International Festival of Wind Orchestras "Diko Iliev" - Montana

The first edition of the Festival of Wind Orchestras "Diko Iliev" was held on April 23 and 24, 1988 in the then Mihailovgrad (the previous name of Montana). Wind orchestras from Velingrad, Troyan, Elin Pelin, Oryahovo, Belogradchik, Lom, Varshets, Berkovitsa, Stanotrun, Pokrajna, Bukovets, Zamfirovo and Mihailovgrad take part in it. So, 90 years after the birth and 4 years after the death of the distinctive composer, the beginning of a tradition is laid. It is a priority in the cultural policy of the Municipality of Montana, the most significant cultural event for the city, and the most anticipated festival by the audience. So, for nearly 4 decades, every two years, Montana has hosted the Festival of Wind Orchestras "Diko Iliev". In 1994, the Ministry of Culture announced the festival as national, and since 2004 it has been international.

The festival do not has a competitive nature. Creative satisfaction, professional contacts, new inspiration from the ecstatic audience, participation certificates, and the statuette of the - an exquisite small brass sculpture created by sculptor Teodosi Antonov - are the reward for all participants. The festival deliberately avoids the competitive element because its main aim is to preserve the rich traditions of brass bands regionally and nationally. The organizers make a purposeful efforts to popularize the work of the original composer Diko Iliev and wind music at home and abroad. Their contribution to stimulating intercultural cooperation is indisputable.

As the most prestigious event in the cultural calendar of the Montana municipality, the Diko-Iliev festival enjoys enormous interest from the local community. In its efforts to expand the audience, the Municipality of Montana organizes concerts of visiting foreign bands in neighboring towns - Vratsa, Vidin, Berkovitsa, and Varshets. The event also contributes to the development of festival tourism.

The International Festival of Wind Orchestras "Diko Iliev" is financed by the Municipality of Montana, sponsors, and other sources (programs and projects), with the main responsibility is falling on the local budget. The concept of holidays changes in tune with the needs of the times, adhering to time-proven and time-tested traditions. The summary of the festival is unfolded in the Regulations of the International Festival "Diko Iliev", confirmed by Decision No. 96 of Protocol No. 7 of 243.04.2012 of the Municipal Council - Montana.

So far, orchestras from nearly 50 settlements in Bulgaria have participated in the festival. Among the regular and audience-favorite performers are the Representative Youth Wind Orchestra and Majorettes Group "Dimitar Mechev" - Velingrad, with conductor Dimitar Lazarov and head of majorettes Bilyana Maslarska; The youth Wind Orchestra and cheerleading band from Lovech with conductor Totko Rogashki; The Representative Municipal Youth Wind Orchestra with majorettes – Troyan, with conductor Iliyan Todorov; The Youth Wind Orchestra - Botevgrad, with conductor Konstantin Gaidarski; The Wind Orchestra "Diko Iliev" - Montana. The largest number of orchestras – 15, were invited to the third edition of the Festival "Diko Iliev", held in Mihailovgrad (now - Montana) in the period of time between April 21st – 23th, 1992. Subsequently, the Municipality of Montana, as the organizer, implemented a policy of precise selection of participants and confirmed the model in each of the three festival evenings of the festival to participate 4 orchestras with a 30-minute program. Although the regulations of the festival do not impose age restrictions and allow the participation of both amateur and professional brass bands, the aim is to have a youth orchestra, a professional orchestra, a prominent amateur orchestra, and an orchestra from abroad.

Among the professional orchestras, the military ones stand out for their high artistic level. The guests of the festival were the Representative Guard Brass Band of the National Guard Unit - Sofia; The Naval Brass Band of the Naval Forces - Varna; The representative brass band of the Land Forces, Military Formation 42830 – Gorna Banya; The festival military brass band of the "Vasil Levski" National Military School - Veliko Tarnovo, and the brass band of the 2nd Tundzhan Mechanized Brigade - Stara Zagora; The military brass band of the 61st Stryam’s Mechanized Brigade - Karlovo.

Welcome guests are professional formations such as the Sofia Wind Orchestra, the Wind Orchestra of Palace of Culture - Pernik, and the wind orchestras from Vidin, Vratsa, Pleven, Targovishte, Ruse and Dobrich.

The first foreign orchestra that stepped on the stage of the festival was "Malin" from Montana's sister city of Zhytomyr, Ukraine. In subsequent editions, formations from 11 more countries take part - an orchestra from the city of Dzerzhinsk, Moscow Region - Russia, the Garrison Orchestra of Hradec Kralove - Czech Republic; Orchestra "Hofkapele Nooit Gedagt" from the town of Voydrigem - Netherlands; The youth brass band with majorettes at the Music School in Jeseník, Czech Republic; The Municipal Wind Orchestra of the city of Edirne, Turkey; The Staszitz Wind Orchestra from the city of Katowice, Poland; "Aferdita" Wind Orchestra from Elbasan, Albania; The wind orchestra of the School of Arts "Preluch" in the town of Preluch, Czech Republic; Brass band "Buchkovanka" from the town of Nove Mesto nad Vahum, Slovakia; The brass band and majorettes from the city of Sinhalom – Hungary; Nenad Mladenović's Orchestra from Vranje, Serbia; The youth wind symphony orchestra "Surma" from the Music College of the city of Rivne, Ukraine; The Wind Orchestra of the Municipality of Kalamaria - Greece; The firemen's brass band with majorettes from Loče - Slovenia.

Thus, the International Wind Orchestra Festival "Diko Iliev" - Montana contributes to the preservation of the rich traditions of wind orchestras on a national level and the popularization of Diko Iliev's work not only in his native country. The foreign orchestras participating in the festival perform works of the original composer on the festival stage, which then find a place in their repertoire. In recent years, the tradition has become established at the beginning of the festival in a joint performance by all participating orchestras of two of the composer's emblematic works - "Danube Choro" and the "Slivenci pri Drava" march. Immediately after them, the national anthems of their countries are performed.

The fact that the International Wind Orchestra Festival "Diko Iliev" is held under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture contributes to the prestige of the event.

The sustainability of the festival as an event has been proven over time - they are one of the traditional cultural events in Montana because they have been held without interruption for nearly three decades. During this period, their concept was enriched, their popularity among the audience, and their authority in professional circles grew. The organization of the holidays relies on cooperation with organizations as the Union of Bulgarian Composers, the Union of Music and Dance Artists, Sofia Univercity "St. Kliment Ohridski", the National Academy of Music in Sofia. The festival is a kind of meeting of the generations and guarantees continuity by presenting talented young and established artists, because they feature youth, professional, and military orchestras that have received national or international awards.

The International festivals "Diko Iliev" has two main accompanying events - a National Competition for Creating a New piece for a Wind Orchestras and an International Competition for Children's Visual Arts "The music and dances of my people". They further stimulate interest and increase the popularity of the festival, reaching specific target groups. Various accompanying events of the festival enrich its program.