Bulgaria on Music Theory Print

Albena Petrovic-Vratchanska

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Albena Petrovic-Vratchanska (born 20 October 1965 in Sofia, Bulgaria) is a Bulgarian-born Luxembourgish composer, a pianist and musical pedagogue. In 2007 she received the prestigious commission of the Cultural Year 2007 in Luxembourg and the Greater Region for the composition of “Gladius” for electric guitar and instrumental ensemble. The Cultural Commission and Madam Mayor, Mrs. Theresa Gantenbein, granted her the “Cultural Award” and also the title of merits for services rendered to the cultural life of the municipality of Hesperange on the event of Excellence Awards. In 2007 she became a Jury member of the International Composition Competition “Valentino Bucchi” in Rome, Italy, representing Luxembourg. Very active as a composer, she devotes much of her creative energy to the musical CBT and teaching of young talented children. The idea, concept and creation of the Club “Artistes en Herbe” are in large part due to her efforts. Consequently, she is President-Founder of the International Composition Competition “Artistes en Herbe” under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture of Luxembourg. Master in Musical Composition and Notation, she has been granted awards for piano, solfège

Alexander Raichev

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Alexander Raichev () (11 April 1922 – 28 October 2003) was a Bulgarian music educator and composer. Biography Raichev was born in Lom, Bulgaria, and studied with Pancho Vladigerov at the State Musical Academy in Sofia where he graduated in 1947. He then studied with Zoltán Kodály and Janos Ferencsik at the Budapest Conservatory from 1949-50. After completing his studies, he taught at the Bulgarian State Conservatory, serving as Rector from 1970 to 1978. Notable students include Rosica Petkova. In 1969 Vasheto prisatvie (Your Presence) was the earliest Bulgarian radio opera to be broadcast. Selected works *1937: Suite for chamber orchestra *1943: Largo and Scherzo for string orchestra *1945: Symphonic Suite for orchestra *1947: Piano Concerto (lost) *1949–50: Symphony No.1: Symphony/Cantata “He Shall Not Die” for chorus and orchestra *1949–50 “Pioneers Suite” for female chorus and orchestra *1953: Ballet “Haidouk Song” (and two Ballet Suites, 1954 and 1955) *1953 Oratorio “Dimitrov still Lives” for soloist, narrator, male chorus and orchestra *1954: Oratorio “Friendship” for bass, chorus and orchestra *1954: Sonata-Poem for Violin and Orchestra *1955: Suite for chamber orchestra *19

Alexander Raytchev

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Alexander Alexandrov Raytchev (, born 15 March 1975 in Sofia, Bulgaria) is a Bulgarian classical pianist und composer who lives in Germany. Biography The pianist and composer Alexander Raytchev comes from a multigenerational family of artists. His father is the composer Alexandar Ivanow Raytchev (born 11 April 1922 in Lom; died 2003 in Sofia), his mother Milena Atanassova is actress at the Ivan Vazov National Theatre in Sofia. Alexander Raytchev received his first piano lesson at the age of five. Six years later, he won the national competition PROWADIA, was shortly afterwards invited as a composer at Baden-Baden’s Brahms Symposium and was honored in Japan for his compositions. After his secondary studies in 1993, Alexander Raytchev studied piano and composition at the University of Music Trossingen with Johannes van Beek in parallel with Jowtsho Kruschev in Sofia. He then successfully completed a Concert Exam with Arie Vardi and Bernd Goetzke at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover. He was awarded numerous prizes, including the Students’ Competition in Hanover, and won the “Performance of the Year” contest with the Sofia Radio Orchestra. In 2000, Alexander Raytchev was ap

Alexandra Fol

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Alexandra Fol (born July 11, 1981 in Sofia, Bulgaria) is a Bulgarian-Canadian composer who resides in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Career Fol has composed more than 40 works in different mediums, which have been performed by ensembles such as Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, the orkest de ereprijs, Ossia New Music, the New Fromm players, the thingNY ensemble, the Young Artists Orchestra, McGill University Orchestra, and others. Fol’s works have been performed by the Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal, the Sofia Philharmonic, the New Score Chamber orchestra, among others. In 2005 she was one of four composers commissioned to write a children’s work for the 70th anniversary of the Montréal Symphony Orchestra’s Children’s series. “Pegasus”, op. 37 was performed throughout the 2005-2006 season and included in an educational CD for children. Important performances of her works include the premiere of her “Two Songs for Voice and Orchestra” by one of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestras in 1994 and the premiere of her Concerto for Violinon a 16 c. Storioni violin by Leonid Iogansen and the Boston University Orchestra in 2001. Fol teaches composition for the She was a finalist for the 2006 Gaudeamus In

Anna-Maria Ravnopolska-Dean

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Anna-Maria Yordanova Ravnopolska-Dean (), Sofia, Bulgaria, is a Bulgarian and American harpist, composer, pedagogue, musicologist and TV host. Biography Education as a Harpist By a recommendation of Nicanor Zabaleta she was accepted as a student by Italian harpist Liana Pasquali. After her participations in international competitions, Ravnopolska-Dean was invited to continue her studies by Susann McDonald at Juilliard School, New York and at Indiana University, Bloomington. At the Indiana University School of Music, Anna-Maria was awarded an Artist Diploma for ‘Superior Artistic Achievement in Harp Performance’. When asked about her education as a harpist Ravnopolska-Dean highlights that both of her major professors were students of the French harp school: Liana Pasqualli was a student of Marcel Tournier, while Susann McDonald was a student of Henriette Renie. Performing Career Ravnopolska-Dean began her career as a soloist at the international stage in a series of notable international competitions, including those of Gargilesse in Berry, Munich, and Jerusalem, where she was first noticed by renowned names such as Nicanor Zabaleta and Susann McDonald. During her education in Juill

Dobri Hristov

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Dobri Hristov (; 14 December 1875 – 23 January 1941) was one of the major Bulgarian composers of the 20th century. He wrote mainly choral music, as well as some church music and music for the orchestra. Hristov was born in Varna, then in the Ottoman Empire. He graduated from the Prague Conservatory in 1903 (under the directorship of the famous Czech composer Antonín Dvořák). He returned to Bulgaria and helped with the development of Bulgarian music culture, using many Bulgarian folklore elements in his compositions. He was conductor of The Seven Saints ensemble and choir in the church of the same name in Sofia, Bulgaria between 1911 and 1928. He died in Sofia in 1941 at age 65. Works * Blagoslovi, soul moia, Gospoda * Heruvimskaya pesn’ No. 4 * Nyne otpushchayeshi * Sviatii Bozhe No. 4 * You Poem References External links *Hristov depicted on the 500 leva banknote

Dobrinka Tabakova

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Dobrinka Tabakova (Bulgarian: Добринка Табакова; born 1980, Plovdiv, Bulgaria) is a Bulgarian-British composer. Early life and education Dobrinka Tabakova was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, to medical physicists Vassilka and Slavik Tabakov. She won the Jean-Frederic Perrenoud Prize of the 4th International Competition of Music in Vienna when she was 14 years old. She studied at Alleyn’s School London and the Royal Academy of Music in London and graduated from Guildhall School of Music and Drama (GSMD) in London. Afterwards she was awarded a Ph.D. in composition from King’s College, London. She studied composition under Simon Bainbridge, Diana Burrell, Robert Keeley and Andrew Schultz. She has also attended master classes given by John Adams, Louis Andriessen, Alexander Goehr, Olav Anton Thommessen and Iannis Xenakis. Compositional career Dobrinka Tabakova’s “Praise” was sung at St. Paul’s Cathedral to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 2002. She won the GSMD Lutosławski Composition Prize in 1999 and the Adam Prize of King’s College London in 2007. In 2011 Dobrinka Tabakova was awarded first prize and medal of the Sorel Organization’s choral competition in New York. T

Eddie Vartan

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Edmond Vartan (born Edmond Vartanian; 10 August 1937 – 19 June 2001) was a French musician, bandleader, arranger, and record producer of Armenian descent. Life and career Vartan was born to Armenian parents in Sofia, Bulgaria, and moved to France with his parents and younger sister Sylvie in 1952. He worked as a trumpet player in Paris jazz clubs, including the Blue Note, and in 1961 gave up his law studies to work as a full-time musician and A&R man for Decca Records. He worked with jazz enthusiast Daniel Filipacchi on the radio programme Pour ceux qui aiment le jazz (“For those who love jazz”). They also wrote songs together, including “Le transistor”, a 1961 hit in France for Frankie Jordan, and then worked on the popular radio show Salut les copains. After Jordan recorded “Panne d’essence” (a version of Floyd Robinson’s “Out of Gas”) as a duet with Sylvie Vartan, her brother Eddie continued to work with both artists in the early 1960s. He also released records under his own name as a bandleader, and worked with many French singers, notably as the musical director and producer of Johnny Hallyday, who became Sylvie’s husband. Among the musicians regularly used by Vartan was Engli

Emanuil Manolov

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Emanuil Manolov (; 7 January 1860 – 2 February 1902 ) was a Bulgarian composer. Born at Gabrovo, Manolov is thought to be one of the founders of the Bulgarian professional musical culture. He went to the Moscow Conservatory from 1879 to 1885. He composed the first Bulgarian opera Siromahkinia, based on Ivan Vazov’s work with the same title, consisting of two parts. His works in the genres of the “kitka” and schools songs are very popular. One of his most famous works is the song “What a Girl I saw, Mama” (Kakva moma vidiah, mamo). He died at Kazanlak. Honours Manolov Glacier in Antarctica is named after Emanuil Manolov. References

Emil Dimitrov

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Emil Dimitrov Dimitrov (; 23 December 1940 – 30 March 2005) was a Bulgarian singer, musician and composer. He is considered to be a legend of Bulgarian pop music, and one of the greatest Bulgarian singers of all time. He was popular for his songs “Ако си дал” (‘If You Have Given’), “Моя страна, моя България” (‘My Country, My Bulgaria’), “Нашият сигнал” (‘Our Signal’), “Само един живот” (‘Only One Lifetime’), “Джулия” (‘Julia’), “Арлекино” (‘Arlequine’), “Писмо до мама” (‘Letter to My Mother’) and others. Dimitrov was an extremely prolific artist, with 400 songs in his repertoire, and 280 of them being of his own composition; he released 30 albums in his lifetime. He was born the son of the Bulgarian illusionist and his French assistant. and turned him into a star overnight. His song Monica (known in Bulgarian as “Моя страна, моя България” (‘My country, my Bulgaria’) sold out with a circulation of over 500,000 copies in Germany and 100,000 copies in Belgium, although, it was initially banned by Bulgarian communist censors for “bourgeois influence”. In the modern day, it is considered to be an unofficial national hymn in Bulgaria. He was married twice, and his son Emil was born from

Filip Kutev

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Filip Kutev (), often anglicized Philip Koutev (13 June 1903 – 27 November 1982), was a Bulgarian composer, arranger and founder, with his wife Maria Kuteva, in 1951, of Bulgaria’s first professional, state supported ensemble, the State Ensemble for Folk Song and Dance, also known as the Filip Kutev Ensemble. With his ensemble he pioneered a style of arranging folk songs by fusing folk elements with western classical forms and harmonies, and established a new Bulgarian choral tradition. His choir was one of four who appeared on the album Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares, Volume Two, which won a Grammy Award in 1989. He was born in Aytos, Burgas Province. Honours Kutev Peak in Antarctica is named after Filip Kutev. References External links * (in Bulgarian)

Georgi Dimitrov (composer)

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Georgi Dimitrov () (2 May 1904 – 12 March 1979) was a Bulgarian composer. He was notable for composing the music for the national anthem of Bulgaria from 1947 until 1951, Republiko nasha, zdravey!. Other notable compositions including Foot and Cross, Kulak, and The Chervenkov Way. He spent his youth and teenage years in Belogradchik and Lom, where he studied at Lom Pedagogical School. Dimitrov was raised in a musical family; his mother was a singer, and his father was a violinist. He would follow in his father’s footsteps and also pick up the violin, studying under Belcho Belchev and Obreten Evstatiev. In the fall of 1927, Georgi Dimitrov became a student at the Warsaw Conservatory. Among his teachers were Stanisław Kazuro, Kasimir Sikorsky, Grzegorz Fitelberg, Stanisław Viekhovich. During his time at the conservatory, he would study music theory, harmony, voice, conducting, and composition, along with his violin training. He would also come into contact with Karol Szymanowski, a Polish composer. Georgi Dimitrov married Lyuba Palikarova.Now needing to support his new family, he took on work as a high school music teacher in the town of Grueth. In 1931, he moved to Warsaw to continu

Georgi Minchev (composer)

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Georgi Minchev () is a Bulgarian composer born on January 29, 1939, in Sofia, Bulgaria. Education Minchev is a graduate of the Bulgarian State Conservatoire in Prof. Marin Goleminov’s composition class. Between 1968 and 1970 he majored under Rodion Shchedrin in Moscow and for several months he studied simultaneously under Aram Khachaturian. In 1972 he received a UNESCO music fellowship to further his education in the USA, Great Britain and France. At the Conservatoire de Paris he attended the composition class of Olivier Messiaen. Career and awards He has worked as editor-in-chief of music production at the Bulgarian National Radio, as Deputy Chairman and Secretary General of the Union of Bulgarian Composers, and as artistic director at the Bulgarian National Radio. He has been on the jury of many international competitions: Let the Peoples Sing (London); International Composition Competition (Terni, Italy); Premio Vittorio Gui (Florence, Italy); Premio Ancona (Ancona, Italy); International Composition Competition (Berlin, Germany); Olympia International Composition Competition (Athens, Greece); S. Prokofiev International Composition Competition (Moscow). Georgi Minchev has been aw

Gheorghi Arnaoudov

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Gheorghi Arnaoudov (, ; born 18 March 1957) is a Bulgarian composer of stage, orchestral, chamber, film, vocal, and piano music. His work has roots in minimal music. Life Gheorghi Arnaoudov was born on 18 March 1957 in Sofia, and graduated in composition with Alexander Tanev and contemporary music with Bojidar Spassov from the State Academy of Music Pancho Vladigerov. At the same time, he attended summer courses working with Brian Ferneyhough and Ton de Leeuw. His artistic career started in the early 1980s. At the same time, he did research work in the fields of electronic music, music theory and musique concrète, as well as ancient far-Eastern and ancient Greek music. He has won many international and national awards, including the Grand Prix of the European Broadcasting Union (1985), the Golden Harp Prize from Jeunesses Musicales (1985), the Special Prize of the Union of Bulgarian Composers (1986), and the Carl Maria von Weber International Prize for Music (1989). He is the author of scientific and theoretical articles in music, as well as of reviews in musical and scientific periodicals, mainly in the spheres of the aesthetics of modernism and postmodernism, communications in th

Grigor Palikarov

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Grigor Palikarov (born 1971) is a Bulgarian conductor, composer, pianist and music educator. Early life Grigor Palikarov was born in 1971 in Plovdiv. He graduated at the Pancho Vladigerov National Academy of Music (Bulgarian State Conservatoire) where he received four master’s degrees in orchestral conducting, choral conducting, piano and composition. He studied Orchestral Conducting with Vassil Kazandjiev and Ivan Voulpe, Composition with Dimitar Tapkoff, Piano with Krassimir Taskov and Choral Conducting with Stoyan Kralev. Later on he continued his composition study during two Summer Academies in Austria with Erich Urbanner. He succedfully defended his Doctor of Music Degree in June 2017. Career In the 1998–99 season, Grigor Palikarov made his first appearance on the stage of the National Opera and Ballet - Sofia, conducting a Gala-concert with the special participation of the Bulgarian opera singer Ghena Dimitrova upon her personal invitation. Later on he has made many concerts and performances with other world famous opera singers like Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Elena Obraztsova, Krassimira Stoyanova, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Kurt Rydl, Alexandrina Milcheva, Nadia Krasteva, Alexandrina P

Helene Karastoyanova

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Helene Karastoyanova (; born 1 October 1933 in Sofia) is a Bulgarian composer. Life Helene (Elena) Karastoyanova was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, the daughter of composer Assen Karastoyanov. She studied at the State Academy of Music with her father and Alexander Raychev. After completing her studies, she taught music in Sofia at the National Music High School and the Institute for Music and Choreographic Specialists. She served as headmaster of the National Theatre Art High School (State Choreographic School) from 1983-88. Karastoyanov won the March Song Competition prize in 1985, 1987 and 1989. Works Karastoyanova composes music mainly for orchestra, chorus and chamber ensemble. Selected works include: *Space Guard (1985) for male choir and symphony orchestra *A Call to Arms (1987) for male choir and symphony orchestra *Suite (1968) for chamber orchestra *Sinfonietta (1969) for string orchestra *Sonata for violin and piano (1967) *Prelude and Joke for flute and piano (1979) *Allegro for trumpet and piano (1980) *Four Pieces (1964) for piano *Children’s Summer, a cycle of five easy pieces (1982) for piano *Holidays (1992) for piano *Three songs for voice and piano (1988) *To Liberty (1

Julia Tsenova

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Julia Tsenova (also spelled Julia Tzenova, Julia Cenova, or Julia Zenova, ) ( – ) was a Bulgarian composer, pianist and musical pedagogue. Life and career Julia Tsenova graduated in both Composition and Piano from the State Academy of Music in Sofia as a student of Prof. Pancho Vladigerov. Tsenova took part in the International Composers’ class in Sofia and Amsterdam, directed by Prof. Ton de Leeuw - the Netherlands (1981, 1982). She attended many workshops in Europe. Her music was performed in different contemporary festivals, as well as at the International Composers’ Rostrum in Paris (1995). Since 1997 she was Professor of Piano and Dean at the Pop and Jazz Music Faculty in the State Academy of Music. She was a member of the Union of the Bulgarian Composers as well as of the International Society for Contemporary Music, and a President of the Bulgarian section. Julia Tsenova died on 11 April 2010. Her daughter Kristina Sandulova is also a concert pianist. Music Julia Tsenova has had versatile musical interests. She wrote various pieces of symphonic, chamber, choral and scenic music. Her works have been described as expressive and rich. Tsenova has always had a strong interest in

Kiril Lambov

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Kiril Minkov Lambov (born July 4, 1955, died in October in Sofia 2019) in Lyaskovets) is a composer, pianist, and conductor. Lambov graduated from the State Academy of music in 1980 majoring in Piano under Professor Dora Lazarova and Composition under Professor Alexander Tanev. Later he also graduated from the Academy of Music and Dance Art in Plovdiv majoring in Conducting under Professor Emil Yanev(1995). He taught at the music high school in Stara Zagora from 1980 to 1983. He also taught Harmony at the State Academy of Music (1991) and Piano at the university in Veliko Tarnovo (1994) He was appointed accompanist at Sofia University (1999 - 2000) and the Ballet School(1999 - 2001), expert at the ministry of Culture. He worked as guest conductor with Bulgarian symphony and chamber orchestras premiering Bulgarian works. He authored over 1,000 arrangements and over 80 works including an opera and a one-act ballet, works for symphony orchestra, chamber instrumental pieces, and songs for soprano and piano. His works were performed in France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Russia, the US, Ecuador, and Japan. Part of his music was released on CD and printed in Bulgaria and Japan. He

Lyubomir Pipkov

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Lyubomir Panaïotov Pipkov () (September 6, 1904 – May 9, 1974) was a Bulgarian composer, pianist, and music educator. He is considered among the founders of Bulgaria’s modern professional musical establishment and one of its most important composers. Life Pipkov was born to a musical family in Lovech, Principality of Bulgaria, on September 6, 1904. His father, Panayot Pipkov, was a composer and bandmaster; his grandfather, Hristo Pipkov, was a clarinetist. As a child, Pipkov demonstrated an interest in painting and poetry before turning to music. In 1919 he enrolled in the Sofia Music School (today the Lyubomir Pipkov National School of Music), where he studied under Ivan Torchanov, Heinrich Wiesner, and Dobri Hristov. Two years later he composed the fight song for PFC Levski Sofia, an early composition which was subsequently lost. After graduation, Pipkov composed a number of works, among them his first major score, the 22 Variations for piano. The 1940s would see Pipkov establish himself at the head of Bulgaria’s musical establishment. He began by completing his Symphony No. 1, the first of four, in 1940. Pipkov dedicated the score to the fighters of the Republican cause in the S

Parashkev Hadjiev

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Parashkev Hadjiev (Bulgarian: Парашкев Хаджиев; born in Sofia, Bulgaria, 27 April 1912 – 1992) was a Bulgarian composer. He was the son of conductor Todor Hadjiev, an early champion of Bulgarian opera. Some view Parashkev Hadjiev as perhaps the most important post-war composer in Bulgaria. He taught at the Bulgarian State Conservatory where one of his pupils was composer Tsvetan Tsvetanov. Works Operas * Once Upon a Time (1957) * A Madcap (1959) – Libretto Ivan Genov * Albena (1962) – libretto Peter Filchev (after the drama of Yordan Yovkov) * Aika (1963) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSv5VWjdc4U * July Night (1964) – after the drama of Ivan Genov Early ballad * Millionaire (1965) – a comedy Yordan Yovkov * Masters (1966) – a drama of R. Stoyanov * Golden Apple – (1972) * Leto 893 (1973) – Libretto Pancho Panchev * Maria Desislava (1978) – Libretto Kamen Zidarov * Ioannis Rex (1981) – Libretto Радко Радков / Radko Radkov * Paradoxes three one-act operas: Divorce, Thief and Gifts (1982) * I, Claudius (1984) * Star without name (1985) – Libretto Ognyan Stamboliev * Malingerer (1987) * Babinata bread (1989) * Inspector (1990) * John Kukuzel Love (1992) Operetta * Divided (1952) * Ic

Penka Kouneva

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Penka Kouneva () (/ˈpɛŋkɑː kuːˈnɛvɑː/; born February 25, 1967, in Sofia, Bulgaria) is a Bulgarian-American composer, orchestrator and soundtrack producer. In 1999, she began working in film and television and in 2009 began to score for videogames (Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen video games, with themes by Steve Jablonsky). Her music is a blend of Bulgarian influences, classical training, rock sensibility, and modern film and game soundtracks. Kouneva has released two award-winning concept albums: The Woman Astronaut (2015, on Varèse Sarabande / Universal Music Group) and A Warrior’s Odyssey (2012, on Howlin’ Wolf Records / Sumthing Else) both receiving 5-star press. Adolescence and early career (1990–1999) Kouneva was born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria, and began studying piano at the age of six. Her mother was a professor of music theory at the Bulgarian Academy of Music and her father was a scientist at the Institute of Chemical Technologies. At the age of twelve, Kouneva composed and performed incidental music for a children’s theater show that ran for a season. She earned fifteen dollars per show; the official start of her career a

Tsvetan Radoslavov

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Tsvetan Radoslavov Hadzhidenkov (; 1863–1931) was a Bulgarian educator, psychologist, public figure and the author of the song Gorda Stara Planina, which later became the current national anthem of Bulgaria, “Mila Rodino”. Biography Radoslavov was born in Svishtov in 1863. He came from families connected with the Bulgarian National Revival; his mother was related to the Pavlovich family, and he grew up in the household of Tsvyatko Radoslavov, whose surname he later used. He studied in Bulgaria before continuing his education abroad, including in Vienna and Leipzig. In 1885, while travelling back to Bulgaria to volunteer in the Serbo-Bulgarian War, Radoslavov wrote the song Gorda Stara Planina (“Proud Old Mountain”). Bulgarian National Radio states that he composed it spontaneously in 1885 aboard the Austrian ship Maria Theresia, while travelling from Vienna to Bulgaria to take part in the war. In 2004, a new digital recording of Mila Rodino was made at Bulgaria Hall in Sofia. The recording featured the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, the Choral Chapel “Svetoslav Obretenov” and soloists Raina Kabaivanska, Nikola Ghiuselev, Roberta and Orlin Goranov, conducted by Nayden Todorov. The ar

Vera Baeva

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Vera Baeva (; 18 March 1930 − 16 June 2017) was a Bulgarian writer and composer. She was born in Burgas and studied at the Sofia State Academy of Music with Dimiter Nenov, Marin Goleminov and Lyubomir Pipkov. After graduating in 1953, Baeva worked as a choral conductor for Radio Sofia and as a pianist, performing with various ensembles and also the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra. She taught voice from 1982 to 1988 at the State Academy of Music and chamber music at the Open Society Foundation from 1993. Baeva wrote two books of short stories. Works Baeva composed over 200 vocal, instrumental and orchestras works. Selected compositions include: *Mothers’ Prayer for soprano, flute, trumpet, snare-drum, violoncello, double bass and piano *Pirin, cantata (1954) *I Bow for soloist, reader, mixed choir and orchestra (1975) *My Homeland for choir and orchestra (1985) *Butterflies, ritual music based on traditional tunes for female voices choir, flute, double bass, piano, organ and percussion *Revelation, cycle of four songs for female voices choir, flute and piano after lyrics by St. Pencheva (1981) *Tangra, ritual dance for male voices choir, flute, double bass, piano and per

Zhivka Klinkova

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Zhivka Klinkova (; 30 July 1924 – 23 December 2002) was a Bulgarian composer, pianist and conductor, who was the laureate of the World Youth Festival in Bucharest in 1953. She also received a diploma from Pope John Paul II in 1981 for her opera Cyril and Methodius. Early life and education Zhivka Klinkova was born in Samokov, Bulgaria on 30 July 1924. She attended the Sofia Academy of Music, where she was taught composition by Parashkev Hadjiev and piano by Dimitar Nenov. She graduated from the academy in 1951, then continued her studies with Rudolf Wagner-Régeny and Boris Blacher at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik. Career After she graduated from the academy she began work as a conductor with the state-sponsored Kutev Folkloric Folksong and Dance Company, and she became the only female orchestral director of a professional Bulgarian folk group. She also composed works for the group’s repertoire and worked there until 1960. She subsequently, she travelled to Germany to study, and was taught by Rudolf Wagner-Régeny from 1960 to 1966 and then by Boris Blacher in Berlin from 1966 to 1968. After she finished her studies, she began work as a freelance composer and wrote ballets, opera a