Cathedral choir “Dostojno est” was established in September 2016 with the blessing of the Metropolitan bishop of Lovech Gavriil and as proposed by the chairman of the Church Council Archpriest Mihail Kovachev.
The Cathedral women’s choir “Dostoino Est” adorns church services on Sundays, Principal Feasts and Holy Days at the new cathedral in Lovech “Sts. Cyril and Methodius”. The repertoire includes traditional orthodox worship songs and chants. The ensemble has been recognized and awarded many certificates, letters, and plaques for excellence for their beautiful choral music sound and graceful performance of church songs.
Festival Participations and Awards:
- International Festival of Sacred Music, Gabrovo, 2020.
- National Orthodox Music Festival “Sts. Cyril and Methodius”, Popovo, 2021, 1st Place.
- Events organised by the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Poland, dedicated to the lives and work of the brothers Cyril and Methodius in 2021. The choir had two solo concerts in Warsaw and at the Suprasl Orthodox Monastery.
- “Sveta Bogoroditsa Dostoino Est” Orthodox Music Festival, Pomorie, 2022.
- XIII International Choir Festival “Danube – River of Friendship and Song”, Silistra, 2023;
- II International Choir Festival for Sacred Music “Rejoice, Virgin Mary”, Nesebar, 2024. The choir was awarded a certificate for best performance of a worship song by a Bulgarian composer.
Conductor:
The choral conductor Dimitrina Drenska has graduated from the Academy for Music, Dance and Fine Arts “Prof. Asen Diamandiev” in Plovdiv and the “Sts. Cyril and Methodius” University in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria.
Mrs. Drenska worked as a music teacher in several schools in Lovech from 1983 till 2008. At the same time, she taught accordion at the Community Educational Centre “Nauka – 1870” and “Panaiot Pipkov” Music School in Lovech.
Between 1985 and 2005 she directed the accordion orchestra “Harmonia” at the Community Educational Centre “Nauka – 1870” in Lovech.
In 2002 Dimitrina Drenska started the children choir “Archangel Voice” at the Holy Metropolitan Church in Lovech and led the choir from its establishment until 2008. Iin 2006 she was awarded for her contribution and achievements with the prestigious personal award “The Sword of Lovech” for music by the Lovech Municipality.
From August 2006 till June 2016 Mrs Drenska is the conductor of the “Evstati Pavlov” mixed choir at the “Holy Trinity” Church in Lovech, which at the time was also the Cathedral Church in the city. In September 2016 she founded the women’s choir “Dostoino Est” after the new Cathedral Church “Sts. Cyril and Methodius” was completed and opened doors to the parish.
From 2008 till 2023 Mrs. Drenska worked as head of the Education, Culture, Sport and Tourism Department at the Municipality of Lovech. She has been the chairwoman of the Public Authority Board for Arts and Culture in the city since 2013. Since June 2023 she is the chairwoman of “Kliuch” Association.