Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

105th anniversary of the birth of legendary piper Dafo Trendafilov

Photo: YouTube

On this day - 17 January - we celebrate the 105th birth anniversary of the legendary piper Dafo Trendafilov. He was born in 1919 in the village of Gela in the Rhodope Mountains and his whole life remains forever linked to this mystical land.


He began playing the bagpipes at the age of 14 and developed his characteristic, authentic style. Later, when the National School of Folk Arts opened in Shiroka Luka in 1971, he was the first to teach bagpiping.

Also known as a bagpipe maker, Dafo Trendafilov left behind more than 800 kaba bagpipes that he made. He appeared in background roles in the films Krayat na Pesenta (1971), Kapitan Petko Voyvoda (1981) and Time of Violence (1988).

Read more about the inspirer of generations of bagpipers in the publication To the Legend of the Rhodope Bagpipe Dafo Trendafilov with Love and Admiration from the collection of Radio Bulgaria.


Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

On the eve of Midsummer's Day “the sky opens”

Midsummer's Day or Enyovden in Bulgaria is always celebrated on June 24, when the church honors the birth of St. John the Baptist. Folklore traditions are associated with the day of the summer solstice, when the sun "twinkles" and "plays" at..

published on 6/23/23 6:43 PM
Nedyalka Keranova

Remembering folk singer Nedyalka Keranova

April 24 marked the 82 nd anniversary since the birth of Nedyalka Keranova- one of the most remarkable voices of Bulgarian folklore, who passed away in 1966 at the age of 55. Our listener and friend Noris Balabanyan who lives in the USA and whose..

published on 5/8/23 5:05 AM

Remembering Petar Stupel with the song Late Meetings

Today we mark the 100th birth anniversary of composer Petar Stupel . He was born on April 27, 1923 in Sofia, in the family of professional musicians. Petar Stupel studied at the State Academy of Music "Pancho Vladigerov", majoring in Piano under..

published on 4/27/23 6:05 AM