Partners Dupnitsa Association and the Regional Center for Sustainable Development in Kratovo were awarded for implementing the project Rock’n Pop the Borders as exemplary practice under IPA CBC Programme Bulgaria – FYRoM together with two other projects. In programming period 2007 – 2013 under this programme were contracted and implemented 100 projects totally.

Within the RnPB project was set an international format for performing of young music creators from Bulgaria and Macedonia. 25 young music bands were participated in the events under the project. 3 live gigs and an online competition were held as they gathered more than 19 000 people audience. Communication and contacts between young creators, professional musicians and producers were built. A video and a single were made for the winners within the project competition. You can watch and listen to works of all participants on this site.  

Some of the finalists in the Rock’n Pop the Borders  Young Music Makers Award Concert as well some of the winners there are taking place in the gig: Enkhaosment and Chainsaw Babies from Bulgaria, and TV Rage, Vizija, Polemique Problem Solved form Macedonia. Special guests of the evening were Rock Ballet Dance studio MAK and ‘Masedonian rock legend’ – Simeon Ivanov Kango. The gig’s performer was Marko Marko Noveski.

Our friends from Zlaten Cannel TV made a reportage that showes in sounds and pictures the event temper. Even you don’t know Macedonian, at least, you are be able to feel the mood: 

Rock’n Pop the Borders is a joint project of Partners Dupnitsa Association and Regional Center for sustainable development – Kratovov. It is co-funded by the EU through IPA Cross – Border Programme Bulgaria – FYRoM. 

Kumanovo Rock’n Pop the Borders Awareness Concert is a final event within the same name project implementation as it is aimed to promote and support the young music makers who have been participated and awarded witin. A documentary about this gig is preparing and it will be posted here.

25 bands, aged 13 to 25, from Bulgaria and Macedonia have been involved within the competition for young rock or pop music band original song started on 12 May 2014. 

The main conclusions by the survey are:

1. The women are the majority amongst the audience of the Concert (green – women, red – men): 

 2. The young people aged 13 to 25 are the most inspired fans of the rock music presented at the Concert ( red – under 13, green – 13-25; blue – 25 – 35; yellow – 35-45, pink – 45-55; light blue – 55 – 65; deep yellow – over 65): 

3. Studying and working young people are the audience of events like “Rock’n Pop the Borders Young Music Makers Award”(red – studing; green – employed; blue – selfempoyed/undertakers; yellow – retired or unempoyed.)

4. Friends were essential part of the event audience. It can be explained with the participants’ age and the format what the participants were involved. Despite the fact, we are able to say the largest audience’s share is not personally connected in any way with the event participants:( green – related; red – no relation):

 5. Internet (especially social media and friendships within) was the information tool for the largest part of the audience. The info sites, including project platform, as well the event’s posters, were the other ‘information sources’ for the audience (red – social nets friendships; green – info sites; dark blue – project platform; yellow – TV and radio; purpule – posters for event):

 6. The Rock’n Pop Young Music Makers Award Concert’s audience was local in a large part – from Dupnitsa or the county. The guests from the country or the neighbor Macedonia were minority. Within the context of residence shares, the Bulgaria audience is a second by number after the local audience so there is a significant reserve for the future:

 (red – from Dupnitsa, green – from District of Kystendil; blue – from Bulgaria, yellow – abroad)

 7. The audience is ready to buy a ticket for such event. Only 14% by asked people were negative in the response to the question: ‘Would you buy a ticket for such event?’ (Question 7 by questionnaire). The largest share of people who declared readiness to buy a ticket would pay up to 5 levs (around 2.5 euro, as in 13% by the filled questionnaires were pointed 3 levs – around 1.5 euro). In relatively equal shares the other respondents preferred the cost to be up to 10 levs or over it (around 5.5 euro).  It strikes that over 90% by friends who come to the gig are ready to pay so to watch and listen to their favorites in competition with other bands.

(red – to 5 lv.; green – to 10 lv.; blue – over 10lv.)

This survey has been made with devoted assistance of Elissaveta Zareva, a member of Partners Dupnitsa Association young team. The survey’s purpose was to show the audience profile within the context prolonging it in the future. The project performers – Partners Dupnitsa Association and Regional Center for Sustainable Development – Kratovo kindly ask everyone who use and quotes the survey data for feedback through e-mail contacts within contact section on the site.   

Rock’n Pop the Borders 2007CB16IPO007-2012-3-005 project is co-funded by the EU through IPA Cross Border Programme Bulgaria – FYRoM. 

‘Unbelievable, unforgettable party’ the audience says. That is the rock adepts opinion.  That is the comment of Kango and Sashko Kostov – Macedonian jury members – for a Friendship Gig held on 10 August 2014 at the Rila Park Open Stage. 

 The idea about it was given in April 2014 by Simeon Ivanov – Kango. The Partners Dupnitsa Association’s promoters saw not only the opportunity for one more joint cultural event under the project but for real communion between young musician from Bulgaria and Macedonia, in direct contact with prominent music creators and performers as the idea ‘engine’ – Kango. 

In the gig took participation bands from Rock Academy Dupnitsa – a format made in 2006 by Partners Dupnitsa Association to support talented youngsters, interested in music. More about this initiative you can read and see here.

An unbelievable band was performed too – vocal and solo guitar Kango, drumer – Sahko Kostov and members of Macedonian finalists in Young Music Makers Award Concert  - TV Rage and Problem Solved.

First at stage was Enkhaosment – the band who headed the online contest final ranking for Award Concert in Dupnitsa, held within project implementation. Enkhaosment is a Rock Academy’s band. They didn’t win anything by the Young Music Makers Award Concert, but as though it gave them extraordinary energy for performing in the Friendship Gig Day:

Foretold Dead is a Rock Academy’s band who also took participation within project contest with no success. The Macedonian jury members’ opinion, who also took participation within Friendship Gig on 10 August, was that the quality of their sound record sent for contesting influenced negatively professionals’ and audience estimation about their real abilities which they  showed during the event:

Voltage is the most gig experienced band among Rock Academy Dupnitsa bands. They didn’t have success within the Rock’n Pop the Borders competitions, but ‘blew up’ the audience in their last for ‘non-defined’ time period of time performance:

To present Kango is impossible – he is so ‘colorful’ so you have to leave this to him own. ‘There is no borders if there is music’ – he said and proved it together with Sashko Kostov and the boys of Problem Solved и TV Rage bands:

Darker than Black are the youngest musicians in the Rock Academy. They appearance at the Friendship Gig stage was a great challenge which they successfully faced:

The Friendship Gig of Rock Academy Dupnitsa bands together with Kango, Sashko Kostov and their friends from Macedonian bands – finalists in Young Music Makers Rock’n Pop the Borders Award Concert is another contribution within the same named project.  It is co-funded by  EU through IPA Cross – Border Programme CCI Number 2007CB16IPO007. 

The Workshop was followed by a meeting of young musicians in Rock Academy Dupnitsa (Enkhaosment, Voltage, Foretold Dead and Darker than Black bands) and Macedonian adjudicators – Kango and Sashko Kostov. At the meeting were involved members of Macedonian bands – finalist in the competition – Problem Solved and TV Rage.

They all together performed an unforgettable three hour gig for Dupnitsa audience at the Big Rila Park Open Stage. 

Paranormal’s song Slippin’ won the Rock’n Pop the Borders Young Music makers Award. That came after adjudicators’ voting during the final gig held in Dupnitsa on 9 August 2014.  Както знаете, наградата за победителя ще бъде професионален видеоклип. As you know the Award is professional song video. The team, making the video, promises that it will be absolute surprise.  

Second place was awarded to
After Midnight’s Losing Control song – a professional sound record will be making over it.  

Third award in the contest was awarded to Problem Solved (Skopje) and their song – Лоша навика. The Rock’n Pop the Borders’ media partner – TV Zapad – provided professional wireless microphone to them.  

The Mayor of Dupnitsa Municipality liked Kumanovo band – TV Rage – and their song In between the time. They took his special award – guitar holders, drumsticks and vocal microphone.

Love Lies Bleeding (Amaranth) of As Orchids Wither  got the applauses of Rotary Club – Dupnitsa. The Rotaries awarded 150 leva to their favorites for their performance and scenic energy.   

The Adjudicators in the Competition and final concert were:  the chair – Anelia Dosheva (producer), Simeon Ivanov – Kango (musician, producer and composer), Slavcho Nikolov (guitarist and composer) and Sashko Kostov(composer and musician). Gig performer was Yoanna Dragneva.

The Young Music Makers Award Concert Rock’n Pop the Borders was the final of the contest amongst 25 bands from Bulgaria and Macedonia. It is a part of the same name project co-funded by EU through IPA Cross – Border Programme Bulgaria – FYRoM. 

Enkhaosment, Bulgaria.

TV Rage, Macedonia.

Chainsaw Babies, Bulgaria.

Bunch of Assholes, Bulgaria.

Problem Solved, Macedonia.

As Orchids Wither, Bulgaria.

Feast of Insanity, Bulgaria.

After Midnight, Bulgaria.

Revenge, Macedonia.

Paranormal, Bulgaria.

The access is free.  The Concert is organized by Partners Dupnitsa Association and Regional Center for sustainable development – Kratovo within the same named project, co-founded by EU through IPA Cross – Border Programme Bulgaria – FYRoM.  

The songs’ order of performance is to be set on technical conference that is to be held earlier on the same day. Besides the original competing song, each one of participating bands is to be able to perform one to two more own original songs within 12 minutes. The adjudicators are to evaluate the competing song only. The winner, pointed by the adjudicators’ vote, is to have the opportunity to shoot a video after its song. The second ranked is to be able to record professional sound record of its song and the third – is to take the award by one of the show media partners – TV Zapad. One of participating groups is to be awarded by the Mayor of Dupnitsa Municipality.

Show performer is to be the singer Yoanna Dragneva - the Bulgarian finalist in Eurovision 2008.

Till the adjudicators are voting, the audience is to be entertained by Fireball Band performance.

On 10^th of August – Sunday – at 19.00 – at the Park Rila Stage, access free again, a gig of Simeon Ivanov – Kango, Macedonian rock musician and adjudicator, together with Foretold Dead, Darker than Black, Voltage и Enkhaosment bands of Rock Academy – Dupnitsa is to take place. The idea about this event was Kango’s and the boys and girls of the Rock Academy take the opportunity with pleasure so to show what they do and can in rock music.

Rock Academy – Dupnitsa is an informal center supporting young and talented rock musicians from Dupnitsa and the county that has been developing and managing by Partners Dupnitsa Association for 8 years yet. A lot of young bands have been trained there as some of them had their own original songs within issued by the Academy two LPs. Namely this training center experience is the reason for developing and implementing the Rock’n Pop the Borders format by Partners Dupnitsa Association and Regional Center for sustainable development – Kratovo through the support of IPA Cross – Border Programme Bulgaria – FYRoM.