Bojidara Kouzmanova
Encyclopedia
Education
She studied at the Ljubomir Pipkov Music High School in SofiaSofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
and at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna. She participated in violin courses with Prof. Munteanu (Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
) in 1994, Vanja Milanova (Bulgaria) and Michael Barta (USA), from 1995 to 199 with José Luis Garcia (Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
), with Alois Kottmann
Alois Kottmann
Alois Kottmann is a German violinist, music pedagogue, university professor and patron.- Background :Alois Kottmann was raised as one of three children of a silversmith. His mother was very much interested in music so she made every possible effort for a musical education of her children...
(Germany) in 1999 and 2000, and with Vladimir Spivakov (Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
) in 2000.
Performances
As a soloist Kouzmanova has played with Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Plovdiv Philharmonic OrchestraPlovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra
The Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra is a Bulgarian orchestra whose origins date back to 1945. It is rooted in the hundred-year-old orchestral traditions of the largest cultural center of Thrace.-Recordings:...
, Rousse Philharmonic Orchestra
Rousse Philharmonic Orchestra
- History of the Orchestra :The Rousse Philharmonic Orchestra was established in 1948. Some of the best Bulgarian conductors — Konstantin Iliev, Dobrin Petkov, Sasha Popov, Russlan Raychev, Ilia Temkov, Alexander Vladigerov, Tzanko Delibozov and Georgi Dimitrov among others, have worked with this...
, Varna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vratza Philharmonic Orchestra, Vidin Philharmonic Orchestra, Youth Orchestra "Plovdiv", Bohuslav Martunu Philharmonic Orchestra, Sofia Symphonic Orchestra
Sofia Symphonic Orchestra
The Sofia Symphonic Orchestra is a one of the most illustrious symphonic orchestras in Europe. It was founded in 1928 under the supervision of Bulgarian musician Alexander Popov. He was the chief conductor of the orchestra until 1956...
, Bachsolisten (Vienna), Neues Orchester Basel (Switzerland), Kottmann Streicher, Montevideo Symphony Orchestra, Uruguay others.
Kouzmanova has appeared in Australia, Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Uruguay and in the USA.
Several composers (R. Dimitrov, M. Kerer, P. Liakakis, J. Purgina, P. Richter, T. Wally among others) dedicated violin compositions to her, some of which she has premiered.
Recordings
Her first CD recording was in 1996 with Plovdiv Philharmonic OrchestraPlovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra
The Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra is a Bulgarian orchestra whose origins date back to 1945. It is rooted in the hundred-year-old orchestral traditions of the largest cultural center of Thrace.-Recordings:...
under the baton of Nayden Todorov
Nayden Todorov
Nayden Todorov is a Bulgarian conductor.- Positions :*Plovdiv Youth Orchestra *Vratza Philharmonic Orchestra *Sofia Festival Orchestra...
, playing the Bruch
Max Bruch
Max Christian Friedrich Bruch , also known as Max Karl August Bruch, was a German Romantic composer and conductor who wrote over 200 works, including three violin concertos, the first of which has become a staple of the violin repertoire.-Life:Bruch was born in Cologne, Rhine Province, where he...
Violin concerto No. 1
Violin Concerto No. 1 (Bruch)
Max Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26, is one of the most popular violin concertos in the repertoire. It continues to be performed and recorded by many violinists and is arguably Bruch's most famous composition.- History :...
and Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
Violin concerto
Violin Concerto (Mendelssohn)
Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 is his last large orchestral work. It forms an important part of the violin repertoire and is one of the most popular and most frequently performed violin concertos of all time...
. She has also recorded the violin concerti by Karen De Pastel, Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century...
and Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Erich Wolfgang Korngold was an Austro-Hungarian film and romantic music composer. While his compositional style was considered well out of vogue at the time he died, his music has more recently undergone a reevaluation and a gradual reawakening of interest...
and has done several CDs with works for violin and piano, recorded with the violin Stradivarius
Stradivarius
The name Stradivarius is associated with violins built by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari. According to their reputation, the quality of their sound has defied attempts to explain or reproduce, though this belief is controversial...
"Da Vinci" (1725) on loan to her from Professor Dietmar Machold.
Violins
Miss Kouzmanova has played with different famous instruments, most of them given to her by Machold. She had the opportunity to play the Stradivarius "Red Diamond" - 1732, "Da Vinci" - 1725, Stradivarius 1717, Stradivarius "Ex Nachez" 1716, Stradivarius "Reynier" 1681, Pietro Guarneri 1735, Guarneri del Gesu 1741 and several new made violins including a Gerlinde Reutterer 2004, Greiner. Since 2008 she plays her own instrument made by Matthieu Devuyst.Awards
- 1995: International competition "Music and the Earth" - 2nd Prize
- 1995: National Violin Competition for German Music - Bourgas - 1st and Special Prize
- 1995: "Bela Bartok" competition - 1st Prize
- 1995: "Dobrin Petkov" Violin competition - 3rd Prize and Special Prize for youngest participant
- 1996: Second competition "Young musicians" - Sofia - 1st Prize
- 2000: Hudson Valley String Competition (USA) - 3rd Prize
- 2001: Alois Kottmann AwardAlois Kottmann AwardThe Alois Kottmann Award is an international prize for "classical, cantando violin playing". It honours outstanding international violinists. The competition takes place annually in May and/or June during International Days of Music Hesse Main-Taunus Hofheim in Hofheim am Taunus, Hesse, Germany...
during International Days of Music Hesse Main-Taunus HofheimInternational Days of Music Hesse Main-Taunus HofheimThe International Days of Music Hesse Main-Taunus Hofheim are an annual cultural event of several days‘ duration in Hofheim am Taunus, Hesse, Germany. It takes place in May or June and is attended by artists from all over the world...
, Frankfurt am Main, HesseHesseHesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
, Germany