Email us at contact@folkseminarplovdiv.net and tell us your name, email address, and your instrument of interest. If your attendance at the Seminar is contingent on that instrument class being offered, please specify this requirement.

Online registration closes on July 10, 2025.

Bank Transfer payment should not be initiated after July 10, 2025. (This will allow ample time for the transactions to be cleared through the various banks, and Seminar staff to associate the Bank Transfer with your registration.)

On-site registration at the Music Academy will take place for the duration of the Seminar, starting on July 31, 2025.

Check-in and Orientation, which we strongly suggest all students attend, will take place in the Music Academy’s Concert Hall at 4:00 pm on Thursday, July 31, 2025. The Music Academy is located in the center of the city, at the top of the hill in “Old Town,” just above the ancient Roman Theater. The Orientation will give students, teachers, and the Music Academy rector and staff an opportunity to get acquainted. This will also serve as an opportunity to discuss local restaurants, the schedule for the week (including last-minute changes), planned evening events, and logistical questions. The Orientation will end with a short dance performance by the Music Academy’s dance ensemble.

This rate is approximately 50% of the adult rate and applies to students who have been enrolled full-time in a college or university during the 2024-2025 calendar year.

The East European Folklife Center (EEFC) is a non-profit membership organization whose mission is to educate the general public about the folk music, folk dance, and folklore in the Balkans through promoting and sponsoring activities which honor and celebrate the richness of these cultures; and to foster understanding and respect of all peoples through shared experiences of Balkan cultures.

– EEFC mission statement

The EEFC (www.eefc.org) and the Bulgarian Folk Music and Dance Seminar are Supporting Partners, whose programs share many common educational goals.

Individual, family or student members of the EEFC (www.eefc.org) will receive an additional 15% discount at the time of their registration.

The general telephone number for the Music Academy is (032)-628-311. If you would like to reach us – Dilyana Kurdova or Lyuben Dossev – we can be reached in Plovdiv at:

Dilyana Kurdova
Cell phone number (dialing from outside Bulgaria): +359-887 99 03 21
Cell phone number (dialing from within Bulgaria): 0887 99 03 21

Lyuben Dossev
Cell phone number (dialing from outside Bulgaria): +359 886 71 06 68
Cell phone number (dialing from within Bulgaria): 0886 71 06 68

Yes, we think this is an excellent thing to do. First, check with your health insurance provider to see if you are already covered. If you are not covered, we advise you to check with travel health insurance providers in your country and sign up with one that will cover you during your stay in Bulgaria.

The Sofia Airport has two terminals. The older terminal (Terminal 1) is used by intra-Bulgarian airlines and smaller, “low-cost” European carriers. As we understand it, almost all major international airlines arrive at the new terminal (Terminal 2), where most banks and ATMs are located and you can change some currency into Leva. At Terminal 2, taxis are always available and there is public transportation (Metro and Sofia city buses); there are also places to buy phone cards for use with the local pay phones, car rental kiosks, a bookstore and most other services one usually finds at major international airports. For more information about the airport, go to https://www.sofia-airport.bg/.

After your plane lands, you will first go through “Passport Control” and then follow the signs to Baggage Claim. After you get your luggage, you will pass through Customs. Generally, everybody chooses to walk through the “Nothing to Declare” queue, and it seems that rarely are visitors asked to open their baggage for inspection.

Note: If your baggage does not arrive on your plane, there is an office in Baggage Claim where you can get assistance. They will attempt to locate your luggage, and if it has been delayed for some reason, they will deliver it to literally anyplace you are in Bulgaria, within about 48 hours, at no charge to you. (This has happened to people we know and they have been pleasantly surprised by the high quality of service. However, this is still a good reason to pack a change of clothes in your carry-on baggage.)

After passing through Customs, you will enter Terminal 2’s main foyer. If you don’t have any Leva with you, you should change some of your national currency into Leva at any of the banks or ATMs in the airport lobby (even though Bulgaria is now a member of the EU, Bulgaria still uses Leva as its national currency and almost all “cash” transactions are in Leva). If you arrive late in the evening the banks may be closed, but each of them has an ATM (Bankomat) at their entrance that accepts most bank cards, worldwide. (Note: Do NOT use a credit card to “buy” Leva, unless you want to pay hefty fees – if you use a credit card, it is considered an advance or a loan, and is not the same thing as using an ATM card. Also, an ATM machine is more likely to give you a better exchange rate than a bank in the airport – see “Hints” in FAQ #15 below.)

Metro from the Sofia Airport to the Sofia bus or train station from Terminal 2 to get to Plovdiv.

There is a Metro connection from Terminal 2 to the bus and train stations (which are within walking distance of each other) in Sofia. The travel time from Sofia Airport to the city center is approximately 18 min. To get to the train or Central Bus Station, (“Centralna Avtogara”), change trains from Line 1 (the airport Line – the RED line) to Line 2 (the BLUE line) at Serdika Metro station going in the direction of the “Central Railway station.” When you arrive at the “Central Railway station,” exit the Metro and follow the signs toward the Central Bus Station. The Metro trains on the route to the airport operate from 5:30 a.m. to midnight on weekdays and weekends/holidays.

There is no Metro connection from Terminal 1 to the center. However, Sofia Airport provides free-of-charge transportation services between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 at every 30 minutes between 07:00 hrs. and 19:00 hrs. The stop locations of the shuttle bus in front of both terminals are designated by signage and pavement markings. Between 19:00 hrs. and 07:00 hrs., free-of-charge transportation between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 can be requested  at the Information Desk or at telephone:  (+359 2) 937 22 11/ 12/ 13

Taxi from the Airport to the Sofia bus or train station

If you decide to take a taxi from the airport to the train or bus station (or your hotel) it is very important to go to the “taxi desk” (opposite the door where you exited Customs control) and request a taxi; this will help you in not being overcharged. (Someone will typically go outside with you to confirm your ride with a taxi driver.) They speak some English as well as some other non-Bulgarian languages. The people at the taxi desks we spoke with implied that they knew there was a problem with some taxis overcharging, but insisted that it would not happen if you go to the taxi desk first. There is no extra charge to use the taxi desk.

The taxi ride is about 15 kilometers or so to the bus station and the cost per kilometer is 1.22 Leva/kilometer (1.40 lv/km after 10 pm), plus some small charge for waiting in traffic (.39 lv/minute). When you get into a taxi, we believe this should be posted somewhere. It is also a good idea to ask the taxi driver how much it should cost to go to the bus or train station (or your hotel if you are staying in Sofia). If you take a taxi from the airport directly to the central Bus Station, “Centralna Avtogara,” it should not cost more than 15-20 Leva (regardless of how many passengers) and take about 20 minutes (45 minutes in rush hour, so the cost might be higher then). We don’t recommend taking a taxi from Sofia to Plovdiv because it will be quite expensive.

There may be taxi drivers “lurking” (waiting) in front of (or inside) the airport terminal for people wanting a taxi and coming up to you to see if you want a taxi. These are usually the folks who are charging the outrageous 70-100 Leva rates for taxis to the Sofia bus station. If they ask you if you want a taxi just say “no” and go to the taxi desk. The official company at the airport is the “Yellow” but again only take them after you have gone to the taxi desk. This company has many taxis waiting outside the door on the right-hand side of the terminal, and they should be OK.

You could also opt for downloading the Yellow taxi app or the TaxiMe app on your phone and directly order a taxi to pick you up from the airport.

Central Bus Station, “Centralna Avtogara,” in Sofia

When you finally arrive at the Central Bus Station, “Centralna Avtogara,” locate the kiosk that advertises “Plovdiv” and purchase a bus ticket there. There are two main companies – “Hebros Bus” and “Karat-C”, cost of the ticket varies from 16 to 18 Leva. The company representatives will tell you when the bus is leaving for Plovdiv, and from which bus parking place. It may also be possible to purchase a ticket directly from the bus driver (if in doubt, check at the “Information” kiosk). Buses normally leave on the hour from Sofia to Plovdiv, until around 20:00.

The bus ride from Sofia to Plovdiv is approximately 2 hours and the final stop (depending on the company) is either on the main street (bulevard Hristo Botev), opposite the Plovdiv “Avtogara Yug,” next to the train station, inside the bus station or in front of the train station. There should be plenty of taxis in the area. Ask a taxi driver to take you to your hotel (most drivers know where every hotel is, but it is a good idea to have the street address with you) or to the “Music Academy” (bulevard Todor Samodoumov #2, next to the ancient Roman Theater), if you are going directly to the Seminar Orientation.

As of 2018, taxi drivers may refuse taking you beyond the beginning of the Old City and might ask you for a double price to get you to your hotel if it is situated beyond the barrier in front of the big church. Unfortunately this is the new “normal.”

A completely different option for traveling to Plovdiv from elsewhere in Europe, is to consider finding a RyanAir flight to Plovdiv Airport from London Stansted Airport, Frankfurt Hahn Airport, Milano Bergamo Airport or Brussels Charleroi Airport. The Plovdiv Airport is located approximately 15 km south of the Music Academy in Plovdiv, and is a relatively short taxi ride.

In planning your return trip from Plovdiv to Sofia, we suggest taking the bus, which runs every hour. It is usually about a 2-hour trip. You need to be at the bus station 1 hour earlier in order to purchase your ticket on the day of departure, however it is wiser to get your ticket several days in advance since summer is a very busy period for Plovdiv. Depending on the company, buses departing before 12:00 leave from Bus Station “South”- Avtogara “Yug” – close to the train station, whereas buses leaving after 12:00 until 20:00 leave from the new bus station exactly outside of the train station.

The Music Academy will not be providing a dance syllabus for the dance program, but a DVD of the dance review sessions will be made available for purchase. (See also the section on videotaping, below.) For the singing program, song words (but not music charts) will be provided. For the instrumental music program, some of the instructors may provide music charts.

Audio recording will be allowed during all classes. Videotaping will be allowed during all instrument and vocal classes.

Videotaping will be allowed during each of the dance review sessions (Session #4 – see schedule) but is not allowed during the dance instruction sessions (the first three dance sessions that a village group presents).

Any in-class recordings (video or audio) made at the Seminar are for each registrant’s personal use and may not be used for commercial purposes, uploaded to social networking sites (e.g. Facebook) or file sharing services (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo, Vbox7). We have established this policy as a courtesy to both Seminar teaching staff and your fellow Seminar participants.

The Seminar produces an excellent 2-DVD set of videos for the dance program. This DVD set is available for an additional charge (payable before the Seminar together with the registration fee – see Register page) and the DVDs are sent approximately 4 months after the Seminar. Most of the village dance groups will have music CDs for sale at the Seminar.

• If you need help with something (and don’t speak Bulgarian), try to find a young Bulgarian person to assist you. Today many young Bulgarians speak some English.
• In Plovdiv, taxis are fairly inexpensive (by Western standards); a taxi rarely costs more than 12 Leva (approximately $7.00 US) to go from one side of town to the other. Generally, the driver is not tipped (tipping is optional; most Bulgarians do not tip, though foreigners might). Taxi fares increase somewhat past 10:30 pm. We have found that most Plovdiv taxi drivers will take you to your destination using the most direct route.
• In Plovdiv if you want to be driven to the Music Academy, just say “Music Academy” to the driver; they all seem to know where it is. As of 2018, taxi drivers may refuse to take you beyond the beginning of the Old City (where the Music Academy is situated) and might ask you for a double price to get you to the Academy or your hotel, if it is situated beyond the road barrier in front of the big church. Unfortunately, this is the new “normal.”
• Changing money – We have found that generally the best rates are available through a bank’s ATM machine using your bank debit card (NOT a credit card.) The money-changing kiosks at the Sofia airport have among the worst rates in Bulgaria. There are many ATM machines in the downtown Plovdiv area. It is a good idea to ask your bank how much you will be allowed to withdraw per day using a foreign ATM machine, as usually the limit is $200-$300 per day. The exchange rate as of January 5, 2025, is approximately 1 USD = 1.89 BGN Leva or 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN. The USD rate changes somewhat daily and also varies according to where you do your exchange.
• Travelers Checks – don’t waste your time. Our experience is that no bank in Bulgaria will accept an American Express Travelers check.
• Since entering the EU, more and more Bulgarian businesses do accept credit cards issued outside of Bulgaria. However, some businesses still might not accept foreign credit cards, so it’s best not to count on it.
• The bottom line is that most transactions are done in Bulgarian Leva, although some places will allow you to pay in Euros.

Because of time constraints, we are no longer offering Bulgarian language classes. However, if someone (or a group) wants to have language lessons, the Seminar staff will assist in finding an appropriate teacher (cost for these classes is not included in Seminar registration).  The best way to contact us about language classes is by emailing us and describing your language experience, when you’d like to take a class, and how often and how long you’d like your classes to be.

Food and lodging are not included in the Seminar “package.” There are many accommodations and eateries close to the Music Academy, giving participants a variety of choices to suit their dietary and financial needs/desires. Public transportation is very cheap; taxis are common and inexpensive, by standards in North America and other parts of Europe.

For those traveling to the Koprivshtitsa Festival, the cost for transportation to and from the festival is not included in your registration fee (see FAQ 22).

The cost for the Tuesday night Gala (August 5, 2025) is 25 Euro per person and is not included with your registration fee. The Gala dinner will be held at a nearby restaurant in Plovdiv.

• The program will have equally strong vocal, instrumental and dance class components. Attendees can mix and match classes according to their interests and abilities.
• Instrumental classes will be offered in most of the major “traditional” Bulgarian instruments (gaida, kaval, gudulka, tambura and tupan), as well as classes for students experienced in accordion, violin and clarinet. A Bulgarian traditional instrument ensemble (bitov ensemble) class take place daily during Session #5.
• Vocal classes will focus on regional styling, and there is a choral class during Session #5.
• Dance classes will focus on village/regional traditional repertoire.
• Instrumental and vocal music classes (which may be divided by experience level) will be held in the mornings and afternoons.

We will have instructors for instrumental and vocal music classes who are generally from the Plovdiv area and the Music Academy (and are accustomed to teaching), with occasional visits from “old masters,” who have their own regional/local repertoire and generally have not previously taught outside of Bulgaria (and may be not accustomed to teaching).

Bulgarian folk dance classes will feature regional/village dancers (often with many dancers of different ages from the same village) presenting the traditional dances from their folklore areas of Bulgaria (Shopluk, Thrace, North Bulgaria, Pirin, and Dobrudzha). They will be assisted by English speaking dance staff familiar with how non-Bulgarians learn dance. Dance classes will take place throughout the morning and afternoon.

As of September 1, 2006, American citizens do not need a visa for Bulgaria for tourist stays of up to ninety (90) days.

For more information go to https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Bulgaria.html.

Larry Weiner
Bulgarian Folk Music & Dance Seminar – International Program Coordinator
US tel#: 301-565-0539
or
Dilyana Kurdova
Bulgarian Folk Music & Dance Seminar – International Program Coordinator
Cell (dialing from outside Bulgaria): +359 887-99 03 21
Cell (dialing from within Bulgaria): 0887 99 03 21
or
contact@folkseminarplovdiv.net

Public transportation from Plovdiv to Koprivshtitsa is infrequent. Therefore, the Seminar is making arrangements to provide bus transportation on Thursday morning, August 7 at 10:00 am – for students who wish – from a central location in Plovdiv to a central drop-off point in Koprivshtitsa.

This year, we are also offering bus transportation after Koprivshtitsa, from the festival to Sofia. Our bus will depart a central location in Koprivshtitsa at 4:00 pm.

Please let us know when you register whether you are interested in either or both of these bus trip options, so we can make appropriate arrangements with the bus company. (The cost for these bus rides is yet to be determined.)

This year, we are only offering instrument rental for a limited number of tupans, which will be available (and payable) at the first tupan class session for 10 Euro/day (until supply is gone). Expressing interest in renting a tupan on your registration form does not guarantee you a tupan, but we will do our best to accommodate students. Rented tupans must stay on the premises of the Music Academy.