Bulgaria's National Academy of Music "Prof. Pancho Vladigerov" will open its first academic year at a new Burgas branch with a concert on October 4 at the NHK Culture House, the academy says. It's the academy's first campus outside Sofia, BTA reports.

A combined ensemble from the academy, led by Mihail Yosifov, will perform alongside first-year students from the Burgas branch. The next day, October 5, the branch will hold a blessing of the waters for the new academic year at its building in TriA Space, part of the Central Park complex. Both events are expected to draw academics, Burgas city officials, and representatives of state and cultural bodies.

The branch is taking in students this year across 12 courses. Under "music and dance arts," these include pop and jazz guitar, pop and jazz bass guitar, classical guitar, pop and jazz singing, classical singing, folk singing, kaval, gaida (bagpipe), gadulka, and tambura. Folk choreography and ballet arts and ballet teaching will run as part-time courses. Academy staff will teach the classes under the academy's accredited programs.

Bulgaria's Council of Ministers approved the branch in a decree dated April 8, 2026, after the National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency gave it a positive assessment and the academy's academic council signed off. The academy has a 105-year history.

The academy says the branch, set up jointly with Burgas council, will give young talents from Burgas and southeastern Bulgaria access to higher music education.

Follow-up: National Music Academy opens its first branch outside Sofia in Burgas