The brilliant career of one of the brightest musicians of our time was predetermined by his parents’ decision to send him to the music school in his home town of Kramatorsk, Ukraine, where the young boy followed in his grandfather’s footsteps in music and began playing the clarinet. Later, he studied in Kharkov and Moscow. He conducted some of the most popular orchestras and toured dozens of countries worldwide. In 2017, conductor Mark Kadin arrived in Bulgaria and headed the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Since his first meeting with the Bulgarian audience in 2003, Mark Kadin still remembers his excitement and the huge responsibility to be among the few Russians present on the Bulgarian stage.

“Fortunately, it all went well. I started to come to Bulgaria more often. Each time I liked being here more and more. The personal element combines with the professional element in our job”, the conductor notes.

In 2018, the BNR Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mark Kadin received the Sirak Skitnik grand award for contribution to the development of BNR as a public service  media. However, Mark Kadin admits that he started to acquaint himself with and learn Bulgarian music when he arrived in this country.

“In Russia it is very difficult to find musical scores of pieces by Bulgarian composers – Mark Kadin explains. – I do not have any favorite composer, because I study different musical scores every day and cannot afford the luxury to have any special preferences. That is why I don’t emphasize anyone and show respect to all composers”.

Mark Kadin still finds time to travel, although he jokes that he does now know whether there is life beyond music. He visited many fascinating places in Bulgaria including Varna, Plovdiv, Vratsa, Shumen, Koprivshtitsa, Shiroka Laka. There is a special place for the Bulgarian national cuisine in his heart.

“I enjoyed all meals I tried so far! This is a big problem for me, because I gain weight fast. I want to stop eating, but it never happens, because everything is so tasty”, the conductor went on to say.

Mark Kadin speaks Bulgarian surprisingly well, although he says that he does not deserve compliments:

“I make many mistakes when I speak Bulgarian, because I do not have enough time to study the language and I do not have the incentive to do it, because everyone understands me. I understand everything when people talk to me, but I have difficulties writing something without mistakes”, Mark Kadin admits.

What is the difference between the person Mark L’vovich and conductor Kadin?

“There is no difference. I am the same person on the stage, behind the stage and during rehearsals. I never lie and “put a mask on my face”. Why? Because if I do it, at some point I would forget which type of mask I put on and where I did it- Mark Kadin says laughing.- That’s is why I never had to adapt to anything throughout my whole life.”

The start of the new season of the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra was very strong and the programme promises to be rich and intriguing. We are interested to know one more thing: what people do not know about Mark Kadin?

“Those who want to know things about me already know everything”, conductor Kadin adds.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov