Four ensembles and four gold medals (1967–1969)

In 1967 concerts were held all over the country for the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution. At the national singing contest in Sofia, Morski Zvutsi won first place, a diploma and the first prize of the National Committee for Bulgarian–Soviet Friendship; soloists from the vocal studio, Radka Andreeva and Milcho Momchev, accompanied by Elisaveta Kaludzhinova, also received diplomas. The choir’s tour of the country that followed was welcomed with particular warmth.

1968 was spent preparing for the Third National Festival. For the first time the choir worked as four separate ensembles – mixed, women’s, men’s and chamber. The new chamber choir would remain Morski Zvutsi’s constant companion for many years. With its repertoire the choir toured Kyiv, Leningrad (today St Petersburg) and Moscow.

At the Third National Festival in Ruse in June 1969, the four ensembles won four gold medals, and the mixed, women’s and chamber choirs also received diplomas for outstanding artistic achievement. Mimi Dimova’s students Radka Andreeva and Dimka Dyulgerova won gold and bronze medals. The book reproduces the diplomas of Marin Chonev and of the four ensembles.

That year the choir was also sent on a cultural exchange to the Odesa region: it sang at the poultry plant in Pervomaisk, at the Shabo state farm and at the Summer Theatre in Odesa, and the concert was broadcast on Ukrainian television. On 15 November 1969, at the Shipbuilders’ House of Culture, Yordan Dafov gave an opening address that traced the choir’s roots back to 1899 and credited its achievements above all to Marin Chonev – his memory, control, clean conducting technique and wide repertoire from pre-classical to contemporary music, with a distinctly Bulgarian character (Pipkov, G. Dimitrov, P. Staynov).

The year ended with a concert in the Universiada Hall in Sofia by the ensembles of Varna and the Varna district, marking the 25th anniversary of 9 September. Morski Zvutsi appeared on its own with the mixed and chamber choirs; Todor Popov’s oratorio “Invasion” made a particularly strong impression. The concert, attended by the country’s leadership, was broadcast on television.