Neva Krysteva graduated from the State Conservatoire in Moscow where she studied Musicology with Professor Yuri Holopov and Organ with Professor Leonid Royzman. Her postgraduate studies in organ continued with Professor Iri Reinberger in Prague and Zurich. Since 1973 she has taught at the State Academy of Music. She founded the first Bulgarian organ school in 1978 at the National Academy of Music and it has continued in NBU. Since 1994 she has been Professor of Polyphony. In 1978 she attended a master class in Poland (Villa Liutoslawski) where she presented her Heterophony Miniatures for organ (1974). She is a member of the Bach Society in Leipzig. Since 1974 she has enjoyed an active concert career in Bulgaria, throughout Europe and Asia. She performed twice the complete organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach in concert in Sofia. Her recordings were released on LPs. She recorded for the Bulgarian National Radio and the Bulgarian National Television. During her entire career as a composer, pedagogue, music theoretician and performer she has emphasized the role of music as a messenger of intransient deep spirituality. She has composed vocal-instrumental works for voice and organ; works for organ; chamber vocal and instrumental music; choral music, etc. She is the author of music theory studies and monographs, most of which were collected in Music Theory Studies, vol. 1-3.

Vocal-instrumental works:
For mixed choir and organ:

The Pick, a war madrigal after The Volunteer-Fighters on Shipka by Ivan Vazov for twelve-voiced mixed choir and organ (1988);
Requiem for mixed choir and organ after works by Svetoslav Obretenov (1995).

For male voices choir and organ:
Tebe otdejushtegosia (They Who Offer Themselves to You) for male voices choir and organ, after Bolgarskiy Rospev (1998).

For soloists and instrumental ensemble with organ:

Mythological Songs for two traditional music singers, organ, soprano and percussion (1975);
Quantus Tremor for mezzo-soprano, trumpet, violoncello and organ (1989).

For voice and organ:

Pater Noster for voice and organ (1997).

Instrumental works:
Heterophony Miniatures for organ (1974).

Sonata da Chiesa for flute (alto) piccolo and organ (1987).

In Memoriam Exire (in memory of my mother) for piano, organ and percussion (1997).

Chamber vocal-instrumental music:
Five Songs from the Pirin Mountain for Wood Nymphs, for jazz singer and flute (1989).

Reflections for voice and piano after Goethe (1995).

To Desert (after the life story of St. Maria of Egypt) for reader, counter-tenor, traditional music singer, soprano, bass and instrumental ensemble (1998).

Seven Songs on William Blake’s The Book of Thel for soprano, counter-tenor (alto), viola d’amore and harpsichord (1999).

A Bogomil Legend for counter-tenor, bass, harpsichord, piano, clarinet, reader and eurhythmics.

Choral music:
For female voices choir:

Five songs after Dimcho Debelyanov (1991);
Missa Angelus (1993).

Selected books (published in Bulgarian):
Music Theory Studies, vol. 1-3 (Sofia, 2002-03)