Biography

Three generations of the Bisserov family:  
Standing: Vera, Mitra, Lyubimka, Rosen, Neda, Gergana and Rositsa.  Seated:  Mitra, Russa, Vela, Vikiya and Manol.

Following an age-old oral tradition, The Bisserov Sisters have learnt their repertoire by listening to the traditional songs of previous generations. 

Their mother, Russa, and her sisters, Mitra, Vela, Vikiya and Stoya, all sang at the village festivals and special celebrations.  In this way, they kept alive a traditional repertoire which has been passed to the Sisters who were all gifted with fine voices and musical memory from their early childhood.

The repertoire of The Bisserov Sisters includes the most typical features of the Pirin region musical folk dialect which features the combination of sounds peculiar to a primitive diaphony, rich and versatile metro-rhythm and expressive performing style.

The songs of The Bisserov Sisters are highly varied: harvest songs, working-bees, wedding, Spring and revolutionary or haidouk songs.  Those for different religious feasts, mythical and domestic family life songs, songs for love and comic songs combining varied melodies, strictly rhythmic or non-measured, primitive and rich in ornaments with the typical 'whoops' of indefinite pitch.

Two-part singing is a distinguishing characteristic of the Pirin musical folk dialect.  This is a primitive singing technique with its most frequently used harmonic combination of seconds, thirds and quarters; where the chords of seconds prevail. The two-part singing style is performed mostly by three singers. One of them will lead the melody and deliver the 'whoops', while the other two add a second bourdoning voice which is usually on the primary tone of the melody, though sometimes on the second degree, thus forming a second tone centre or even a unison with the first voice when it descends to the sub-primary tone.

The Bisserov Sisters do not restrict themselves to the songs of their home village, but vary their repertoire with songs from all over the Pirin region and the distinctive styles from the different folk regions of Bulgaria.  They accompany their songs using instruments typical of their region: Lyubimka plays the tarambuka (vase drum), Mitra, the tambura (long necked lute) and Neda, the daire (tamborine). Many of their songs are arranged by Mitra.

They have mastered the technique of ensemble singing during their many years with the “Filip Koutev” National Folk Ensemble.  It was helpful for them to learn more and more songs from all around Bulgaria and to start singing 'a cappella'.  They also perform many songs arranged by different Bulgarian composers, including Prof. Nikolai Kaufman, Alexander Yossifof and Filip Koutev.

And the oral tradition continues.  The rich repertoire of The Bisserov Sisters is being passed down to their children. Manol is  a tambura player and Rosen plays the tupan (large drum) and sings; they are Lyubimka’s sons. Mitra’s daughters, Vera and Rositsa both play the tambura and sing.  Gergana, Neda's daughter, is a singer. The Bisserov Sisters have made numerous recordings over the years on vinyl, cassette and CD, as well as giving concerts in Bulgaria and abroad, often accompanied by guest musicians playing typical Bulgarian traditional instruments: gaida (bagpipe), kaval (flute) and gadulka (pear-shaped violin).   

The Bisserov Sisters first appeared before the public in 1978 when they became winners of a national competition to participate in the 11th World Youth Festival, held in Cuba.  Since then, they have been much in demand for their unique performances all over the world, taking part in a number of International festivals, concerts and celebrations each year.  They have performed not only throughout Europe but also in the near and far East, Japan, USA, Canada and Australia; a total of 33 different countries to date!

Their beautiful music and dance is complemented by their stunning, hand made, traditional costumes, handed down from previous Bisserov generations.  In this way, they are preserving a traditional national identity.

They have given numerous Radio interviews and recorded songs for the Radio in Bulgaria and around the world.  Many TV recordings have been made of their performances, especially on location in Pirin and the most beautiful parts of old Bulgaria. More than five hundred songs have already been recorded by the Sisters; saving a unique repertoire for future generations.  Lyubimka has also written a book “Traditional Wedding Ceremonies from the Village Pirin” and is currently working on "25 years of the Bisserov Sisters" to coincide with this anniversary in 2003.

The extraordinary success of the Bisserov Sisters is explained by the fact they have brilliantly interpreted the most valuable works created and held by the Bulgarian people over the centuries and now hand down this repertoire from generation to generation.