Can you tell me more about how your collaboration with Yordan Kamdzhalov started and how you decided to focus on Henryk Górecki’s musical legacy?

LG….. It was During my concerts with the Bulgarian Voices that I was approached by Yordan Kamdzhalov, he was curious to see if I would like to do an interpretation of the Sorrows piece, I was familiar with the work and became very excited by the prospect of being involved.

Actually Górecki himself is quoted as saying: “I do not choose my listeners. What I mean is, I never write for my listeners. I think about my audience, but I am not writing for them. I have something to tell them, but the audience must also put a certain effort into it.” Do you have the same attitude as an artist towards your work and your listeners?

LG…… I sing from my heart and soul so of course it is a deep connection with music first and in turn a connection with the listener. With the nature of this work being one that is composed by another composer it is extremely important to consider the motivation of the work itself, it is very important to seek the influence of their original vision and then make it my own. The audience is influential in this process as they give life to the energy and focus of the performance, also the conductor has an important role in this execution as they also have a very personal connection to the works execution.

Do you find your work with the Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices and Genesis Orchestra something strictly in line with your solo projects or you think that certain bits from it will influence the next Dead Can Dance record?

LG…… The work with the Bulgarian Voices is unique, I feel very blessed to work with this extraordinary Group. The process of working with them was very different to working with DCD as their presence influenced the work enormously in ways that only they can.