KAVAL
"Angel Zhekov is one of the greatest living masters of Bulgarian kaval"
Chicago University Press
"I started playing the Kaval when I was 10 years old. My great grandfather and my grandfather were Kaval players so I became one too. The most difficult aspect of playing the instrument is the mastering of the diaphragmatic breathing on which the articulation and the phrasing depend on, and consequently the good sound and expression. That could be achieved only with many hours of practicing and dedication. However, the Kaval is a direct passage to the soul, through which the player can connect to its audience its profound sentiments and communicate deep emotions."
Angel Zhekov is from a family of kaval players. Both his father and grandfather were well known kaval players. He has started his formal musical studies in the Music School in Kotel, Bulgaria under the supervision of some of the most famous kaval specialists. From a very early age Angel is a soloist of many different ensembles and has the opportunity to perform around his native county and abroad. After his graduation from the Music Academy in Plovdiv, he becomes a member of the famous folk orchestra "Orpheus" with George Yanev (violin), Ivo Paspasov (clarinet) and Peter Ralchev (accordion). He becomes a prominent musical figure in the Bulgarian folk music scene and he often collaborates with some of the most iconic musicians in different music formations.
In 2002 he emigrates with his family to Chicago, United States where he currently resides.
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