Founded in 1968, the Sofia Boys Choir at the Tsar Boris III - 1928 Chitalishte (a cultural community centre) is the first boys’ choir in Bulgaria.

Lilyana Todorova was the founder and conductor of the choir up to 1989. Through diligence and love she managed to create a singular choral body, characterized by good musical quality and the young age of the singers.

From 1989 to 2024, the choir was conducted by Prof. Dr. Adriana Blagoeva. With perseverance and creative boldness, she worked to establish the ensemble as a regular participant in the concert life of the capital and the country.

The choir’s concert and recording activities expanded significantly, and its artistic qualities were further refined. The Christmas and Easter concerts became a tradition. The choir became a sought-after participant in major national music forums such as the “Sofia Music Weeks” International Music Festival, the “D. Voynikov” International Student Choir Festival in Shumen, among others.

Prof. Adriana Blagoeva

Prof. Dr. Adriana Blagoeva (1960–2025) graduated with honors from the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” in Sofia, specializing in Choral Conducting under Prof. Ana Belcheva. She worked with children’s, women’s, and mixed choirs in Samokov and Shumen. In 1988, she became choirmaster, and in 1989, conductor of the Sofia Boys Choir at Chitalishte “Tsar Boris III – 1928”.

Under her leadership, the ensemble developed a highly active concert and recording schedule, both in Bulgaria and abroad, winning one Grand Prize, six First Prizes, and five Second Prizes from eight international choral competitions.

Prof. Blagoeva significantly expanded the choir’s repertoire, including not only Bulgarian music but also works from various musical styles and genres from the 14th century to the present day. The repertoire prominently features Church Slavonic music and arrangements of Bulgarian folklore. Many renowned Bulgarian composers wrote music specifically for the choir and Prof. Blagoeva.

The Sofia Boys’ Choir under her direction released:

• 13 solo CDs
• 1 DVD
• Participated in 9 collaborative CDs

Additionally, the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) and the Bulgarian National Television (BNT) hold numerous recordings of the choir conducted by her.

In 1997, she founded the Youth Ensemble of the Sofia Boys’ Choir, composed exclusively of former boy choristers. Thus, the choir began performing in three concert formations: boys, youth, and mixed.

Awards and Recognitions

Under Prof. Blagoeva's baton, the Sofia Boys Choir became:

• Recipient of the Silver Lyre (1998) and Golden Lyre (2008) from the Union of Bulgarian Musicians and Dancers (SBMTD)
• Twice awarded the “Crystal Lyre” (2009, 2012)—the highest music award in Bulgaria in the “Choral Art” category
• Named “Musician of the Year” (2002) by Allegro Vivace, BNR
• Awarded “Golden Feather” (1998, 2013) for contributions to Bulgarian culture
• Honorary Sign of Sofia Municipality (50th anniversary of the choir)
• Order “St. John Kukuzel” (2018) from the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church for promoting Church Slavonic music
• Honorary Plaque of the Ministry of Culture for high artistic achievements
• Special diplomas from Sofia Municipality, the Bulgarian Choir Union, the Union of Bulgarian Composers, and the Union of Community Cultural Centers

International Performances

Prof. Blagoeva and the choir performed extensively in:
Greece, Russia, Poland, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovakia, Hungary, Moldova, Belgium, Turkey, Romania, Iceland and Japan.

She also received:

• Special Prize for Conducting Mastery (1st International Choral Competition in Bolzano, Italy – 2000)
• “Golden Age” Star Award (May 2018) from the Ministry of Culture for her contribution to Bulgarian culture and national identity
• “Crystal Necklace” Award (2021)—for outstanding contributions to Bulgarian musical culture
• Order “St. Cyril and St. Methodius” – First Degree (2021) for her significant achievements in culture and the arts

Academic and Research Work

Prof. Dr. Adriana Blagoeva authored numerous articles and participated in theoretical conferences on choral singing and music education in Bulgaria, Russia, Greece, and Spain. She conducted open rehearsals in Greece, Germany, and Japan, and led masterclasses in Mexico on choral work and conducting.

At the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” – Sofia, she served as:

• Professor of Choral Conducting (2016–2024)
• Head of the Conducting Department (2012–2016)
• Dean of the Theoretical, Compositional, and Conducting Faculty (2016–2020)
• Vice-Rector for Research and Artistic-Creative Activity (2021–2024)

In 2022, she founded Europe’s only festival dedicated to boys’ choirs—the International Choral Festival “The Boys Sing”.

Prof. Dr. Adriana Blagoeva passed away in Sofia on January 14, 2025.

Pianist

Zornitsa Getova

From 1999 to 2017, Zornitsa Getova has been chorus maser and pianist of the choir. She has a degree in Choral Conducting and Audio Engineering from the National Academy of Music Pancho Vladigerov, and has worked as a coach at the Department of Conducting since 2005.