The Bulgarian town of Sliven is one of the largest Roma ghettos in Europe. There, girls 12 or 13 years old drop out of education, at the same time engaging in the risk of being called a minor.
But Nikola Demirev of Sliven decided to take his daughter Marianna out of such a fate and expand her horizons.
Marianna began attending cello lessons at the school of Georgi Kalajdziev, an artist who once lived in the ghetto.
Today he is a celebrated violinist who teaches classical music to several Roma children. It is all financed by donors from Germany, and the Roma children have already given a concert in front of the audience in the prestigious "Bulgaria" Hall in Sofia.
"In music teaching, our children not only learn to play but also acquire a culture that helps them eliminate the Roma mentality and tradition.
With the music of those children they were released from the difficult fate - the underage marriages.
So far, no institution has succeeded, "says Nikola Demirev, who managed to get his daughter out of the ghetto into normal life because of a disability.
The neighbors used to laugh at the fact that his daughter was learning to play an instrument because they thought music was a strictly men's job. But today they are proud of their young compatriot playing classical music.
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=TC-VEmnITxc&feature=emb_logo
