When world-renowned Bulgarian singer Valya Balkanska holds a vocal workshop on Vashon, the recorded sound of her voice will be orbiting the earth aboard two Voyager spacecraft. The workshop, sponsored by Balkan Echoes, will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 19, at the Vashon High School band room.

In the summer of 1968, island photographer, music and dance ethnographer Martin Koenig photographed and recorded Balkanska singing “Izlel e Delyu haydutin” in Smolyan, Bulgaria. Not quite a decade later, that recording was launched into space aboard the Voyagers as one of 27 musical pieces selected by a panel with Alan Lomax, Bob Brown and Carl Sagan. The gold-coated copper phonograph record is attached to each spacecraft as a message to potential extraterrestrial civilizations.

Today, Balkanska, who was born in the village of Arda, in the Rhodope Mountains, is a soloist with the Smolyan Folk Ensemble and a living legend in Bulgaria and for Bulgarians living outside their native land. Balkanska is currently on a 15-city North American tour.

Bagpiper Petar Yanov, also hailing from the Rhodope region, is accompanying Balkanska on the tour and will be at the workshop.

The workshop is limited to 30 participants, and registration is required.

The cost is $25, and checks can be made out to Balkan Echoes and sent to Balkan Echos, P.O. Box 2484, Vashon, 98070.

Balkanska and Yanev will play a concert called “The Cosmic Voice of Bulgaria’s Rhodope Mountains” at 8 p.m. Friday, May 20, at the Russian Hall and Community Center in Seattle.

Tickets for the show are available at brownpapertickets.com/event/254180 and at the door.