Simeon Popov returns to his parents

Monday, January 28, 2002, By News Staff

Simeon Popov returns to his parentsJanuary 28, 2002Kevin Morrowkdmorrow@syr.edu

The mortal remains of the late Simeon Popov will travel today (Jan. 28) from Syracuse to his parents in Bulgaria, arriving in Sofia mid-afternoon Thursday (Bulgarian time).

Syracuse University Setnor School of Music faculty member William Harris, Popov’s mentor and trombone instructor, is traveling separately today to Bulgaria, along with his wife, Karen, and SU undergraduate student Vladimir Grigorov, a Bulgarian national and friend of Popov, who will serve as a translator for the Harrises.

The Harrises and Grigoriev left for New York City early this morning and are traveling to Germany before arriving in Sofia at 1:10 p.m. Tuesday (Bulgarian time). They will meet with Popov’s parents, Georgi and Krasimira, and will attend the Friday funeral service in Sofia. Burial will be in Sofia Central Cemetery.

The Harrises will present to the Popovs a videotape of the memorial service for Simeon, held Jan. 24 in Crouse College’s Setnor Auditorium and attended by more than 400 classmates, faculty and other friends.

The Popovs will also receive two specially prepared packets: The faculty and staff of the Setnor School of Music compiled a dozen compact disc recordings and printed programs from Simeon’s performances, and Patricia Burak, director of SU’s Lillian and Emanuel Slutzker Center for International Services, put together a commemorative scrapbook.

The scrapbook includes SU Chancellor Kenneth A. Shaw’s letters of condolence to the Popovs and to the Bulgarian Consulate (in English and translated into Bulgarian); written presentations from the Jan. 24 memorial service (in English and translated); the hymn “How Do We Name Our Sorrow?” composed specifically for the memorial service by Setnor School of Music Director Joseph Downing; and news stories from The Post-Standard and the SU student newspaper The Daily Orange.

The Harrises and Grigoriev will depart Sofia on Saturday and return to Syracuse on Sunday.