Аt the end of March 2024, Sweden became the next of the Scandinavian countries included in the Brass Perspectives Association BG international programme. Just a week before we celebrate the third anniversary of our organisation, Swedish trombonist and arranger Lars Karlin, who has been the principal trombone of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra - the main ensemble of the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) - since 2020, arrived to held the fifth certified international masterclass. The event which we began preparing for in May 2022 is the first in a planned series of concerts and masterclasses over the next 3 years, which we will hold with colleagues leading various wind instrumental groups at the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. The events in 2024 and next year are dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Danish National Radio and the 90th anniversary of Bulgarian National Radio in 2025. For me as an artistic director of the Brass Perspectives Association BG the idea for this joint project began as an improvisational inspiration related to Lars Karlin's creative pursuits as an arranger and performing artist. We have certainly raised the bar for ourselves once again - this time alongside a Swedish colleague who has chosen Copenhagen as his home.

The trombone masterclass and brass ensembles led by Lars Karlin from 28 to 30 March 2024 created a completely different working and creative atmosphere compared to previous classes by Branimir Slokar (Switzerland), György Givichan (Hungary), Remko de Jager (Netherlands), and Tero Lindberg (Finland). The teaching approach and methods, the working atmosphere, and the carefully crafted Scandinavian brass harmony, which organically incorporated works by Danish, Swedish, Finnish, and Flemish composers, transformed the three days of intensive training into a challenging adventure at a new professional level. I believe that all participants will remember it with satisfaction for a long time.

What happened and why it was so different:
🎶 For the first time, the Brass Perspectives Association BG opened its doors to foreign participants in its masterclasses. It was a pleasure for us to see this vibrant international group of trombonists from Bulgaria, represented by students from music schools in Sofia, Plovdiv, and Bourgas, students from the National Music Academy “Prof. P. Vladigerov” from China, and colleagues from Azerbaijan, Spain (Symphony Orchestra of Vratsa), and the USA (State Opera of Stara Zagora). They were joined by Greek colleagues - students from the Philippos NAKAS Conservatory in Athens and from the State Conservatory in Thessaloniki. We have initiated a very interesting collaboration, which will already have its projects by 2026.

🎶 The morning warm-ups are an integral part of the preparation for brass musicians, as well as of the programme for all educational events of our Association. In the interpretation of Lars Karlín, these otherwise somewhat boring standard, but very useful sessions were transformed into a demanding physical activity, almost a power system of yoga exercises for breathing and stretching, aimed at developing the musculature that supports the endurance and strength of the brass players. The yoga course, developed by Lisa Sarazini and Lars Karlín (both trombonists), was presented to us shortly before its phased online publication including a special preferential access to this yoga system for the participants in the masterclass.

🎶On the second day of the masterclass, during a special presentation dedicated to trombone music by contemporary Swedish composers, Lars Karlín chose to perform the selected favourite pieces himself rather than have them played from a recording. The exquisite miniatures in Roland Pöntinen's piece “Camera” felt like a journey through the Scandinavian lands in Summer, while the exceptionally beautiful “Three Swedish Songs” by Per-Erik Moraeus, Andreas Valenius, and Balter Erik Olsson, brought together in a suite arranged by Lars Karlín for solo trombone and piano, became a very emotional moment for the musician himself. I can boldly share that all present were left breathless by the striking, whirlwind, and extravagant piece “Skin Trombone” by Anders Hillborg for solo trombone and percussion.

🎶 The individual lessons surprised participants with some alternative exercises chosen by the teacher, as well as with the remarkable operatic baritone of Lars Karlín, who resonated in his interpretation of the melodic lines in the works from the study repertoire. Singing as a method to delve into the piece, but also primarily as a more comprehensible way to feel the movement of the air stream in the melody, is one of the essential aspects of Karlín's teaching system.

🎶 A charming highlight of the masterclass was the participation of 4 ladies: Cathy Schule (USA, State Opera Stara Zagora), Natalia Kalampaliki and Rafaela Karakaxa from the NAKAS Conservatory in Athens, Greece, who chose the trombone as their instrument, and Galya Dimitrova - a student at the National Music Academy "Prof. Pancho Vladigerov" - on trumpet in the class of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Petar Macedonski. All the ladies participated in the final concert of the international masterclass conducted by Lars Karlín.  

🎺 We thank the group of trumpeters led by Vladimir Mitin - a teacher at the National Music School "L. Pipkov", as well as percussion students Borislav Zapryanov and Charlie Milov from the class of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Miroslav Dimov, who participated in the final concert with professionalism and heart.  

🎶 As always, after numerous individual lessons and long rehearsals, the final concert on 30.03.2024 was the most spectacular event in the masterclass programme. The concert featured solo performances by Lars Karlín, his selected participants Max Stoyanov (trombone) and Pavel Petkov (flugelhorn) from the National Music School “Lyubomir Pipkov”, Catherine Schule (USA, State Opera Stara Zagora) and Mustafa Khalilov (Azerbaijan, Vratsa Symphony Orchestra). The finale of the concert was dedicated to the piece by the Flemish composer from the Baroque era, Tilman Susato, whose creative journey is linked to Sweden. In the brilliant arrangement by Lars Karlín, 22 participants from the international masterclass trombone and brass ensembles took part. Just before these concluding chords, everyone received their certificates of participation in this educational event filled with challenging moments.

And finally, almost like at a Hollywood ceremony, we would like to officially and wholeheartedly thank our partners:  
🎶 We express our gratitude to YAMAHA Europe, who are supporting our project for the first time. Of course, this is no coincidence: Lars Karlin is among the brightest stars in contemporary brass music, which the famous Japanese corporation supports. And we are now fully aware of why.  
🎶 Once again, we relied on our traditional partner, the National Music Academy  “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”, for the venues for the classes and the final concert of the masterclass. We thank the rector of the Academy, Prof. Dr. Sava Dimitrov, for the support. 
🎶 We express our deep gratitude to the Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark in Bulgaria and personally to His Excellency Ambassador Jes Nielsen, who has been supporting the Denmark-inspired projects of “Brass Perspectives” since 2021. We believe that this collaboration will continue to expand in the coming years.  
🎶 Special thanks to the tireless professional and wonderful accompanist, Mrs. Snezhana Abrasheva, whose skills were highly appreciated by Lars Karlin and the foreign participants in the event.  
🎶 Very special thanks and hugs to our beloved official photographer, Vessela Ilkova (@vessy_ilkova_photography).

N.B. If you want to listen Lars Karlin on stage, we would like to invite you to his concert with the Symphony Orchestra of Bulgarian National Radio on the 4th of July, 2025, 7 PM, at BULGARIA Hall in Sofia. Enjoy!