Voland Quartet presents a very interesting program. The works included were created during the last 70 years and they show some trends in the development of 20th and 21st century music. Of special interest is the combination of two pianos with the timbre variety of the different percussion instruments. The four musicians are renowned solo performers, but in the present recordings they have achieved an amazing ensemble performance.
Ivo Varbanov was born in Bulgaria and received his music education in Italy and the UK, having studied with famous piano teachers. He has performed in important venues such as Wigmore Hall, South Bank Centre, S. John’s Smiths Square in London, Carnegie Hall in New York, and Bulgaria Concert Hall in Sofia. Gega New has published two CDs of the musician: the first one containing works for piano by Mussorgsky (GD 117) and the second - works for cello and piano by Pizzetti, recorded together with the cello player Seeli Toivio (GD 275).
Michal Drewnowski studied the piano with Ewa Poblocka in Warsaw and later on with his father, the well known Polish pianist Marek Drewnowski. He has played extensively as a soloist and chamber musician in most of the European countries in important festivals and venues. He has particular affinity to19th and 20th century music, which is evident in his performance in this program.
Christo Yotzov graduated at the State Academy of Music in Sofia with Dobri Paliev. In 1985, he founded Acoustic Version with Antony Donchev and since then has won many prestigious awards at European jazz festivals. He has performed all over the world with Acoustic Version and also with other artists such as Tommy Smith, Andy Scofield, Milcho Leviev, Alexia, Reiner Winterschlagen, Yildiz Ibrahimova, and Adam Pierontchik. He has recorded more than 20 LPs and CDs. This is his first classical music CD.
Radosvet (Eti) Kukudov also studied at the State Academy of Music in Sofia completing his Master Degree with Dobri Paliev. He is a laureate of all national competitions for percussion instruments and chamber music. As a timpanist of the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra, he has toured extensively Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Switzerland, Greece, and Turkey. He has also recorded as a chamber musician works by contemporary Bulgarian composers.
 
Recorded in Bulgaria Concert Hall, Sofia, February 2004