Milcho Vassilev
composer, conductor, pedagogue

02.03.1949Plovdiv – Bulgaria
Milcho Vassilev graduated from the State Academy in 1973 majoring in Bulgarian Folk Music. In 1974 he joined the staff of the Academy of Music and Dance Art in Plovdiv as lecturer in Traditional Music Orchestra Conducting. He was promoted full professor in 2003. In 1982 he was appointed chief conductor of the Representative Traditional Music Orchestra of the Academy of Music and Dance Art, with which he took an active part in the editions of the annual festival New Bulgarian Music. He was prizewinner at national competitions in Varna (first prize, 1994), Silistra (Grand Prix, 1995), etc. He consults the traditional music orchestras in Shiroka Laka, Kotel, Pazardzhik, Smolyan, etc.
He arranged over 500 folksongs and instrumental pieces for traditional music ensembles. They were included in the repertoire of the best Bulgarian ensembles of the kind. He won the Medeniyat Chan (the Sweet-Voiced Bell) Prize of the Academy of Music and Dance Art (1998); the Golden Lyre Prize of the Union of Bulgarian Musicians and Dancers (1998), the Plovdiv Prize for Music (1998), etc. His works were recorded at the Bulgarian National Radio and the Bulgarian National Television.
He is currently the rector of AMTII – Plovdiv.
Creativity
Works for traditional music orchestra:
Rhodope Suite for big traditional music orchestra and bagpipes (1982);
Music Dialogues (1986);
Ten Pieces for traditional music orchestra (1986-1998);
Music Thoughts (1994);
Suite “PA-RO-SHO-PA” (1995);
Igra v ritmi (Playing Various Rhythms) (1996);
Concert pieces:
Piece № 4;
Piece № 5;
Piece № 6.
Na Kavali Suite for bagpipe and traditional music orchestra (1988);
Concertino for piano and traditional music orchestra (1992);
“Musical game”: No. 1, 2, 3 for kaval, bagpipe and orchestra (1996-98);
Concerto for clarinet and traditional music orchestra in 7/8 time beat (2002).
For choir/soloists and traditional music orchestra:
Suite for soloists and traditional music orchestra (1998);
Maiden Angelina for traditional music choir and orchestra (1990);
Youth Suite for male voices choir and orchestra (1990);
Song and Improvisation for traditional music choir (1994);
Solo songs with accompaniment (1988-98).
Pieces with piano accompaniments:
Pieces for kaval, bagpipe, gudulka and tambourine with piano accompaniment (1990-2000).