George Bonev graduated from the State Academy of Music in 1978 majoring in Piano and Composition under Professor Parashkev Hadjiev.

From 1979­-1983 he taught Harmony at Institute for Music and Choreographic Personnel. In 1973 while he was still a student, Professor Zdravko Manolov offered him to join the Polyphony Department as an assistant professor. He refused in order to complete his education.

Since 1983 he has also taught Harmony at the State Academy of Music. From 1982 to 1990 he worked as editor-in-chief at the Army Song Artistic Centre and was member of the writers’ and composers’ group at the Ministry of Defence. From 1968 until today, he has been playing solo piano intermittently in prestigious venues in our country and abroad.

Prof. Dr. Bonev is the author of works for symphonic, wind and string orchestra; chamber-instrumental works; many children’s and choral songs; numerous orchestrations of works by Bulgarian and foreign composers in various genres – musicals, orchestral pieces, choral and children’s songs, etc.

Commissioned by the Italian Cinematography in 1993, he restored ten scores of film music by famous Italian composers.

He was awarded by the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence, the “Vasil Levski” Military School, etc.

He focuses on instrumental and orchestral music Part of his children’s songs and military marches were released on LPs and recorded by the Bulgarian National Radio. Several military songs were published as part of the collection “Fly, Our Army Song”. In 1989 he compiled and edited the collection “Poklon, narode mili” (Let Us Honour You, Our Dear Nation) including 100 soldier’s songs and marches for mixed choir and piano (Orlin Orlinov edited the lyrics).
He is a member of the Management Board of UBC (2014-2017), since 2017 he is the chairman of the Control Board of UBC.

Stage music:
Musical plays:

“Roman Bath”, on St. Stratiev (DNA, Sliven, 1975);
“Goldilocks” based on poems by Leda Mileva;
“The four tankers and…” by Bogomil Gudev.

Choir-orchestral music:
White Tale – symphony tale for reader, mixed choir and orchestra after Valeri Petrov’s story.
“Symphonic Prologue” for reader, mixed choir and orchestra based on text by Eustati Burnaski, 1986;
“Orpheus” for mixed choir, children’s choir and orchestra on a theme by Hindemith, 2016.

Works for symphony orchestra:
“April 1876” – overture (1981) (version for wind orchestra, 1986);
Symphony Suite from the symphony tale White Tale (1979);
Bride – symphony legend (1980).
Symphonic Metamorphoses on Themes by Hindemith (2007);
March, Scherzo and Chorale for Trombone and Symphony Orchestra on Themes by Hindemith (2014);
Symphonic Fragment on a Theme by Hindemith (2017).

Works for piano and orchestra:
Variations (1977);
Concert No. 1 (1978), documentary recording in BNR, conductor Andrey Andreev, soloist Prof. Dr. Filip Pavlov;
Concerto No. 2 (2005).

Works for wind orchestra:
Combat marchers (1982 – 1990);
Georgievski March, for large brass band (2018).

Works for string orchestra:
13 Improvisations (1983), studio recording by the Symphony Orchestra, conductor Kamen Goleminov; variant for piano and string orchestra, 2006;
4 Canons by Themes by Hindemith (2013).

Chamber Music:
Trio for flute, obo and bassoon (1973);
Wind Quintet “Theme, Variations and Fugue” (1976);
Pieces for woodwind instruments with piano accompaniment.

For piano:
Variations (1970);
Sonata (1973);

Music-theoretical works of Prof. Dr. George Bonev:
“A Guide to Solving Problems in Harmony (For Advanced Students)”, ed. Artes Liberales, 2007. In this work, for the first time in our country, the author explains the ways of harmonizing internal voices (alto and tenor). The book has been accepted into the library of the Hindemith Institute.;
“Classical Harmony”, ed. “Avtookazion OOD”, 2008;
“Jazz Harmony”, ed. “Avtookazion OOD”, 2008 – a work in the field of jazz harmony, which was published in Bulgaria for the first time. The author examines the relationship and interaction between classical and jazz harmony.;
“In a composition class with Paul Hindemith. Symphonic metamorphoses on themes from Weber”, 2013; ed. “Assenevtsi”
“In Orchestration Class with Maurice Ravel. Mussorgsky, Pictures from an Exhibition”, 2013; ed. “Assenevtsi”
“In an orchestration lesson with Hector Berlioz. Weber, Invitation to Dance”, 2018, ed. “Assenevtsi”;
“In an orchestration lesson with Johannes Brahms. Symphony No. 4, IV movement”, 2019, ed. “Asenevtsi”.