Toshko Todorov

Toshko Todorov - Bulgaria (2)

I received through the common friend Roger Trobridge, the sad news that another friend left us. Our Bulgarian friend Toshko Todorov, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the world championships of 1963 and 1969, died at age 78. I was exchanging some messages today with his son Dorian, who sent me some information about his father. This is our tribute, rest in peace dear friend

https://riskas513.blogspot.com/2015/02/toshko-todorov.html

Quartet Rodina 1rst. prize - Winterthur 1969

1rst. prize Harmoneta Strasbourg 1963

Winterthur 1969 Harmoneta

Dorian Todorov Dimitrov

16 de março às 02:51 · 

Bulgarian though I am, to even attempt to express myself appropriately I write in English....

No words can convey the magnitude of my grief and my broken state of mind...

Yesterday I lost my father.

A man who through all the difficult times stood by me no matter what. He was there to celebrate all of my successes and he supported me in my times of failure. We may have had our differences of opinion especially with music, but I cannot deny the respect and admiration I had for him in all that he achieved in his musical career. A man who toiled and struggled incredibly hard during the communist regime in Bulgaria to get to where he wanted to be. He successfully made numerous tours across Europe playing as soloist with orchestra, with his group or with my mother, then a dancer, and having won many competitions and world titles.

They moved to UK and after a short while, and for a multitude of reasons, they gave up their musical endeavours. Eventually, after having decided to take up music and do it professionally and having known of my father’s old life, I convinced him to take it up one more time for me - by then having given it up for around 10 years. I will never forget the first piece we played together; Grieg’s Solveig’s Song.
I was thrilled and am proud that I got the chance to later share the stage with him on 20th July 2009 at the Banqueting House, Whitehall...

For my own reasons I have always refrained from posting videos of myself, however, at this moment I want to share a video of him and me from that concert 10 years ago, playing Schumann’s Traumerei:

https://youtu.be/Dmx3eUMyPBg

Dad, I know I was not the perfect son and there are lots of things that I will regret to my dying day - not least of all not having the chance to say a proper goodbye... But I hope that wherever you are, you know that I have always strived my hardest to make you as proud as I physically could...
I hope to one day fulfil that promise and achieve that.

Тати, обичам те
Dad, I love you

❤️