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Young Bulgarian violinist Zornitsa Ilarionova

Photo: BGNES

Zornitsa Ilarionova used to win prestigious awards at national and international contests as early as her high school years with the Lyubomir Pipkov National School of Music – those were Nedyalka Simeonova, Pancho Vladigerov, Dobrin Petkov and other competitions. The young violinist has had concerts in France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Belgium, Russia, Austria, Serbia etc. Zornitsa has been a student at the Escuela Superior de Musica Reina Sofia royal academy in Madrid, at the violin class of Prof. Zakhar Bron. Tradition says that the best instrumentalist awards are handed within the different specialties at the end of the year and for 2013 / 2014 it was our young Bulgarian girl who was distinguished.

“I received the award at my latest concert in Madrid, where all the violinists from the department participated,” Zornitsa says. “It is given at the traditional meeting of the academy’s board with the tutors. I am really happy with this award, it is among the biggest ones that I have. Experts know well the extraordinary personality of great pedagogue Prof. Zakhar Bron, there are marvelous violinists in his class. I got into the academy back in 2012, after a very tough test. Prof. Bron received 4 out of 40 applicants. I do not break my connection with Bulgaria, though I work very intensively here. Right now I study with the New Bulgarian University as well and it is hard to combine both studies, but for the moment I succeed.”

“When I talk about my teachers, I always start with the name of my mother Blagorodna Taneva – one of the most famous violin pedagogues in Bulgaria. I owe it all to her. She is the one that turned me into a violinist. I gained precious experience with my participation in countless master classes of great musicians. I have studied with Prof. Mincho Minchev, Svetlin Rusev, Kevork Mardirosyan /a Bulgarian violinist, residing at the USA/, Oleg Krisa /Russia/ and many others. I think I have strongly developed my skills over the past years under the guidance of Prof. Zakhar Bron and his assistant Prof. Yurii Volgin in Madrid. I owe a big thank you to them. Elite pedagogues from the Russian school teach at the royal academy there. I am a fan of their teaching system. It was a great chance for me to get there. Queen Sofia herself supports lecturers and students. The awarding ceremony mentioned took place at the El Prado king’s palace in Madrid and Her Majesty herself handed the awards.”

English version: Zhivko Stanchev

Music used:

1.  Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso by Camille Saent Saens, a recording from the Nedyalka Simeonova Music Days – 2010

2.  Pesen /Song/ by Pancho Vladigerov.




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