Kiril Donchev graduated from the State Academy of Music in 1959. He conducted a wind orchestra in Burgas (1959-62). Since 1962 he has mainly composed theatre and film music. He is among the leading Bulgarian composers whose names are connected with this genre. He worked as conductor and composer at the Bulgarian Army Theatre (1962-71), the Sofia Theatre (1972-88). In 1989 he was appointed composer at the Ivan Vazov National Theatre. He wrote music for most Bulgarian theatres. He composed stage music to performances in Moscow, Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, etc. He is member of the Union of Bulgarian Film Makers and the Union of Bulgarian Actors.

He wrote the music to over 240 theatre productions, 65 feature films, 30 documentaries, etc.

His music was awarded at the international festivals in Venice (Italy), Girona (Spain), Essen (Germany), the Varna International Cinema Festival, the Plovdiv Cinema Festival, etc. It was also awarded by the Union of Bulgarian Composers, the Union of Bulgarian Film Makers, etc.
In 2008, Kiril Donchev received the “Askeer” prize for “Overall Contribution to Theater Art”.

Music for theater productions (from the 1990s):
Ivan Vazov National Theatre:

Tartuffe by Moliere (1994); At the Foot of Vitosha by Peyo Yavorov (1995); Nirvana by Konstantin Iliev; Uncles by Ivan Vazov (1996); At the Bottom by Maxim Gorki (1997); Church for Wolves by P. Anastasov (1998); Duel by Ivan Vazov (1999)

Bulgarian Army Theatre:

The Twelfth Night by Shakespeare; The Last Yankee by Eugene O’Neil; Koutsoulan by Konstantin Iliev (1995); Fear and Misery in the Third Reich by Bertold Brecht; Hamlet by Shakespeare; Trying to Fly by Yordan Radichkov (1996); Ulysses Travels to Itaka by Konstantin Iliev (1997); Art by Yasmina Reza (1999).

Others:

Marriage by Gogol (1993); The Twelfth Night by Shakespeare (1995); The Government Inspector by Gogol (1998, Burgas); Hamlet by Shakespeare (2000, Varna).

Film music to:
The Third Planet in the Solar System, directed by G. Stoyanov (1972);
The Hares’ Census, directed by E. Zahariev (1973);
Houses without Fancies, directed by G. Stoyanov (1974);
Eternal Times, directed by A. Shopov (1975);
Villa Zone, directed by E. Zahariev (1975);
The Investigating Magistrate and the Forest, directed by R. Valchanov (1975);
A Cricket in the Ear, directed by G. Stoyanov (1976);
Sunstroke, directed by H. Piskov and I. Aktasheva (1976);
Manly Times, directed by E. Zahariev (1977);
On the Tracks of the Missing, directed by M. Nikolov (Four series TV movie, 1979);
The Unknown Soldier’s Patent Leather Shoes, directed by R. Valchanov (1979);
Alone among Wolves, directed by Z. Heskia (1979);
Yo-ho-ho, directed by Z. Heskia (1981);
Nights with the Black Horses, directed by Z. Heskia (TV series, 1985);
Material Evidence, directed by B. Punchev (1991);
I Want America, directed by K. Kolarov (1991);
Oh, my God, Where Are You?, directed by K. Spasov (1991);
Canary Season, directed by E. Mihaylov (1993);
Spanish Fly, directed by K. Kolarov (1998).