In 1965 Stefan Mutafchiev began studying Composition with Professor Parashkev Hadjiev at the State Academy of Music. In 1967 he was admitted in the composition class of Professor Vesselin Stoyanov. He studied Composition with Professor Dimitar Tapkoff, too. He received a scholarship by the Union of Bulgarian Composers. In 1974 he joined the staff of the Plovdiv Philharmonic as a conductor of the traditional music choir of the newly formed Trakia Ensemble. He worked with the ensemble’s leader Djenev and the orchestra’s conductor Nikolay Stoykov.В Together, they realised the first concert of the ensemble in 1975.
In 1976 Mutafchiev joined the staff of the Academy of Music and Dance Art in Plovdiv as lecturer in Traditional Music Ensembles Conducting. He specialised with Professor Shamina and Professor Meshko at the Folklore Faculty of the State Music Pedagogy Institute in Moscow (1981). For many years he was chief artistic director of the Trakia Ensemble, with which he appeared in concert and recorded for the Bulgarian National Radio and the Bulgarian National Television. In co-authorship with Vassilka Spassova he published the collection Songs for Mixed Choir.

He is among the leading folksong arrangers. His songs were included in the repertoire of the Trakia Ensemble and the ensembles at the Academy of Music and Dance Art in Plovdiv. Songs witnessing an original compositional approach like “Donka na porti sedeshe” (Donka Was Standing at the Gate) or “Sednalo e Gyore dos” were also performed by other ensembles and were included in textbooks for the secondary music schools or for the general education schools. A number of his songs were recorded for the Bulgarian National Radio and the Bulgarian National Television, Radio Plovdiv, Radio Stara Zagora, etc. They won the Girls’ Songs from Southern Bulgaria Prize (diploma, gold medal and crystal vase for performance and composition, 1977) and other prizes at traditional music festivals and competitions.

He composed stage music, as well as symphony, chamber and choral works. In 2000 the recording company Gega New released the CD “Hubava moma” (Beautiful Maid), which included songs of his and performances with the Trakia Ensemble.

Stage music:
”The Insane Woman” after Elin Pelin (1971).

Ballet in one act: A Shepherd and the Maid Yuda.

Works for symphony orchestra:
Divertimento for piano and orchestra (1970);
Sea Symphony for readers and orchestra (1976).

Chamber Music:
”Song without Words” for flute and piano;
”Legend” for oboe and piano;
”Improvisation and Dance” for violin and piano (1965);
Scherzo for clarinet and piano (1966);
Toccatina (1967);
Variations on a folksong theme for string quartet (1968);
Concerto for violin, violoncello, piano and percussion (1969);
Sonata for violin and piano (1972).

Works for piano:

Winter’s Sleep, a tale;

Vocal music:

”Sea Is Quiet Now” for bass and piano;
Two Songs after Federico Garcia Lorca for soprano, flute, cor anglais and string quartet (1966).

Choral music:
For mixed choir:

Ballad for the Soldiers of Samuil (1969).

For traditional music choir:

Donka na porti sedeshe;
Sedyala Yana (Yana);
Sednalo e Gyore dos (Gyore);
Cossacks;
Mari Maro (Hey, Maro);
Girl’s Songs from Southern Bulgaria (1977) and others.

Music to dance performances:
Horo se vie (A Winding Dance) and others.