Yanko Miladinov studied Piano with Professor Jeny Kovacheva. At the age of 16 he was prizewinner at the first national festival as a pianist. He adhered to pop music in the early 1960s. He played with different orchestras (from trio to combo); he made music arrangements for pop music bands. At the end of 1969 he was appointed pianist soloist at the Big Band of the Bulgarian National Radio where he worked for 30 years. He had an impressive sound recording activity with the ensemble. In 1998 he became its conductor.

He started to compose in early 1970s. The first song he recorded was Evening Coast, performed by Mimi Ivanova (1971). He composed over 200 songs and orchestral pieces using the melodic richness of the Bulgarian folklore (Lazarki, Pirin Waters, Nazdravitza (Toast), Balgarska sofra (Bulgarian Table). He made over 300 arrangements for big band, some of which were awarded. In 1983 he made a TV film -a self-portrait – entitled The Most Beautiful Ray. His songs were released on LP in Bulgaria, the former USSR and Cuba.

Awarded songs at:

The Golden Orpheus Festival:

I’m Power and Tenderness, performed by Yordanka Hristova (second prize, 1976);
Autumn, performed by Biser Kirov (third prize, 1978).

The Spring Radio Competition:

Spring Mood (1977) and Streams, performed by Lili Ivanova and Asen Gargov (first prize, 1978);
Password: Spring, performed by Stefka Berova and Yordan Marchinkov (second prize, 1979);
Are We Going to Live Such a Spring?, performed by Margarita Hranova (1974);
The Love Season, performed by the Rhyton Duet (third prize, 1985).

The Melody of the Year Festival:

The Most Beautiful Ray, performed by Lili Ivanova and Asen Gargov (Prize of the TV Public, 1977);
Peace (the prize of the Union of Bulgarian Composers, 1985).

The Songs about Varna Festival:

Back to Odessos (1974).

The Burgas and the Sea Festival:

Windmill (1977).