Mixed Choir "Petko Staynov" at “Iskra – 1860” Community Centre  is a leading choir in the town of Kazanlak.

 

The choir was set up in 1972 and led by Petya Pavlovich, a prominent conductor and founder of the first choir school in Bulgaria.

 

After the famous composer Petko Staynov passed away, the choir was named after him. Since then, the works of Petko Staynov and other Bulgarian composers have been invariably present in the choir’s performances throughout the country and abroad. The Mixed Choir "Petko Staynov" has performed in most European countries and numerous capitals like Prague, Rome, London, Paris, Budapest and Ankara. As a participant in international and national competitions, the choir was laureate of Arezzo, Italy; Preveza and Karpenisi, Greece; Ihlava and Golden Prague, Czech Republic; Varna, Bulgaria.

 

 

The latest prizes were awarded at the choral competition Prague Advent in 2016 and the National Orthodox Festival, the city of Popovo in 2019. In recent years, the choir has won several awards at the World Peace Choral Festival (silver medal), "May Music Festival", Bosnia and Herzegovina (first place in the category). The Mixed Choir "Petko Staynov" often partners with Bulgarian orchestras and soloists like the State Opera Stara Zagora and the State Opera Plovdiv as well as the Orchestras of Sliven and Gabrovo.

 

 

The consultant of the choir is Prof. Teodora Pavlovich, a prominent conductor in Bulgaria and abroad. 

 

 

Since 2004 the choir conductor has been Mladen Stanev, choir conductor at the State Opera of Stara Zagora, leader of various musical ensembles, member of national and international music juries, artistic director of the Cultural Centre of the Minyu Balkanski Foundation.