Mara Petrova facts for kids

Mara Petrova (Bulgarian: Мара Петрова) (1921–1997) was a talented Bulgarian musician. She was a pianist, a writer, and a composer. Mara Petrova was born in the city of Sliven, Bulgaria. She created many different types of music, from pieces for orchestras to songs for choirs and even an operetta for children.

Early Life and Education

Mara Petrova loved music from a young age. She went to a special school called the State Academy of Music in Bulgaria. There, she studied many different musical subjects. She learned how to compose music (which means writing it) with a famous teacher named Vesselin Stoyanov. She also studied piano with Pancho Vladigerov and learned how to lead a choir with Marin Goleminov.

After finishing her studies, Mara Petrova became a teacher herself. She taught at the Institute for Music and Choreographic Specialists. This was a school where people learned about music and dance. Besides teaching, she also wrote articles about music and continued to compose her own pieces.

Musical Compositions

Mara Petrova wrote music for many different groups and instruments. She composed for theater shows, large orchestras, and smaller groups of instruments called chamber ensembles. She also wrote music for individual instruments and for choirs.

Here are some of her notable works:

• For Orchestra:
  • Youth Suite (1953)
  • My Fatherland Overture
  • Dance-Poem (1966)
  • Symphony “April 1876” (1981) – A symphony is a long piece of music for an orchestra.
• For Children:
  • Podranilo (Early Bird) – This was a children's operetta, which is like a small opera with singing and acting.
• For Voices and Instruments:
  • Triptych for voice, strings, and small drum
  • The Blue-Eyed Girl for voice and string orchestra
  • Lullaby for voice and string orchestra
• For Choirs:
  • Hristo Botev
  • Winter Tale
  • Poem for my Native Town
  • Bulgaria, with lyrics by Hristo Chernaev
• For Instruments:
  • Sonata for violin and piano
  • Sofia Suite for oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and small drum
  • Dance for three bassoons
  • Sketches for wind trio
  • Song and Scherzo for flute and piano
  • Scherzo for clarinet and piano
  • Sonata and Theme with Variations
  • Legend about the Apostle

Mara Petrova's music is still remembered and played today, showing her important contribution to Bulgarian music.