The East European Folklife Center presents Vladimir Mollov who will teach 4 classes online exploring Balkan accordion traditions with a focus on ornamentation, phrasing, and regional style. Through close study of pieces by Ibro Lolov, Traycho Sinapov, and Boris Karlov, he will break down characteristic ornaments, rhythmic feel, and expressive techniques that define this repertoire. Students will gain practical tunes for interpreting Balkan melodies with authenticity, clarity, and personal expression.
Class Dates:
Tuesdays, February 3, 10, 17, and 24, 2026
5:PM Pacific, 6:00 Mountain, 7:00 Central, 8:00 Eastern.
All classes will be conducted via Zoom.
Please note that you only need to register once, no matter how many classes in this series you attend. We will issue new Zoom codes for each class to maintain security.
Register at [bit.ly/EEFCBalkanAccordion]
Born in Bulgaria to a family of self‐taught wedding musicians, Vladimir Mollov was inspired by the sounds of the accordion from early childhood. At eighteen months old, he “played” his little accordion alongside his father at weddings.
At the age of seven he started taking formal accordion lessons and at thirteen he placed fourth in an accordion competition in Vladivostok. Two years later he placed first in the International Competition for Accordion and Guitar in Asenovgrad, Bulgaria, and received fourth place in the World Accordion Competition in Castelfidardo, Italy.
Since then, Vlado has been recognized at several national and international accordion competitions including first place at the 2002 National Competition for Variety Music and Jazz in Novi Pazar, Bulgaria, and second place with a special award for virtuosic performance of folk music in the National Accordion Competition 2000 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
In 2002 he joined the Duquesne University Tamburitzans and performed more than three hundred and fifty shows with the ensemble over a four-year period. Vladimir still continues to arrange dance and instrumental music for the Tamburitzans.
In 2009, Vladimir released his first album, “Dreams”, featuring all original instrumental pieces combining Balkan folk, jazz and fusion styles. He is a founding member of the Argentinean tango quintet, Cuidado, with which he recorded an album featuring traditional and modern tangos as well as two of his original compositions.
Vladimir has performed with the Kruno Spisic Gypsy Jazz Ensemble, Bulgarika, and numerous other bands. He is featured as a guest on Babik’s 2008 gypsy jazz album, “American Gypsy”.
The East European Folklife Center (EEFC) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote, celebrate, and educate the public about traditional and traditionally based music, dance, and cultures of the Balkans.The East European Folklife Center (EEFC) was established in 1982 through the love and dedication of a core group of musicians and dancers. Today, this ever-growing and expanding organization brings together an inclusive, celebratory, and welcoming global community of passionate amateurs and professionals, to respectfully share the richness and complexity of Balkan music, dance, and cultures.
