Ivan Jekov was born in 1942 in Sofia. He graduated with honors from the State Music School in Sofia in 1960, and in 1964 from the Bulgarian State Conservatory (now the Music Academy) in the capital in the piano class of Prof. Lyuba Encheva – also with honors. Two years later, he graduated from the master class for concert performers at the Conservatory. After winning a gold medal at the “Buzoni” International Piano Competition in Bolzano in 1966 and a silver medal at the “Viotti” competition in Vercelli – both in Italy, Ivan Jekov began an active concert activity in the country, in many European countries, as well as in China, Cuba and Egypt. In addition to being a soloist, he also performed with world-famous musicians such as Pierre Fournier from France, Ricardo Odnoposov from Austria, Mark Kaplan from the USA, Luigi Alva from Peru (soloist of the Milan Rock), as well as with Emil Kamilarov, Dina Schneiderman, Mincho Minchev, Georgi Badev, Lidiya Oshavkova and others. In the late 1970s, Ivan Jekov worked as an accompanist at the State Opera in Ankara, Turkey. During this period, he performed numerous solo concerts in the country and made recordings on Ankara Radio and Television, and in 1980 he performed as a soloist with the Ankara Philharmonic. In the summer of 1979, two of his songs for a children’s choir were broadcast on the Bulgarian National Television. Since 1981, Ivan Jekov worked for many years in Germany as a pianist, composer and teacher. In 1982, his long-playing gramophone record of works by Beethoven, Brahms and Chopin was released by the company Harmonie der Welt – the German subsidiary of the famous Harmonia mundi. In 1982 and 1983, he was a pianist at the International Academy for Violinists of Prof. Wolfgang Marschner at the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg. In April 1983, within the framework of the Printemps musical festival in the city of Colmar, France, he led a master class on the interpretation of works by F. Chopin. In April 1984 – at the suggestion of the great Bulgarian pianist Yuri Bukov, he was included in the Meisterkonzerte cycle in the cities of Ahern and Bühl – Germany. Simultaneously with his concert activity, Jekov is actively engaged in composing. Since 1985, he has been a member of the Union of German Composers. In the following years, more than 50 of his works were published by well-known music publishing houses in Germany, one of his pieces was republished in Milan by the Italian publishing house Ricordi. His works have been recorded at SWR – Stuttgart and Bayerischer Rundfunk – München. In 1994, at the International Competition for Works for String Orchestra “E. Bloch” in Lugano, Switzerland, Ivan Jekov’s play Terra sacra was awarded. In another Swiss city – Romanshorn – at the suggestion of the Union of German Composers, Jekov presented his works at the “Music for Music Schools” symposium. In 1998, on his initiative, a concert was organized in the city of Mannheim in Germany, where works by Pancho Vladigerov, Vasil Kazandzhiev, Dimitar Hristov, Krasimir Kyurkchiyski and Ivan Jekov were presented (concert for piano and string orchestra in G major). In 2002, SWR – Stuttgart released an anniversary CD with works by Ivan Jekov on the occasion of the composer’s 60th anniversary. In 2004, the municipality of the city of Ulm organized a music festival “Panta rhei” (“Everything flows”), in which musicians from the countries along the Danube river took part. Seventy young people from Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Romania play music in the international orchestra with conductor Virgil Bunea. The city hall held a composition competition, won by Ivan Jekov, who was commissioned to write two works – one for the opening of the festival, the other for the closing. This leads to a performance of Concertino for piano and chamber orchestra op. 82 and the Scherzo for Symphony Orchestra Op. 83 by Ivan Jekov. After returning to Bulgaria, Ivan Jekov continues to work as a pianist and composer. He is also a writer. Between 2012-2014, his books “Transitions – a family saga between 1850-2012” and the novel “Survival” were published.

Works for symphony orchestra:
Bremer Stadtmusikanten by Brothers Grimm opus 80 for symphony wind orchestra and reader – 2003. Publisher BOHNE-SCHULZ MUSIKVERLAG D-KONSTANZ

Bremer Stadtmusikanten by Brothers Grimm opus 72 for small symphony orchestra and reader – 2002. Publisher BOHNE-SCHULZ MUSIKVERLAG D-KONSTANZ

Rhapsodie for piano and symphony brass band

Europa-Marsch opus 88 for symphonic wind orchestra – 2006

Works for chamber orchestra:
Concertino Panta rhei opus 82 for piano and chamber orchestra – flute, oboe, strings – 2004

Utopia for flute and chamber orchestra – English horn, percussion and strings – 1999

Concerto for clarinet and chamber orchestra – flute, oboe, strings – 1995.

Works for string orchestra:
Terra sacra for string orchestra – 1994

Concerto for piano and string orchestra – 1988

Concerto-fantasy for viola and string orchestra – 1993

Works for mandolin-guitar orchestra:
Divertimento für Zuphorchester – 1991, 12 minutes. Publisher NOGARZ-Verlag, D-Essen

Inselfest (Island Festival) für Zupforchester – 1995. Publishing house Vogt und Fritz-D-Schweinfurt

Amerika-Suite für Zupforchester – 1993. Publisher NOGATZ-Verlag-D-Essen

Chamber Music:
Jungle-piece for clarinet, cello and piano – 1997.

Sonata concertante for cello and piano – 1995. Publisher P.J.TONGER Musikverlag-D-Köln. Record SWR-M.Brook, I.Shekov

Sonata para tres for violin, viola and piano – 1997.

Petite Suite for flute, violin (mandolin) and guitar – 1996. Publisher J.TREKEL-Verlag, Hamburg

Fantasia for guitar and piano – 1981. Publisher Zimmermann, Frankfurt M. CD Audite 97.473-N., E.Yamamoto

Dialoge for Flute and Guitar – 1998. NOGATZ-D-Essen Publishers. CD L.Oshavkova, M.Kavauni

Suite à la française for guitar quartet – 1999. Publisher NOGATZ-D-Essen

Suite medeterran for mandolin and guitar – 2001. CORVUS publishing house, Germany. Record BR Munich, D.Ahlert, B.Schwab

Concertino for 4 flutes – 1997. Zimmermann Publishing – Frankfurt M.

Drei impressionen for 4 clarinets – 1990. Publisher S.Rundel, D-Rot a.d.Rot. Record SWR Stuttgart

Silhouetten for bass clarinet and piano – 1993. Publisher P.J.Tonger Köln. Record SWR J.Horak, E.Kavarnova

Nocturne for tenor saxophone and piano – 1994. Kunzelmann Publishing Germany

Movimento for solo piano – 1996. Publisher ASTORIA Düsseldorf

Metamorphose for 4 Blockflöten ATTB – 2000. Publisher P.J.Tonger Verlag Köln

Undine for 4 flutes – 2000. Publisher BOHNE SCHULZ D Konstanz

A Heart for New York 2001 for solo flute – 2002. Publisher Zimmermann Frankfurt M

Solo de concert for trumpet and piano – 1995. S.Rundel Publishing House, D-Rot a.d.Rot. Record SWR G.Hartwig, I.Shekov

Ballade for 2 Trumpets, Horn and Piano – 1996. Publisher S.Rundel D Rot a.d. Rot. Record SWR G.Hartwig, P.Pfeifer, M.Hartwig, I.Shekov

Don Quijote for alto sax, double bass and drums – 2001

Fata morgana for accordion – 2001

Konzertstücke opus 85 for violin and piano – 2005. Publisher R.Lienau Frankfurt M.

No, No, No! – for 4 cellos opus 86 – 2005

Die vier Temperamente for 2 trumpets, horn, trombone and tuba opus 87 – 2005

Images for 4 saxophones opus 91 – 2008.