Vivi Vassileva, percussionist, Bulgaria

Born in Germany into a family of Bulgarian musicians, Vivi Vassileva began her musical studies on the violin with her father, but on hearing a group of folk artists on Karadere beach on the Black Sea coast she was immediately inspired to take up percussion. It was these colourful and exotic Balkan rhythms which moulded her into the multifaceted musician she has become and which continue to influence her classically trained style. Admired for her innovative programming style, Vassileva offers new ways for audiences to become acquainted with her instruments and her craft, be it in story-telling with renowned Austrian author Michael Köhlmeier regaling tales of popular sports legends, or pioneering environmental projects with percussion instru- ments made from recycled materials.