Yavor Dimitrov


composer, pianist, pedagouge, public figure

Явор Димитров

04.12.1961Sofia – Bulgaria

Yavor Dimitrov graduated from the State Academy of Music majoring in Piano under Professor Bogomil Starshenov and Professor Anton Dikov (1987). At the same time he studied Composition under Professor Mihail  Pekov. In 1993 he received a Diploma from the John Hopkins University (USA) for his successful participation and presented project on founding and structuring non-profit organisations. In 1994-95 he made a one-year specialisation in chamber music at the State Academy of Music under Professor Angel Stankov. Since 1998 he has been studying Law at the South-Western University in Blagoevgrad. Since 1984 he has had an active educational activity: in 1988 he was appointed at the Lubomir Pipkov National Music High School in Sofia; from 1991 to 1993 he was an associate professor at the South-Western University in Blagoevgrad; since 1991 he has taught Chamber Music at the State Academy of Music; since 1998 he has also been a lecturer at the Music and Stage Arts Department of the New Bulgarian University. From 1993 to 1997 he was appointed Director of the National Centre for Music and Dance at the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture. In 2002 he was appointed Director of the Sofia Philharmonic. He is a member of prestigious councils, music commissions, juries, etc. He was the initiator and organiser of the National Competition “Our Children Play Bach” in Blagoevgrad (1992), the Festival of Piano Duos in Sofia (1993-98), the Young Bulgarian Talents International Competition (1994-2002). In 1990 together with Teodora Nestorova he created the piano duo Tedy and Yavor. He gave concerts as performer and composer in Bulgaria, but also in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, The Netherlands, Russia, Greece, Korea, Italy and Hungary. He was prizewinner at national and international competitions such as Svetoslav Obretenov in Provadia (1972); Masters of the Piano in Usti-nad-Labem, the Czech Republic (1973); Senigalia, Italy. He also won the Young Composer of the Year Award of the Bulgarian National Television (1987), the award of the Youth Competition for Pop Songs for the song “Deficit” (1990), the award of the Coast of Hope International Competition in Dobrich for “Nespokoen opit” (Anxious Attempt) (1996); the Prize 2000 for high artistic achievements at the Music And the New Century Festival-Competition for the sonata-impression “Running Water”, etc. In 2000 the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture awarded him honourable diplomas for contribution to and popularisation of the Bulgarian culture. He wrote chamber music; pop songs, etc. His compositional style combines conventional and non-standard aesthetic and composition principles with freedom and improvisation typical of the jazz. Some of his well-known chamber works were recorded on CD: Lonely Bird (performed by the composer, 1997); Shadows (performed by Yavor and Tedi Piano Duo, 1999); Musilenium (Collection, 2000). In 2003 he began working on an opera – Saint Dimiter – to his own libretto.

Creativity

Selected chamber works:

Videomusic for 18 instruments;
Motion Against the Motion for violin, marimba and piano;
Sonata “Lonely Bird” for piano and voice;
Sonata-Impression “Running Water” for violin and piano.

Vocal music:

Intimacy – cycle for two sopranos and piano, lyrics by Lubomir Levchev.

For two pianos:

Caprice;
Rivalry;
Shadows.

Sonata for violin.

Tropic Climate for two violins, piano, percussion and actor.

Stuff in a Matchbox – piano pieces for the youngest.

Improvisations for piano.

Music to Naum Shopov’s poetic performance Optimistically Doomed.