Atanas Kossev (b. 1934, Rousse, Bulgaria) graduated from the “Pancho Vladigerov” State Academy of Music in 1964. He is founder and conductor of the first Youth Symphony Orchestra in Rousse in 1952. He worked as an editor in the music editorial offices of the Committee for Television and Radio (currently BNT and BNR), chief editor of the “Music” editorial office at BNT (1978-84), producer in BNR and BNT.

Atanas Kosev is the author of musicals, musical-stage works for children; works for symphony orchestra, chamber and choral music; theater and film music, as well as over 500 pop songs. He is one of the popular Bulgarian composers of pop music in the 1960s and 1970s. He composed pop songs from the 60s, and among his first songs were: “There is a country” (performed by St. Voronov) and “The Little Light Window” (performed by “Crickets”). He has repeatedly received the “Golden Orpheus” awards, the “Golden Orpheus” Grand Prize for overall contribution in 1998, etc. His songs have successfully participated in international competitions and festivals in Tokyo (Japan), Alexandria (Egypt), Castlebar (Eire), the Niiwola festival (USA).
At the beginning of the 1980s, the song C’est la vie, performed by Lillian Saint-Pierre, became popular in a number of countries in Western Europe and was released on a gramophone record. Atanas Kosev’s songs were released by record companies in Russia, USA, Japan, Belgium, GDR, Finland, etc. He is a recipient of UNESCO and FIDOF awards, the Sofia Prize (1968).

In the 1990s, Atanas Kosev actively wrote poems. By 2003, 8 poetry collections were published.

Stage works:
“The Snow-white and the Seven Dwarfs” – opera, 1983

“Yan Bibiyan” – ballet, 1991

Musical plays:

“Little Red Riding Hood”, 1978
“The Little Match Seller”, 1993
“Las Vegas”, libretto by the author (2003).

Works for symphony orchestra:
“Grotesques”, 1975 “Fiords”, 1976 “Autumn Pastels” – symphonic picture, 1979 Symphony “1300”, 1981; “Olympic Overture”, 1993 “Concert Waltz”, 1994 “Waltz Lesson”, 1995 “Clown’s Diary”, 1996; Concerto for orchestra, 1999; NonSenses with Don Quixote 2000; Concerto for piano and orchestra, 1984 .

Works for string orchestra:
Suites:

Suite I, 1988; Suite II, 1989; “Orange Sunset”, 1992; Prelude and Fugue, 1994.

Chamber Music:
“Light Up” for trumpet and piano, 1990; “Elegy” for string quartet, 1991; Three Pieces for clarinet and piano, 1992; “Five Miniatures for Four Violoncellos”, 1996; “Triptych” for violoncello and piano, 1998; For flute and piano, 2001.

Works for piano:

“Mastery Pieces”, 1978 “Transience”, 1978 “Nostalgia”, 1979 “Portrait”, 1979 “White and Black Keys”, 1979 “Children’s Album”, 1980 “Chromatic Scale”, 1980 “Visions”, 1980 “Summer Holidays”, 1983

Album “Summer Vacation” (1983).

Choral music:
Vocalizations:

“Vocalize I”, 1973; “Vocalize II”, 1973

Choral songs:

“Lamentations”, 1988; “See In My Sleep”, 1988; “Tune”, 1989; “Pray for Happiness”, 1989; “The Lord’s Prayer”, 1999.

Awarded pop songs at:
Alexandria (Egypt): “Irina”, performed by M. Hranova (Jury and Audience Award, 1971).

Tokyo (Japan): “Hope”, performed by B. Gojunov (finalist, 1972).

Castlebar (Eyre): “Nameless Star”, performed by K. Filipova (Jury Award, 1975).

“Niyuola” (USA): “Waltz”, performed by B. Kirov (Grand Prize, 1981).

The Golden Orpheus Festival:

“Be what you want” (Second prize, 1971);
“Hope” (Third Prize, 1973), performed by B. Gudjunov;
“Vechernitsa ti pak budi”, performed by B. Kirov (Grand Prize, 1979).