François Chaplin – Charity Recital

The great French pianist François Chaplin will play in Sofia in support of young talented pianists in Bulgaria, who are selected by an international jury in the competition of the Ventsislav Yankoff Foundation – Poets of the Piano.

As a student at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique de Paris, François Chaplin received his valuable lessons from the outstanding Bulgarian pianist Ventsislav Yankoff.

The programme of the Charity Recital includes works by Haydn, Chopin and Debussy, which François Chaplin has studied with his mentor.

Ventsislav Yankoff was a student of the German Professor Martinsen and the French pianist Marguerite Long and was awarded first prize in the Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud International Competition in 1949. It was this magnificent French pianist and friend of Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy who taught Ventsislav Yankoff how to play their works. This tradition is passed on to his students. One of the most prominent among them is François Chaplin, who by coming to Bulgaria, fulfils a promise made long ago to his professor – to play in front of a Bulgarian audience.

François Chaplin was a member of the jury in Sofia in 2023, which awarded the first scholarship recipients of the Ventsislav Yankoff Foundation – Ivaylo Vassilev and Angel Yalachkov – two young talented pianists who have a great future ahead of them. Thanks to the financial support they received, they were able to participate in several master classes abroad and now we are all enjoying their great success.
François Chaplin will give a masterclass for young pianists in the period 13-17 May 2024, which will take place at the French Institute in Sofia.

On 17 May at 19.00 in the Slaveikov Hall of the French Institute in Sofia the concert of the students of the masterclass will be held. Admission is free until the seats run out.

The Charity Recital and the masterclass are held under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and the French Embassy and the French Institute in Bulgaria and with the financial support of the Sofia Municipality. Partners of the initiatives are the Bulgarian Red Cross, Fair Play International, National Music Academy “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”, National School of Music “Lyubomir Pipkov” and the Association of Honorary Consuls in Bulgaria.

Bulgaria can have its special ambassadors in the world in the face of our young talented musicians.

A little timely help for them now is invaluable.

Give yourself a treat with an elegant Sunday evening on 19 May at 7pm in the Great Bulgaria Concert Hall with the wonderful music of Haydn, Chopin and Debussy and join us in this noble endeavour for the benefit of the talent, hard work and inspiration of our young pianists!

Tickets can be found on the Eventim network and at the Bulgaria Concert Hall box office.