Elitsa Todorova (born 2 September 1977) is a
BulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a country in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe. Bulgaria borders five other countries: Romania to the north , Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, and Greece and Turkey to the south...
n
folkloreFolklore is the body of expressive culture, including stories, music, dance, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, customs, and so forth within a particular population comprising the traditions of that culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which...
singer and professional percussionist.
She has worked with a number of noted choirs, ensembles and musicians (Bulgarian and foreign) and has participated in concerts in a number of countries. She has also been awarded several prizes.
In 2003 Elitsa Todorova began working with
BulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a country in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe. Bulgaria borders five other countries: Romania to the north , Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, and Greece and Turkey to the south...
's most popular and renowned drummer and percussionist
Stoyan YankoulovStoyan Yankoulov , known as Stundji , is one of Bulgaria's most popular and renowned drummers and percussionists...
.
Elitsa Todorova (born 2 September 1977) is a
BulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a country in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe. Bulgaria borders five other countries: Romania to the north , Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, and Greece and Turkey to the south...
n
folkloreFolklore is the body of expressive culture, including stories, music, dance, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, customs, and so forth within a particular population comprising the traditions of that culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which...
singer and professional percussionist.
Career
She has worked with a number of noted choirs, ensembles and musicians (Bulgarian and foreign) and has participated in concerts in a number of countries. She has also been awarded several prizes.
In 2003 Elitsa Todorova began working with
BulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a country in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe. Bulgaria borders five other countries: Romania to the north , Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, and Greece and Turkey to the south...
's most popular and renowned drummer and percussionist
Stoyan YankoulovStoyan Yankoulov , known as Stundji , is one of Bulgaria's most popular and renowned drummers and percussionists...
. The unique Todorova-Yankulov duo rapidly turned into a phenomenon. Their high professionalism and perfectionism underlies all their performances.
On 25 February 2007, Todorova and Stoyan Yankoulov's song
Water"Water" was the Bulgarian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007, performed in Bulgarian by Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankoulov. This was the first occasion on which the Bulgarian language was used on the Eurovision stage, previous Bulgarian entries being performed in English...
won the
Bulgarian National TelevisionThe Bulgarian National Television or BNT is the public broadcaster of Bulgaria. The company was founded in 1959 and began broadcasting on December 26 of the same year. It began broadcasting in color in 1970...
's public contest and was selected as the song to represent Bulgaria in the
Eurovision Song ContestThe Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
2007. The song advanced from the semi-final to become Bulgaria's first ever participation in a final. In the final Elitsa and Stoyan came 5th. Her performance, which involved percussion, prompted the nickname
Mrs. Drums.
Biography
Since her early childhood Elitsa sang and played piano. She studied at the "Philip Koutev" school of music in Kotel, specializing in folklore singing and the Dobri Hristov school of music in Varna, specializing in percussion. She then graduated from the Pancho Vladigerov State Academy of music in Sofia, majoring in percussion.
Associated acts
Elitsa has been working with
Cosmic Voices from Bulgaria Choir, "Varna Ensemble" and the musicians:
Stoyan YankoulovStoyan Yankoulov , known as Stundji , is one of Bulgaria's most popular and renowned drummers and percussionists...
, Theodosii Spassov, Antonii Donchev, Jivko Petrov, Vesselin Vesselinov, Rossen Zahariev, Michail Yossifov, Vasko Vassilev, Arabel von
Karajan, Anatoly Vapirov, Roushi Vidinliev, Rui Junior, Pamela Nicolson, Okhai Temiz, Yamar Tiyam, Nikos Đ¢ouliatos, William Pluma, Habib Shamandy, Ivan Shopov DJ Cooh, Hristo Yotzov the
Bulgarian National RadioBulgarian National Radio is the national radio network of Bulgaria. It was founded on 30 March 1930 as Rodno radio by a group of intellectuals. Broadcasting began in June the same year...
orchestra, Classic FM Radio orchestra and many others.
Style
Elitsa Todorova developed a percussions-playing style of her own, combining quick ostinate rhythms on the tarambuka with synchronized playing and singing. The result is a mosaic of unique vocal movements and impeccable musical improvisations. She plays traditional percussion instruments in a most non-traditional way. In her repertoire Elitsa plays instruments like the tarambuka, drums, maracas, claves, old silver coins, shepherd's chimes, horses' bells, a magical thunder-wand, guiro, chimes, but of all musical instruments the best, in her opinion, is the human voice.
Philanthropy and other activities
Todorova has presented Bulgarian cultural heritage before the presidents of Bulgaria, Greece, Armenia, Hungary; before H.M.
Prince Albert-Royalty:*Albert, Prince Consort , consort of Queen Victoria*Edward VII of the United Kingdom , his son, known previously as Prince Albert, or Bertie*Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale , his son...
, Koidjiro Matsura of
UNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945...
, and before the
PACE-Associations:* Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical & Energy Workers International Union* National PACE Association* Partners for the Advancement of Collaborative Engineering Education* Partnership for Academic Competition Excellence...
ministers. She took part in perhaps 2005's most significant cultural event: the launching of cultural corridors for South-East Europe.
Awards
Elitsa Todorova has been given the following awards:The Golden Phenomenon statuette for 2005, for her phenomenal achievements in the field of the singing and performing arts and for promoting Bulgarian culture around the world; A Honorary Diploma from the Republic of Austria's Embassy for her great contribution to popularizing Bulgarian Jazz music to Austria within the Step across the border 2005 European Program.
External links