The choir of the National Chitalishte “Razvitie 1869” – gr. Razgrad was founded in 1904. The names of its first conductor Kosta Bernev and conductors Ilia Bernev, Evstat Dimitchev, Stefan Vachev, prof. Nikolay Tonev, Dimo Halachev, Svetlomir Grigorov, Dimcho Rupchev. Since 1995, the conductor of the choir “Zhelezni Struni” is Krasen Ivanov, a graduate of the Bulgarian Academy of Music (BMA) – Sofia, in the class of choral conducting of prof. Dimitar Ruskov.
For its high achievements in the promotion of Bulgarian singing art, the Zhelezni Struni Choir was awarded the Order of Cyril and Methodius, 1st degree. It is a laureate of all festivals of amateur choral art in Bulgaria.
The choir has received prestigious awards from the international choral competitions “Golden Fortune” in Bulgaria. Fano – Italy (1975), Gdansk – Italy (1975), Fano – Italy (1975), Fano – Italy (1975), Fano – Italy (1975), Fano – Italy (1975), Fano – Italy (1975). Preveza – Greece (2001), “Orlando di Lasso” in Camerino – Italy (2003), “Antonin Dvorak” in Prague – Czech Republic (2004), “Music and Sea” in Paralia-Katerini – Greece (2018).
On the occasion of its 100th anniversary, the Zhelezni Struni Choir was awarded the BHS’s highest distinction – the Golden Plaque. It received awards from the Union of Bulgarian Composers (2007 and 2010), the Bulgarian Choral Union (2008) and the Municipality of Razgrad (2009).
The Zhelezni Struni Choir has made successful tours in Hungary, Germany, Russia, Italy, France, Belgium, Macedonia, Greece, Czech Republic, Croatia, Romania, Montenegro, Albania and Turkey.
Krasen Ivanov was born on 18 June 1955 in Razgrad. As a pupil he played the piano at the Children’s Music School “Iliya Bernev” under the famous Razgrad piano teacher Ruska Tsolova.
He graduated from the Bulgarian State Conservatory (DMA) in the class of choral conducting of prof. Dimitar Ruskov. She graduated with excellent grades in the specialty of opera and symphonic conducting in the class of prof. Ivan Bakalov. In the summer of 1982 he specialized in orchestral conducting in Weimar – Germany under prof. Rolf Reuter. Later, in the academic year 1986-87, he specialized at the Moscow Conservatory “P. И. Tchaikovsky in the class of opera and symphonic conducting of prof. Gennady Rozhdestvensky.
Since 1979 Krasen Ivanov has been the conductor of the Razgrad Philharmonic Orchestra. Dimitar Nenov, and since 2013 – its director and head. In 1994 he restored the mixed four-voice church choir at the St. Nikolai the Wonderworker. Since 1995 he has been the conductor of the choir “Iron Strings” at the Chitalishte “Razvitie 1869” – town of St. Nicholas. He has been a member of the choir since 1995.
On 1 November 2004 Krasen Ivanov received the Nikola Ikonomov Award of the Municipality of Razgrad and in June 2005 – the Golden Lyre Award of the Union of Bulgarian Music and Dance Artists. In 2018 he was awarded the title of “Honorary Citizen of Razgrad”.