Ivajla Kirova

Biography

Ivajla Kirova is a German-Bulgarian concert pianist and composer with over 25 years of concert activity on four continents. She is a Steinway artist and has recorded six internationally released CD-albums which received fantastic reviews: “brilliant”, “with exceptional dynamic control, technical skill, wonderful tone and expression”
She started playing the piano at the age of 7 and at 16 was the youngest piano student at Sofia Music Academy in Bulgaria. She graduated from Sofia Music Academy with a distinguished diploma and has Master of Music degrees in piano and chamber music from Munich University of Music and Theater. In 1997 she relocated in Germany after she was invited to become an Associate Professor at Munich University of Music and Theater
Ivajla Kirova has been awarded several international prizes such as Artist Awards at Bel Canto Festivals in Malaysia 2015 and 2018. Her fourth album with World Premiere Recordings was selected as "Recording of the Year 2016" by Musicweb International
2019 and 2020 she received DKG Honor International Society Award for key women with extraordinary achievements all over the world, USA and Outstanding Advocate of Contemporary Musical Arts Award, Hong Kong. 2020 she was selected as a featured composer in BMTG Competition at Carnegie Hall in New York. 2023 she was awarded with Piano Olympics Ordre des Arts.
Her sixth piano album "My Favorite Encores" received amazing reviews: “Five stars: Musicianship and artistry of the highest caliber" Fanfare Music Magazine, USA
Ivajla Kirova is Artistic Director of New Music Festival in Germany and Jury-Member at several International Piano Competitions such as European Piano Competition in Tallinn, Steinway Piano Competition in Trossingen, Olympics Piano Competition in Hong Kong etc.

Prizes and Awards

• Prize of the Polish Cultural Institute for the best interpretation of Chopin (Bulgaria 1989)
• Best Piano Student in Bulgaria (State Music Academy Sofia, Bulgaria 1993)
• Artist Awards 2015 & 2018 at the Bel Canto Festivals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• "Recording of the Year 2016" by Musicweb International for her CD-Recording CBR 21653
• Delta Kapa Gama Honor International Society Award for key women educators with extraordinary achievements all over the world (Atlanta, USA 2019)
• Outstanding Piano Teacher Award (Hong Kong, 2020)
• Outstanding Advocate of Contemporary Musical Arts Award (Hong Kong, 2020)
• Piano Olympics Ordre des Arts (European Piano Competition, 2023)

International Diplomas

• Excellent Graduate - State Music School Sofia, Bulgaria (1993)
• Master Class Diploma - Prof. Germen Munie, France (1993)
• Excellent Graduate - State Music Academy Sofia, Bulgaria (1997)
• Master Class Diploma - Prof. Helmut Deutsch, Germany (1998)
• Master Class Diploma - German String Trio, Germany (1999)
• Master Class Diploma - University of Music and Performing Arts Munich, Germany (1999)
• Master Class Diploma - Maestro Alexis Weissenberg, Schwitzerland (2002)

Music University Activity, Educational Experience

• More than 20 years educational experience as a Piano Professor worldwide (1997-2020)
• International Piano Masterclasses in Europe and Asia
• Ca. 8 years Associate Piano Professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich, Germany (1999-2006)

Membership in Artistic Societies, Jury-Membership

• Mozart Society in Kolbermoor, Germany (1998)
• German-Bulgarian Association in Bavaria (2000)
• Pianist Club e.V. in Munich, Germany (2001-2003)
• Musician's Association in Munich, Germany
• Official Steinway & Sons Artist (since 2003)
• Jury-Member at International Piano Competitions in Europa and Asia (Germany, Bulgaria, Estonia, Taiwan, Hong Kong etc.)
• Association for promotion of Bulgarian music in Germany (Chairwoman 2014-2019)
• Delta Kapa Gama Honor International Society (since 2019)

Diskography, Publications

• CD-Recording with Bach-Busoni-Chaconne, Beethoven-"Moonlight"-Sonata and Brahms-Paganini-Variations (Art Voice media 4895, added to the prestigious classical music catalogue of Bielefeld, Munich 2001)
• CD-Recording with Variations on the Bulgarian folk song "Dilmano Dilbero" from Alexander Vladigerov (Master Class Alexis Weissenberg, Schwitzerland 2003)
• Book-publication - "Rainbow of Sounds" (Published by Daga Plus, ISBN 978-954-9387-78-0, Bulgaria 2013)
• Publication of 5 Miniatures for piano - Ivajla Kirova (Published by Daga Plus, ISMN 979-0-9016679-0-7, Bulgaria 2013)
• Publication of 11 Variations on the Bulgarian folk melody "Hoisata" - Ivajla Kirova (Published by Daga Plus, ISMN 979-0-9016679-1-4, Bulgaria 2013)
• Publication of 14 Children's Songs to lyrics of famous Bulgarian poets - Ivajla Kirova (Published by Daga Plus, ISMN 979-0-9016679-2-1, Bulgaria 2013)
• CD-Recording in Memoriam Maestro Alexis Weissenberg with works by Rachmaninov, Chopin, Liszt, Mozart, Granados and own Miniatures, Nocturne and Variations (IFO Classics, added to the prestigious classical music cataloque of Bielefeld, Munich 2014)
• CD-Recording with works by Bulgarian composers Alexander Raychev, Yovcho Krushev and Pancho Vladigerov (Con Brio Recordings USA, World Premiere Recording 2016 - CBR 21653)
• CD Recording 2020 - My Favorite Encores by Beethoven, Rachmaninov, Schubert, Liszt, Chopin and Herea (Con Brio Recordings USA, CBR 22091)

International Concert Activity, TV & Radio Recordings

• More than 25 years concert activity in Europa, Asia and America (Bulgaria, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Schwitzerland, UAE, Maldives, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, USA etc.)
• Benefit concerts in Europe. Several concert programs with own compositions
• Concert series to commemorate the Bulgarian Composers Pipkov, Vladigerov, Kyurkchiyski and Nenov.
• Chamber music concerts with soloists of State Television and Radio Orchestra Japan - NHK and with concertmasters of Munich Symphony Orchestra
• Very large repertoire of works from all eras - from Bach to Beethoven, from Chopin to Rachmaninov and the contemporary music
• Her live recordings were broadcast on Television and Radio in Bulgaria, Germany, Schwitzerland, Canada and in the USA
• Artistic Director of New Music Festival in Munich, Germany (since 2014)