Whether you practice your craft on the street, the stage, or the screen, every artist knows that, eventually, all shows must come to an end.
Cvetozar Vutev has been a longtime running musician in the Kamloops community and abroad. Before serving as the concertmaster in the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra and Symphony of the Kootenays, Vutev was the proud director and conductor of the Kamloops Brandenburg Orchestra (KBO). On April 7, Vutev conducted his final show, ending his longtime career with the Kamloops Brandenburg Orchestra (KBO).
The KBO is a non-profit orchestra that performs music from the Baroque period. The orchestra is known for dressing up in historical clothing.
Born and raised in Bulgaria, Vutev began to learn how to play the violin at only 6 years old before continuing his studies in many countries across Europe. Eventually, he would make his way to Canada, a country he has called home for 19 years.
“I saw an opportunity to do more in one place rather than always travel to other countries,” Vutev said. “I also have family here, and I wanted to settle down in one place and raise my kids.”
In addition to his work as a concertmaster, Vutev also spent considerable time teaching others.
“I’ve had a lot of students over the years,” Vutev said. “I think this altogether prepared them for a career in music.”
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. For Vutev, this means stepping down as the director of the KBO and going on to pursue other things.
“It’s the right time to step down and to pass the leadership [as director] to another person,” Vutev said. “I won’t see some of my friends and colleagues as much. We used to get together every Sunday for rehearsals. Time is limited.”
Stepping down is never easy, and for Vutev, who has made such an impact on many young musicians, it can be a very sad time, which is why his final concert was so important to the orchestra, the music community in Kamloops and to Vutev himself.
“I’m glad we had so many years working together,” Vutev said. “It was a great experience for all of us, not only for myself and my students but also for our friends, community players and professional players.”