Rumen Shopov's 2011 Concert History

Rumen "Sali" Shopov hails from the Turkish Romani ("Gypsy") mahala (neighborhood) of Gotse Delchev, a crossroads town in Southwest Bulgaria's Pirin Mountain range, neighboring the borders of Greece and Macedonia. He began his musical career at the age of ten when he joined his uncle's wedding band as a doumbek (goblet-shaped hand drum) tupan (double-headed bass drum), and barabani (drum set) player. Soon thereafter, he began playing tambura, the Bulgarian/Macedonian folk lute.