In the Art Workshop “Music and Traditions” – the village of Mirkovo, children and youth from different ethnic groups (with a focus on Roma) are trained to play musical instruments. Within the framework of the 6-month training conducted so far, the participants have already acquired basic abilities to play musical instruments, mainly brass and percussion (trumpet, clarinet, flute, solo drum, etc.). The next level was the formation of an orchestra, which has already started participating in various cultural initiatives in the Municipality of Mirkovo.
Training in the Art Workshop follows the rules of the American school band training program – Essential Elements 2000. This is an innovative program for Bulgaria, which is organized in such a way that, in parallel with the individual training, the participants start building themselves as an orchestra right from the start of the classes. Another advantage of the program is that the training and formation of the orchestra can be led by one person who is a teacher of all instruments and a conductor at the same time. The program emphasizes the essence of training on a specific instrument, without unnecessary ballast of theoretical knowledge. The goal is for the novice performer to quickly get to know the possibilities of the new instrument, without worrying about the first low-quality sounds. This helps him to accelerate his way to the lively, beautiful sound, the reproduction of which captivates him and motivates him to continue learning and practicing alone at home.
Regular playing of a musical instrument changes the architecture of the brain and activates its activity, experts say. It can be used as a therapy to improve memory, language and cognitive skills. As a result, a person thinks faster, begins to skillfully plan his actions and becomes more sensitive to the emotions of others. Playing music increases the IQ of children and adults because it sharpens hearing and receptivity. When children learn to master a specific musical instrument, their character noticeably changes, they become more disciplined, careful and considerate. Music classes even make learning foreign languages easier.
In addition to the development of musical abilities, individual creativity and intelligence of the participants, the aim of the work in the Art Workshop “Music and Traditions” is to create team skills, i.e. cooperation skills, communication, loyalty, correctness, organization, respect for the opinion of others, discipline. Working in a common orchestra also means specific responsibilities for each one individually for the sake of the team’s success. In fact, it is interesting that despite the high demands, the participants feel comfortable when there are rules that apply to everyone and when everyone knows their duties and responsibilities. In the “orchestra” model, there are no stereotypes that divide, the participants are equal and significant – each individually and all together, because the importance of the individual exists on the one hand, as a performer, and on the other, as part of the innovative whole that produces events. The orchestra proved to be an instrument for a new type of social life, in which the abilities of the individual contribute to change the whole environment and the way of life of each individual participant, and also of the publics who share in the change.

Public performances play an important role in the behavioral motivation of the workshop members, expand the horizon of their social participation through the personalized interpretation of the music, the motivation for its performance and the stage presence of the performer, because music is a universal language understood by all. Music’s ability to bring together groups of people, even those opposed to each other, has long been recognized because it is the world’s most influential international language. Through her ability to influence different audiences, on their feelings, she essentially makes them “one team”.
In addition to their participation in the “Plenary of the Arts” in the village of Dazhdovnitsa and the “Festival of the Arts” in the town of Kardjali, the members of the Art Workshop “Music and Traditions” are now actively involved in local celebrations and holidays. Children and young people from the Art Workshop participated in the official ceremony at the unveiling of a bust-monument of the great revolutionary and leader of the April Uprising Georgi Benkovski in the village of Benkovski, Mirkovo municipality on the occasion of the 180th anniversary of his birth. They performed the marches “Vyatar Echi, Balkan Steene”, “Krai Bosphorus” and “Botev March”, bringing additional solemnity to the ceremony and inspiring the residents of the village with their performances. The event was attended by the mayor, deputy mayor and secretary of Mirkovo Municipality, the chairman of the Municipal Council, as well as the deputy mayor of the village of Benkovski, municipal councilors and citizens.
On the eve of November 1, the Day of the People’s Awakeners, “Georgi Benkovski” elementary school in the village of Mirkovo and “Cultural Uplift – 2020” organized a torchlight procession, which also included the “Music and Traditions” art workshop. Revival marches sounded in the streets of the village of Mirkovo, and a concert took place in the square, again with the participation of children and young people from the Art Workshop “Music and Traditions”. The event caused a wide response in the local media and social networks.
The upcoming appearances of the art workshop team will take place at the ceremonial lighting of the Christmas lights in the Mirkovo Municipality, as well as during the Christmas concert organized by the “Cultural Uplift – 2020” PN and the “Georgi Benkovski” Elementary School in the municipality.