Martenitsa is modelled on the magnificent Bulgarian female state choirs, and has become one of the most highly regarded and innovative choirs in Australia. Martenitsa's repertoire was inspired by the folk song arrangements of Bulgarian maestro Philip Kutev and his contemporaries and successors. Kutev took traditional village songs and added extra vocal parts, creating a new genre in Bulgaria which has been popularised worldwide through groups such as the Radio Sofia Choir, Le Mystère de Voix Bulgares, Philip Kutev Ensemble and Trio Bulgarka. Many original compositions have now been created in this style.
Since their formation, Martenitsa has performed in many major concert halls in eastern Australia, toured with legendary Trio Bulgarka and Balkana and recorded a number of CDs. Martenitsa has performed with the Mara! group at WOMAD Reading (UK), Koprivshtitsa festival (Bulgaria), festivals in Viterbo, Rome and Bologna, Berlin Poesie Festival, Brisbane Festival and for SOCOG. Other key festival appearances include WOMADelaide, Woodford and the National Folk Festival. Martenitsa has worked on collaborations with Mara!, Clarion Fracture Zone, Tenzing Tsewang, David Hobson and David Hirschfelder; commissioned works by Ivan Spasov (Bulgaria) and Sandy Evans (Aust); and broadcast live and prerecorded for many ABC Radio and TV programmes. As well as the commissioned works, Martenitsa has also performed original works by Llew and Mara Kiek, Tony Gorman, Andrew Robson, Steve Elphick, Alistair Spence, Stephan Kozuharov, Silvia Entcheva and Marcia Malinova-Anthony.