Composers usually regard the viola as a part of the orchestra and thus a few works for viola have been written. Recordings of talented viola players are very rare. In the limited number of works for viola, the listener can appreciate the beautiful sound and varied potentialities of the instrument.
Elissaveta Staneva is one of the renowned viola players world-wide. She was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, studied at the Secondary Music School in Plovdiv and continued her education at the State Academy of Music in Sofia and at the University of Music in Vienna. She attended many master classes with: Tabea Zimmermann, Thomas Riebl, Michael Kugel and Diemut Popen.From 1992 to 1996 she was a member of Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra under the directionof Claudio Abbado, and played later on in the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. She has been principle viola of the Graz Philharmonic Orchestra (Austria) since 2001. In addition to her orchestral engagement, she also participated as soloist and member of various chamber music groups throughout Europe and USA. She is holder of prestigious awards: Prize of the Nippon Foundation Japan, OESTIG Prize for the excellent Interpretation of Contemporary Austrian Music, etc. She is prize winner at national and international competitions.
The conductor Nayden Todorov was born in Bulgaria. He studied with Karl Osterreicher and Uros Lajovic in Vienna and has gone on to conduct major orchestras across the European and the American continents, and in Israel. He currently serves as a general manager and music director of the Rousse State Opera & Philharmonic. In addition he is the Music Director of the much-lauded Thracia Summer International Music Festival and since 2001 he has been paying regular guest visits to the National Opera and Ballet in Sofia. Nayden Todorov has also been a Principal Guest Conductor of the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra since the 2003-2004 season.
The Thracian Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1998. The orchestra includes talented musicians from Plovdiv and the surrounding region. Many renowned Bulgarian and foreign solo players and conductors have performed in the orchestra since its foundation, and they have received high appraisal from the audience and critics.
 
Recorded in 2005 in the studio of Radio Plovdiv