Lessons in Kovachevtsi, BG with Kremena Stancheva

We spent Friday afternoon, Saturday and part of Sunday in Kovachevtsi, a village south of Sofia behind Vitosha mountain. It is in a large valley about 3000 ft above sea level situated in between the Rila mountains, Vitosha Mountain and two other smaller sets whose names I've already forgotten. I occupied our time attempting to learn a set of Shopluk songs from Kremena Stancheva, a well-known singer in the Mystere Choir, aka the Bulgarian Women's Choir. Papa enjoys listening so he often sat with us. It was really fun singing with Kremena as she, on purpose, uses not just half and whole tones, but quarter tones which I, in no way, can duplicate. Quarter tones really makes the songs sound different and she said that when she joined the BG choir, she had to modify the quarter tones in her singing for the radio audience. Well, remember I'm translating all this without help, so at least this is what I *think* she said :) Anyway, Dunava choir, I hope you're ready because I'm coming back with more songs that I possibly know what to do with! When possible, I'm always asking for songs meant for multiple voices. I am really looking forward to trying some of them with you all. I think you'll really like them :)

One last note about our stay there: We stayed with a very nice woman who I called Baba Vene(or in papa's case since he was actually older than she, just Veneta). She has a very nice house but it is the strangest setup. The second floor, where we slept and where the dining room is, is not connected inside to the first floor. So, to reach the kitchen and other rooms, you have to go outside. Ok, but it gets better. The bathroom is in the first floor so you go out and then back inside to take your shower. However, the toilet is not in the bathroom. It is in an outhouse beside the chicken coop near the garden!