Tania Stavreva

RHYTHMIC MOVEMENT A Classical Album With A Modern Edge!

Released January 7th, 2017

On Billboard Classical Top 10 (#8)!

Piano works by: Ginastera, Bates, Kapustin, P. & A. Vladigerov, Stavreva  

Produced by the Legendary, Ron Saint Germain, who has earned over 75 Gold and Platinum Disc awards including four “Diamond Platinum" (10 million +) with sales approaching a quarter of a billion units and whose work has appeared on 19 Grammy nominations with 14 wins for various artists he has worked with: (Jimi Hendrix, Muse, U2, Soundgarden, Whitney, Aretha, Diana,

Michael, Nels Cline, McCoy Tyner and many others)

with guest artist and two time Grammy Award winning drummer Will Calhoun (Living Color, B.B. King)

https://soundcloud.com/taniastavreva  ID:  taniapiano@gmail.com  

Password:  TaniasSoundCloud_7  

2 min tease of variations on a Bulgarian Folk Song "Dilmano, Dilbero", Op. 2 by Alexander Vladigerov https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn5RYPH8WRc

(the entire piece is 12-13 min long and it is track 13 on the album)

Nikolai Kapustin - Jazz Concert Etude Op. 40, No. 3 "Toccatina" - (track 9 on the album) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBndo0AZ7AI

Ginastera (Ruvido ed Ostinato) – (track 7 on the album) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVW3LRjK1OU

For Immediate Release:

Bulgarian-born and New York based artist, Tania Stavreva, was born into a musical family and began piano studies at the age of four. She was trained in old school music traditions giving her a strong foundation. She grew up listening mainly to Oistrakh, Richter, Horowitz, Gilels, Heifetz, Rubinstein, Weissenberg, Karajan, Mravinsky, Callas, etc. She also listened to The Beatles, Queen, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Aretha Franklin, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, etc., discovering in the USA that jazz, rock 'n’ roll and experimental styles influenced her contemporary classical style. Rhythmic Movement is Tania Stavreva’s official debut album, to be released, Jan. 7th, 2017. Although a classical album, it is very modern with a jazzy flavor. The album includes works written by composers from three continents and Stavreva. The music on the album has a lot of excitement and rhythmic, melodic and dynamic energy, which gives it a very youthful feel, reflecting Stavreva’s spirit, current state of mind and where she is in her life as an artist in the present moment. That’s why Rhythmic Movement is like a power of bright colors that dance with the music and bring joy, excitement and positive energy. Stavreva currently likes surrounding herself with music that brings this into her life and that by performing the music - she can give this to people…to her audience. Music critics have enthusiastically embraced Stavreva, describing her as "exceptional, entrancing, fun!”, "a fully formed and fearsomely talented pianist", "bold, dynamic, magnificent", “a piano dynamo”, “a very unique pianist, combining genuine quality with a refreshing approach to programing with superior technical abilities”. She is recognized as one of the most versatile young artists of her generation, renowned internationally for “having some of the most precise fingering of any of the twenty-something generation of pianists, bar none.” Making her New York recital at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in 2009, she returned to Carnegie Hall in 2016, this time on the main stage, Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, where she gave the world premiere of "The Caged Bird Sings" by Mason Bates. She has performed at many other prestigious venues including Lincoln Center, Kaufman Center, Consulate General of the Republic of Bulgaria in New York, as well as the Grammy Museum Theater, Clive Davis Auditorium in L.A., Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Sanders Theater at Harvard University and the French Cultural Center in Boston, The Koerner Hall at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Canada, The National Ethnographic Museum in Bulgaria, Radio Plovdiv - Bulgarian National Radio Concert Hall, Cathedral San Lorenzo & Sala dei Notari in Italy, 1901 Arts Club in London, and the Ruinekerk in the Netherlands to name a few. In 2013 her sold out Chicago recital debut was featured live on WFMT 98.7 at the Chicago Cultural Center. She has been featured on New York 1 News, ABC7, BBC Music Magazine, Keyboard Magazine, KUSC 91.5, and Musical America. She was invited to perform at the Miles Davis/Edith Piaf Commemorative USPS Stamp Dedication Ceremony at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York, where she was featured on CNN Television and shared the stage with the legendary bassist Ron Carter, the Miles Davis Family, Grammy-award winning songwriter Mike Stoller and legendary music producer George Avakian (Columbia Records). For more detailed bio visit: www.taniastavreva.com

About Rhythmic Movement:

Rhythmic Movement (Tania Stavreva): Composed for the Onomatopoeia Theater Company’s off-off Broadway show, “The Tempest” a modern adaptation of Caliban’s theme.

Ratchenitza (Pancho Vladigerov, 1934) (b): A traditional Bulgarian folk dance written by one of Bulgaria's greatest composers; usually performed in 7/8 or 7/16.

Mouvement Rythmique (Rhythmic Movement, Pancho Vladigerov, 1942) (b): Composed in a Bulgarian asymmetrical rhythm of 9/8 (2+2+2+3) as part of his piano album 'Aquarelles', Op. 37.

Danzas Argentinas Op. 2, (Argentine Dances, Alberto Ginastera, 1937) (b): A set of three solo piano pieces. Ginastera often uses Argentinian folk melodies and rhythms as composers, Pancho and Alexander Vladigerov use Bulgarian folk influences and rhythms. Stavreva lists the titles as originally written by the composer: Danza del Viejo Boyero (Dance of the Old Herdsman), Danza de la Moza Donosa (Dance of the Beautiful Maiden), and Danza del Gaucho Matrero (Dance of the Arrogant Cowboy).

Ruvido ed Ostinato (Rough and Ostinato, Ginastera, 1952) (b): The fourth movement from Piano Sonata No.1, Op. 22. Stavreva only included this movement in order to continue building the rhythmic drive and intensity prominent in the beginning of the album. In this piece she says she feels a shared rock 'n’ roll type of energy; a natural connection between that style and modern classical music. Jazz Concert Etudes, 'Prelude' and 'Toccatina' (Nikolai Kapustin, 1984): Stavreva is thinking of Kapustin as the Russian Gershwin - as he was both a jazz and classical pianist and much of his classical music exudes a “jazzy” edge. Stavreva includes two of his Jazz Concert Etudes that are rhythmic, melodic, virtuosic and pure fun to play. The Dark Side Of The Sun (Tania Stavreva, 2012) (a): On this piece, Stavreva improvises inside the strings

(not ‘prepared’) of the piano adding glissandos, string plucking and other string techniques. The atmosphere has a dark, mysterious feel that adds contrast.

White Lies for Lomax (Mason Bates, 2009)(d): This piece, commissioned by the Tanglewood Music Center, won the 3rd Van Cliburn, American Composers International Competition in May, 2009. Written as a ‘Blues Fantasy’ tribute to Alan Lomax, (the renowned ‘ethnomusicologist’ whose early recordings inspired countless blues musicians from Muddy Waters to the Rolling Stones), the feel only seems improvisational. It is an electro-acoustic piano piece where, in the end, Stavreva plays along with the Alan Lomax song, “Dollar Maime”. Invited by Mason Bates himself, this piece performed by Tania was re-released on the composer’s album “Stereo Is King”.

Dilmano, Dilbero: Is a popular folk song in Bulgaria. Stavreva sings the theme, giving the listener a reference of the ‘folk song’ source. Like many folk songs, the lyrics come from everyday life: “Dilmano, Dilbero” (a girl’s name), “Tell me how the papers are planted.” (the main lyrics).

Dilmano, Dilbero Variations on a Bulgarian Folk song (Alexander Vladigerov, 1954) (b). Alexander, the son of Pancho Vladigerov, composed this incredible set of nine variations for solo piano around the popular song “Dilmano, Dilbero”. Stavreva plays the entire piece as one track because all the variations are connected to each other.

Ritmico y Distorsionado (Ginastera, 1952) (c): Taken from Alberto’s Ruvido ed Ostinato from Sonata No. 1, Op. 22 (same as track #7), but with drummer Will Calhoun improvising. Drums help bring the album to a culmination, concluding its theme and title. It is purposely distorted in certain sections of the piano because Stavreva decided to have fun with the title, calling it Ritmico y Distorsionado (rhythmic and distorted)!

http://www.taniastavreva.com

www.facebook.com/TaniaStavreva.Official www.twitter.com/taniastavreva

www.youtube.com/taniastavreva www.instagram.com/tania_stavreva

For further information please contact:

Doreen D'Agostino DOREEN D’AGOSTINO MEDIA doreen@doreendagostinomedia.com

212.772.2050 / 917.916.2626 www.doreendagostinomedia.com  

 IN  THE  PRESS:  

IN THE PRESS: "Edgy, knock-out, Tania Stavreva's got rhythm" - The Huffington Post

"A knockout of an album" - Blogcritics Magazine

"World-Class! Impressive! Adventurous! Entertaining! Exquisite!

Tania Stavreva has taken solo piano to rare heights!" - Classicalite News

"Wow! This is exceptionally good! Fiery pianism...exhilarating lightness..sense of joy!" - The Arts Desk Magazine (UK)

"Tania Stavreva's "Rhythmic Movement" brings you classical music with a modern twist.

The Bulgarian-born virtuoso has a unique contemporary classic style" - AXS.com

"Most exciting, most unique, mesmerizing, fearless...sends shivers down the spine! Stavreva indeed has stepped into world show business and done it with a fierce, free imagination." - Fanfare Magazine

"Rhythmic Movement” is truly an album that will bring you to your feet. No matter your musical preference,

you’re going to want this album for your playlist." - The Rogers Revue

"Extraordinary, unique, full of passion...so special, so refreshing!" - BritzNBeatz (London, UK)

"Bold, unique, a cross-genre trailblazer...Stavreva's interpretations stretch the original concepts, respecting their heredity without being subject to the same" - AllAboutJazz.com

"Monstrously talented musician..exploring rhythm in fascinating ways" - The Flip Side Reviews by Kevin Filipski

"Her audience was transformed not only by her skills at the piano, which truly were spectacular,

but also by her immense creativity." - The Times of Israel

"Terrific! Fascinating! A fine musician whom you will hear more from in the coming years" - TheGadAboutTown.com

"Very modern jazz feel...beautiful...rising modern sound" - JP's Music Blog

"Formidable, exhilarating, exciting, poignant, swinging.." - CultureCatch.com

IN THE BULGARIAN NATIONAL PRESS & MEDIA: "Mind blowing! ...on a global level with her breakthrough into world show business!" - 24 Chasa Daily Newspaper

"One of the most diversely developed young artists!" - Marica Daily Newspaper

To read full album reviews, visit www.taniastavreva.com/shop and click on each quoted text in blue. A window to the full review/interview will appear