRhapsodies and Sonatas is available on Gega New through ArkivMusic. Lora and Georgy are both distinguished Juilliard graduates. Lora received herDoctorate of Musical Arts under the guidance of the great American pianistSeymour Lipkin and the contemporary music champion Joel Sachs. Georgy was apupil of the world renowned violin pedagogue Dorothy DeLay. Their duo projectshave been supported by numerous grants and awards by the American Foundationfor Bulgaria, the Kitteridge Fund, The Arthur Foundation, The PuffinFoundation, and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.The Duo has performed the majority of the standard classical Violin and Pianorepertoire, most notably the complete Beethoven Sonatas for Piano and Violin(in three concerts), the three Brahms Sonatas for Piano and Violin as well asthe sonata for Violin and Piano of Ravel, Debussy, Strauss, Mozart, Faure,Franck, Schumann, Mendelssohn, and Grieg. In addition, they frequently programthe works of Yanacek, Enescu, Bartok, Vladigerov, Leviev, Tabakova, and manyother 20th and 21st century masters.
In August, 2018, Lora andGeorgy launched “The Off the Beaten Path Chamber Music Festival” in the villageof Kovachevitsa, South Western Rhodope mountains, Bulgaria. Since then, thefestival has become a beloved summer destination for music lovers from Bulgariaand beyond and a nature sanctuary for renowned chamber music artists torehearse, perform, and commission new works. In addition to presenting thefestival, the musicians also bring music education to the area and are involvedin the restoration of the cultural center of the village.
A Cappella Quintet
Winners of the 2017 International Championship of A Cappella Open
World-class workshops for students of all levels
Backtrack Vocals is an accomplished a cappella quintet that performs unique arrangements of pop, Broadway, and standards, and have appeared on stages across the nation. They have been featured on major network shows on NBC, FOX and PBS, and have won numerous awards and accolades, including first place in New York's Got Talent Season 6. Backtrack Vocals is a fresh, high-energy group that will appeal to audiences of all ages.
“Backtrack knocked it out of the park!” - Layne Thompson-Payne, Executive Director, Riverside Arts