Prof. Yovcho Krushev is known all over the world as a pianist, composer and pedagog with a career spanning over 2000 performances worldwide since his youth. He received a Special Award at the 4th Natonal Review of Art Schools in Bulgaria in 1973 and was granted special admission to the National Academy of Music ”Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” in 1974 even though he was not of the minimum required age of 18. He also became an active member of the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture’s Agency Music, LLC in 1977.

Upon graduating from the National Academy of Music with a degree in piano performance in 1979, Yovcho was imediately accepted in the composition class of Prof. Alexander Raitchev, while simultaneously learning conducting under Prof. Vladimir Simeonov and participating in the Piano Master Class of Profs. Julia and Constantin Ganev (1979-1981). In 1987, Prof. Krushev began teaching at the National Academy of Music, where currently he leads the disciplines of piano performance, composition, and score reading. Professor since 2000.

Awards:
Prof. Krushev is a laureate of the ”Viotti International Music Competition” in Verchelli, Italy (2nd prize in 1978) and the ”International Tchaikovski Competition” in Moscow, Russia (5th prize in 1986).

He also received: a Special Award in the Composition category at the ”Valsesia Musica International Competition” in Varallo, Italy in 1984 for his Sonatina for Clarinet and Piano;

”Youth Lyre” Award of the Union of Bulgarian Musicians and Dancers (UBMD) in 1987;

”Crystal Lyre” for superior achievements in the performing arts in 1999 (awarded by the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture, UBMD and Classic FM Radio);

”Golden Lyre” for popularizing Russian music in Bulgaria in 2001;

Special Award at the 2003 Arts Salon for the first time ever performances on the Bulgarian stage of over 20 chamber works by Sergei Rachmaninov;

”Golden Lyre” of the UBMD for his expansive career achievements in 2007;

In 2008 he was awarded the highest grade of the Order of ”St. St. Cyril and Methodius” for his ”greatly valued contributions to the development of culture and the arts in Bulgaria”.

Yovcho Kroushev has performed as a soloist with all Bulgarian symphony orchestras, under the direction of Bulgarian and foreign conductors, as well as in an ensemble with many popular Bulgarian musicians. Since the start of his career he has toured 30 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia and performed at multiple international music festivals in Bulgaria and around the world. He has also juried at many music competitions and taught Piano Master classes in Bulgaria and abroad, including annual classes in Seoul, South Korea since 2003.

His repertoire encompasses classical and modern opuses, as well as rare and new Bulgarian works, some written exclusively for him. He has recorded many times with the Bulgarian National Radio. In 1987, Prof. Krushev began teaching at the National Academy of Music, where currently he leads the disciplines of piano performance, composition, and score reading. From 2002 to 2008, he served as the Academy’s Associate Director. Since the 1990s, he has focused on combining the academic traditions of Western Europe with the knowledge and experience of the East, which resulted in the creation of a special concert series titled ”Music and Wu-Shu”. Yovcho’s students have won over 50 awards at both national and international competitions and perform actively in Bulgaria, Europe and the Americas. Prof. Krushev is also a member of the Union of Bulgarian Composes. He has written a symphony, concertos for piano, violin, cello, as well as many piano, chamber, choral and theatrical music pieces. Many of his works have been recorded and published by the Bulgarian National Radio and are performed in Bulgaria, as well as Italy, Japan, Greece, Germany, Cyprus, Turkey, Hungary and Russia. Some have become part of the curriculum for performers and choral conductors at the music academy or as mandatory pieces at competitions for young performers around the world.

Works for symphony orchestra:
Symphony (1984);
Theatre Music in memory of Shostakovich (1980);
Symphonic Scherzo (1981).

Concertos for:

piano (1980); violoncello (1987); violin (2000).

Chamber Music:
Piano Trio (1983).

For French horn and piano:

Elegy (1972);
Diptych (2001).

For clarinet and piano:

Sonatina (1982);
Rondo (1982).
Allegro for viola and piano (1986).
Seven transcriptions of works by Sergei Rachmaninov for violoncello and piano (1999).

For piano:

Five pieces (1969);
Rain Drops and Mad Race, two waltzes (1970);

Rachenitza (1971);
Intermezzo (in Dixieland style) (1973);
Small Suite (1986);
Transcription of three fragments from the ballet Rebel’s Song by Alexander Raychev (1986).
Polygraphs II (1982); Transcription for two pianos of three fragments from the ballet Rebel’s Song by Alexander Raychev (2002).