Hristo Tonev studied at the Military Music School “Pyotr Tchaikovsky” in Sofia and graduated in 1955. He worked as a military bandmaster in Kresna, Razgrad, Kardjali, Momchilgrad, Dobrich, Dolna Mitropolia, Sofia and Pleven. He also conducted the orchestra of the Higher Transport School in Sofia (1969-89) and the Sofia Wind Orchestra (1989-91). He graduated from the State Academy of Music in 1970. In 1980 he was appointed there to teach Orchestration and Wind Orchestra Conducting. In 1995 he was appointed associate professor at the South-western University in Blagoevgrad. The same year he began conducting the wind orchestra in Pernik.

He composed for wind orchestra mainly military, march, political choral and solo songs. He also wrote film scores. His wind orchestra instrumentations of works both by foreign composers and contemporary Bulgarian authors, of Diko Iliev’s traditional dances (horo) and other popular tunes and dances won recognition as characteristic for the modern development trends in Bulgarian wind orchestra music. His works were performed in former Czechoslovakia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Russia, etc. Since 1978, he has been presenting works by Bulgarian composers, most of which were orchestrated and conducted by him. Winner of the Music Prize of Sofia (1987) and others.

For reader and wind orchestra:
Poems:

Lyuben Karavelov (1994);
Baban (1996).

Ten folksongs with wind orchestra accompaniment (1997).

For wind orchestra:
Suite on Three Bulgarian Renaissance Songs (1976).

Bulgarian dances: N1 (1977); N2 and N3 Outplaying (1979).

Festive Music (1984);
Game-Caprice (1985);
Overture-prelude (1990);
Entertaining Overture (1995);

Concertino for trombone and wind orchestra (1992);
Serenade for trumpet and wind orchestra (1993);

Celebration in Graovo (Song and Dance) for bagpipe and wind orchestra (2000).

Music for documentary movies:
Birds Fly in Spring;
Balkan Eagles;
Singing Together.