PROGRAM
YOUNG TALENTS STAGE
Bansko Jazz Festival
August 1
Vimbra
August 2
New Reed
August 3
Trio Inversion
August 4
Dominanta Quartet
August 5
Angie Project
August 6
Elin Gabrov – Jake Sigston
August 7
Jazz Among the Strings
August 8
Adjeba Quintet
August 9
Grand Finale – All Participants
Bansko Jazz Academy 2026 Announces the Selected Participants
We are pleased to announce the participants selected for this year’s edition of Bansko Jazz Academy, which will take place in August 2026.
Following a careful selection process, young musicians and original projects from Bulgaria and abroad have been chosen to take part in the Academy’s intensive educational and creative programme. Once again, the selection reflects the diversity of the contemporary jazz scene, bringing together solo performers, chamber ensembles, and group formations working across a wide range of musical styles and artistic approaches.
Selected Projects
• DOMinanta – Bulgaria
• Iversions Trio – Bulgaria
• Adjeba – Bulgaria
• VIMBRA – Luxembourg / Bulgaria
• Nov Platak – Bulgaria
Selected Solo Performers
• Maria Karaivanova – Bulgaria
• Jake Sigston – United Kingdom
• Timur Sokolow – Poland
• Yavor Angelov – Bulgaria
• Stefan Valev – Bulgaria
• Sofiya Kogan – Israel
• Yana Georgieva – Bulgaria
• Elin Gabrov – Israel
• Andzheli (Angelina Saparevska) – Bulgaria
This year’s selection demonstrates the growing international interest in Bansko Jazz Academy. Alongside participants from different regions of Bulgaria, the programme will welcome young artists from the United Kingdom, Poland, Israel, and Luxembourg.
The applications were reviewed and evaluated by a panel of professionals with extensive experience in music, cultural management, media, and music education:
• Iliyana Ivanova – Director of Bansko Jazz Festival and Chair of the Festivals in Bulgaria Association;
• Velislav Stoyanov – trombonist, composer, educator, and Chair of the Board of the Brass Association;
• Svetoslav Nikolov – Programme Director of Jazz FM and a long-standing advocate for the development of Bulgaria’s jazz scene;
• Lili Goleminova – journalist at Radio Sofia, Bulgarian National Radio, and active observer of Bulgaria’s cultural and musical life;
• Vicky Almazidou – vocalist and educator with extensive international experience in jazz performance and education.
We would like to thank all applicants for their interest, trust, and inspiring musical ideas. Congratulations to all selected participants!
The participants will have the opportunity to take part in masterclasses and workshops, as well as perform on the stages of the “Young Talents” daytime platform and at various jazz spots throughout the town.
A participation agreement will be signed with all selected participants. A detailed programme and schedule of activities will be provided at a later stage.
Get ready for an exciting week filled with musical challenges, inspiration, and plenty of jazz!
1–9 August 2026, Bansko
DOMinanta
Bulgaria
“DOMinanta” is a quartet of young musicians connected with the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” and united by their shared passion for jazz. The project presents jazz interpretations of emblematic themes and songs from the world of cinema and the performing arts, refracted through the ensemble’s own artistic voice.
The group’s concept is based on the belief that cinema and theatre carry within them the strong influence of jazz music. Through their repertoire, the young musicians pay tribute to the composers and artists who have woven jazz into the language of film and stage art. The name “DOMinanta” is also connected to the band “Dom”, in which some of the members of the formation participate.
The line-up includes Yana Bostandzhieva – vocals, Teodor Dimitrov – guitar, Konstantin Kurtev – drums, and Konstantin Yordanov – bass guitar. The project looks to the future with a desire to develop original music and build its own sound. On the Young Talents Stage, “DOMinanta” presents a meeting between jazz, cinema, theatre and youthful creative energy.
IVERSIONS TRIO
Bulgaria
Iversions Trio brings together three young musicians from Sofia who approach jazz with energy, curiosity and a desire to show something different on the Bulgarian scene. The line-up features Damyan Vladev – bass, Momchil Saparevski – drums, and Bozhidar Avdzhiev – piano.
The trio’s repertoire includes modern jazz pieces, virtuosic themes and original ideas. Among their musical reference points are works such as Sequence Start by Sungazer and Got a Match by Chick Corea — music that requires precision, concentration and strong ensemble communication. The three participants come from different musical backgrounds, but they are united by their interest in contemporary jazz, improvisation and dynamic stage presence.
Momchil Saparevski actively develops his drumming skills through lessons, jam sessions and performances in clubs and festivals. Damyan Vladev is a bassist, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and composer with experience in both classical and popular music. Bozhidar Avdzhiev is a pianist, composer and arranger with an interest in a wide range of styles. Iversions Trio comes to the Young Talents Stage with the promise of a bold, modern and memorable concert.
MARIA KARAIVANOVA
Bulgaria
Maria Karaivanova is a guitarist and vocalist with a deep interest in jazz, Latin music and bossa nova. Originally from Sliven and based in Sofia, she holds a bachelor’s degree in “Performing Arts – Pop and Jazz, Electric Guitar” from the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts “Prof. Asen Diamandiev” in Plovdiv, and is currently continuing her studies in the master’s programme “Pop and Jazz Singing” at the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”.
Maria has a rich repertoire that includes jazz, bossa nova, pop, rock, Bulgarian and international music. She performs both as a solo artist and in various formations. Part of her creative work is connected with a project dedicated to Brazilian music — bossa nova and samba, performed with attention to authentic language and style.
Her participation in Plovdiv Jazz Fest and her encounters with artists such as David Linx, Gretchen Parlato, Mike Stern and Leni Stern have given her new inspiration for development. On the Young Talents Stage, Maria comes with a desire for musical exchange, collaboration and a live encounter with other performers in the spirit of the festival.
JAKE SIGSTON
United Kingdom
Jake Sigston is a young pianist and vocalist whose music is rooted in improvisation and free stage interaction. His path combines classical training through the ABRSM system with a love of playing by ear and of jazz as a space for spontaneity, dialogue and personal interpretation.
His artistic direction seeks to build a bridge between the music of the swing era of the 1930s and the structured finesse of the classical tradition. His influences include Tommy Flanagan, Ella Fitzgerald and Miles Davis, while his repertoire moves in two main directions: contemporary interpretations of American classics from the 1930s and 1940s, and modern or classical themes presented through the language of jazz improvisation.
Jake has experience from various music courses and stages in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Cyprus and other countries. He has taken part in jazz summer courses, creative camps, open stages and music events. Although he applies as a solo performer, interaction with other musicians lies at the heart of his project. On the Young Talents Stage, he is looking for exactly that — unpredictable, inspiring and living music, born in the moment.
ADZHEBA
Bulgaria
“Adzheba” is a young quintet from Sofia, formed at the end of the summer of 2025. The group focuses mainly on cool jazz, swing, bossa nova and blues, building its repertoire around music by Antonio Carlos Jobim, jazz standards such as Night and Day and On the Sunny Side of the Street, as well as other themes with a classic jazz character.
The line-up includes Andrea Krumova – vocals, Samuil Andonov – drums, Nikola Danev – piano, Aleksandar Marinov – trumpet, and Alex Federici – bass guitar. The group brings together young performers with enthusiasm, dedication and a strong desire to develop in music.
Although the formation is relatively new, it already has concert experience — participation in a charity Christmas concert at Sofia Live Club in support of “The Band of the 1500”, a presentation of Beseda magazine at the American College of Sofia, and several club performances. “Adzheba” brings fresh youthful energy and respect for the jazz tradition. On the Young Talents Stage, they present a stylish and lively programme in which vocals, trumpet and rhythm section create a warm, communicative sound.
TIMUR SOKOLOW
Poland
Timur Sokolow is a young saxophonist from Szczecin, Poland, who at the age of 11 is already building his musical path with impressive dedication. He studies classical saxophone in a structured music programme, working on sound, technique, interpretation and core repertoire.
Alongside his classical training, Timur shows a strong interest in jazz as a new artistic direction. For him, participation in Bansko Jazz Academy is an opportunity to develop listening skills, ensemble playing and confidence in improvisation through working with other young musicians and professional artists.
Timur is currently in the second year of a four-year first-level music education programme. He participated in the International Saxophone Festival in Szczecin in 2024 and 2025 and is preparing for the 2026 edition. He has experience both as a soloist and as part of a wind orchestra, giving him a foundation in ensemble thinking and musical communication. On the Young Talents Stage, Timur presents the beginning of an intriguing journey — from classical discipline toward the freedom of jazz.
YAVOR ANGELOV
Bulgaria
Yavor Angelov is a flautist from Bansko who is turning toward the jazz repertoire and stage development as a solo performer. His programme includes well-known jazz standards and themes such as The Girl from Ipanema, A Night in Tunisia, Beautiful Love, I’m in the Mood for Love, Impressions and other works that offer space for melody, improvisation and personal interpretation.
Yavor has participated in Jazz Festival Dimitrovgrad and continues his studies in the master’s programme “Pop and Jazz Flute” at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts “Prof. Asen Diamandiev” in Plovdiv. This educational path gives him the opportunity to develop his technical and stylistic skills, as well as to build a broader understanding of the flute’s place in jazz.
As a participant from Bansko, his presence on the Young Talents Stage also carries a special local meaning — a meeting between a young musician born in the host town and a festival environment that brings together artists from different generations and countries. His performance presents the flute as an instrument of softness, freedom and expressiveness within the language of jazz.
STEFAN VALEV
Bulgaria
Stefan Valev is a multi-instrumentalist from Gotse Delchev, for whom music is a space for experimentation, personal freedom and shared energy. He plays guitar, bass, drums, piano, classical guitar and synthesizers, while his artistic interests move through funk, blues, jazz, Bulgarian folk music, boom bap and psychedelic rock.
The main direction of his project is connected with improvisation and the blending of different musical influences. The repertoire includes funk improvisations over boom bap beats, jazz pieces and original ideas in which Stefan experiments with sound, rhythm and melody. His long-term creative vision is directed toward the creation of indie psychedelic rock with funk, jazz and Bulgarian folklore elements.
Stefan has more than 15 years of musical experience. He has been concertmaster of the Classical Guitar Orchestra in Gotse Delchev, has taught classical guitar, participated as a jury member and led music seminars. At the American University in Bulgaria, he develops his jazz and funk improvisation and leads the music department of Rock Jamming Club. On the Young Talents Stage, he presents a free, bold and searching artistic world.
VIMBRA
Luxembourg / Bulgaria
VIMBRA is an original jazz duo bringing together Agleya Kaneva – vocals, marimba and percussion, and Yasen Geisel – vibraphone and marimba. The two met in 2023 at the Bastet Festival of Music and Poetry in Tsarevo, and in 2024 shaped their shared artistic direction as a percussion jazz formation.
The project was first presented in March 2025 at a gala concert of the International Composers Competition with the Chamber Orchestra of the Luxembourg Philharmonic, conducted by Konstantin Ilievsky. VIMBRA’s new repertoire is inspired by Bansko Jazz Academy 2025 and includes works and arrangements for marimba, vibraphone, voice and percussion instruments, written especially for the formation.
Agleya Kaneva is a young percussionist, vocalist and composer with numerous awards from national and international competitions. Yasen Geisel studies at the Luxembourg Conservatory in the classes of percussion and jazz vibraphone, has appeared as a soloist with orchestras and has received a number of awards. VIMBRA offers a rare and impressive combination of timbre, rhythm and jazz imagination, turning the stage into a space for chamber energy and discovery.
VIMBRA
Luxembourg / Bulgaria
VIMBRA is an original jazz duo bringing together Agleya Kaneva – vocals, marimba and percussion, and Yasen Geisel – vibraphone and marimba. The two met in 2023 at the Bastet Festival of Music and Poetry in Tsarevo, and in 2024 shaped their shared artistic direction as a percussion jazz formation.
The project was first presented in March 2025 at a gala concert of the International Composers Competition with the Chamber Orchestra of the Luxembourg Philharmonic, conducted by Konstantin Ilievsky. VIMBRA’s new repertoire is inspired by Bansko Jazz Academy 2025 and includes works and arrangements for marimba, vibraphone, voice and percussion instruments, written especially for the formation.
Agleya Kaneva is a young percussionist, vocalist and composer with numerous awards from national and international competitions. Yasen Geisel studies at the Luxembourg Conservatory in the classes of percussion and jazz vibraphone, has appeared as a soloist with orchestras and has received a number of awards. VIMBRA offers a rare and impressive combination of timbre, rhythm and jazz imagination, turning the stage into a space for chamber energy and discovery.
SOFIYA KOGAN
Israel
Sofiya Kogan is a young saxophonist who studies classical saxophone at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance and is developing an interest in various musical styles. She is especially drawn to jazz — music she wants to study more deeply and in which she seeks new possibilities for improvisation, freedom and personal expression.
Sofiya began her musical education at Music School No. 12 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where she studied saxophone and vocals from 2013 to 2019. She then continued her studies at the Conservatory of the Rubin Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem, and since 2025 has been a student in the saxophone class of the same academy.
She is a laureate, winner and Grand Prix recipient of more than ten local and international competitions. She has also participated in the “100 Gifted Children of Kazakhstan” project, highlighting the early recognition of her musical abilities. Sofiya has versatile skills and continues to develop them actively. On the Young Talents Stage, she comes with a clear desire to expand her classical experience toward jazz and to build a new artistic perspective.
JAZZ AMONG THE STRINGS – YANA GEORGIEVA
Bulgaria
“Jazz among the Strings” is a project by Yana Georgieva that places the harp in an unusual and exciting jazz environment. As a young harpist and vocalist, Yana seeks to show that this instrument has rich possibilities not only in classical music, but also in jazz — as a harmonic, improvisational and expressive voice.
The programme includes jazz standards arranged for solo harp, with voice included in some of them. Among the titles are My Funny Valentine, Doxy, Beautiful Love, Billie’s Bounce, Like Someone in Love, So Nice, Autumn Leaves, Summertime and All of Me. The idea of the project is to combine playing and singing in an intimate chamber form that reveals a new sound for familiar jazz themes.
Yana is a student at the National Music School “Lyubomir Pipkov” in Sofia and has significant experience in competitions, masterclasses and concert performances. She has won awards as a harpist and soloist, taken part in jazz masterclasses and performed with established musicians. On the Young Talents Stage, she presents a bold and rare project that expands the idea of the harp in contemporary jazz.
ELIN GABROV
Israel
Elin Gabrov is a young vocalist with an interest in swing, jazz, pop and rock’n’roll. His artistic direction is connected with stage presence, musical communication and the desire for continuous development through training and active practice.
As a solo performer, Elin is searching for his own style at the crossroads of different popular genres. Swing and jazz provide a foundation of rhythm, freedom and vocal expressiveness, while pop and rock’n’roll influences add energy, directness and connection with the audience. This combination shapes a performer interested both in tradition and in live stage contact.
Elin has participated in various festivals and cultural events through which he develops his skills and artistic presence. For him, the stage is a place for growth, encounter and sharing music. His participation in Bansko Jazz Academy 2026 is an opportunity to continue his development in an environment that brings together young musicians, teachers and audiences open to jazz and its various forms. On the Young Talents Stage, Elin presents a young voice with an interest in the classic energy of swing and contemporary stage freedom.
ANGELIE
Bulgaria
Angelie, the artistic name of Angelina Saparevska, is a singer and trumpeter from Sofia. Her style carries the influence of Chet Baker’s sound and seeks a symbiosis between traditional Western swing jazz and modern ethnic motifs. She writes original music in this direction and sees her participation in Bansko Jazz Festival as an opportunity to develop her skills as a trumpeter and meet musicians from the Bulgarian and international jazz scene.
Angelie is 18 years old and is graduating from the National Music School “Lyubomir Pipkov” with a major in classical piano. She has been accepted with excellent results into the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”, in the department of Pop and Jazz Art. She has been involved in jazz from an early age, with her first appearances connected to Ventsislav Blagoev’s “Jazz for Kids” events.
She has participated in the Big Band of the National Music School, performed in the USA and the Netherlands, created several formations and has more than ten original jazz songs. On the Young Talents Stage, Angelie presents a personal artistic world in which voice, trumpet and original music go hand in hand.
PROJECT “NOV PLATAK”
Bulgaria
Project “Nov Platak” is a quartet based in Sofia, created around the idea of live ensemble playing, arranged jazz standards and original musical moments. At the heart of the project is saxophonist Yoan Ivanov’s desire to work with more experienced musicians who can respond to his energy and turn the stage into a space for genuine musical exchange.
The line-up includes Yoan Ivanov – saxophone, Evgeni Shishenkov – piano/keyboard, and Andrey Velkov – drums. The project is new and is only beginning to build its story, but this is precisely what gives it a sense of openness and spontaneity. The repertoire includes arranged jazz standards and original ideas that allow freedom of improvisation and interaction between the musicians.
“Nov Platak” carries the spirit of a young formation that is not afraid to search, take risks and learn along the way. On the Young Talents Stage, the project presents the beginning of a musical encounter — between different experience, strong motivation and a desire for jazz that happens here and now.
