Bill Cope
Bill Cope is a multi-instrumentalist who began playing Balkan music in 1975 and teaching at the Balkan Music & Dance Workshops in 1982. He's made many trips to the Balkans and studied with many players, including Lyubomir Vladimirov, first chair in the Philip Kutev Ensemble. He has also performed with Vassil Bebelekov, Donka and Nikolay Kolevi, Yuri Yunakov, Mile Kolarov and Pece Atanasovski.
Current musical endeavors are the Cope Family Band, Zabava! with Dan Auvil, Rich Schultz and Brian Fox; Trio Zulum, with Vassil Bebelekov, Dan Auvil, and singers Maria Bebelekova and Kimberly, Lacey and Joelle Cope; The Mehanatones with Pat MacSwyney, Dan Auvil and Brian Fox (to accompany Dragi Spasovski on his California tour spring 2009); Zlatno Selo (on the right coast) with Alan and Miriam Zemel, Jeff Fine, Jerry Kisslinger, Marjorie Selden and Kristina Vaskys; and Music Director for the San Francisco Kolo Festival.