Prof. Atanas Karafezliev, PhD
Head of Department
In 1921, when the State Academy of Music was founded, the German graduate and flautist Nikola Stefanov (1881 – 1958) was professor in all woodwind instruments. Almost all the professors that today are considered among the founders of the Department, have been his students – the oboist Vasil Spasov, the clarinettist Stoyan G. Stoyanov, and the bassoonist Atanas Gardev – although Vasil Spasov later graduated from the Vienna Conservatory with a degree in Oboe and Percussions, and received a doctor’s degree from the University of Vienna, and Atanas Gardev also continued his studies – at the Prague Conservatory. In 1945, during the Communist Rule, Vasil Spasov was sent to a concentration camp and his course was taken over by his student, Hristo Petkov, who taught it for 31 years.
In 1934, the first Bulgarian woodwind chamber ensemble was founded – the Sofia Woodwind Quintet, with Prof. Nikola Stefanov on the flute, Vasil Spasov, Ph.D. on the oboe, Angel Belneev on the clarinet, Prof. Atanas Gargev on the bassoon, and Todor Tonev on the French horn.
The first Head of the Wind and Percussion Instruments Department was Prof. Atanas Gardev, and the second – Prof. Stoyan G. Stoyanov. In 1954, Prof. Petar Karparov, Ph.D. took the position and was Head of the Department until 1963 when it was divided into two – Woodwind Instruments and Brasswind and Percussion Instruments.
Today, the Department once again contains all wind instruments and offers degree courses in Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, French Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba, Percussion, Tenor Horn and Baritone Horn, as well as instruction in the following courses: Methodology of Teaching Wind Instruments, Instrument History, Practical Pedagogy and Orchestra Challenges.
As of 2017, the Department offers degree courses in Bagpipes (Gaida) and Kaval.
* * *
CURRENT ACADEMIC STAFF
Flute
Prof. Georgi Spasov
Prof. Ventsislav Kindalov, Ph.D.
Chief Assistant Iva Lyubomirova, Ph.D.
Oboe
Prof. Spiro Petkov, Ph.D.
Clarinet
Prof. Sava Dimitrov, Ph.D.
Assoc. Prof. Borislav Yotsov
Assistant Martin Saveliev, Ph.D.
Bassoon
Petar Kotsev, part-time lecturer
French Horn
Prof. Yasen Teodosiev, Ph.D.
Trumpet
Prof. Atanas Dyulgerov
Todor Gadzhalov, part-time lecturer
Trombone and Tuba
Prof. Dimitar Momchilov, Ph.D.
Prof. Atanas Karafezliev, Ph.D.
Velislav Stoyanov, part-time lecturer
Nikolay Temniskov, part-time lecturer
Tenor Horn
Prof. Atanas Dyulgerov
Baritone Horn
Prof. Atanas Karafezliev, Ph.D.
Percussions
Prof. Tatyana Karparova-Glavanova, Ph.D.
Chief Assistant Miroslav Dimov, Ph.D.
Bagpipes (Gaida)
Petar Kostadinov, part-time lecturer
Kaval
Nedyalko Nedyalkov, part-time lecturer
Woodwind Instruments Accompanists
Tatyana Bojko
Ognyana Sokolova
Svetlozara Toneva
Brass Instruments and Percussions Accompanists
Malinka Taskova
Snezhana Abrasheva
Angelina Decheva
* * *
FORMER ACADEMIC STAFF
Flute
Prof. Nikola Stefanov (1881 – 1958)
Prof. Yanko Yankov (1900 – 1966)
Assoc. Prof. Pavel Popov (?)
Prof. Yordan Kindalov (1920 – 2010)
Prof. Dimitar Georgiev (1936 – 1996)
Oboe
Vasil Spasov, Ph.D. (1902 – 1947)
Vasil Konyarov (1904 – 1965)
Prof. Konstantin Chilev (1932 – 2014)
Prof. Hristo Petkov (1910 – 1993)
Prof. Georgi Zhelyazov (1938 – 2005)
Clarinet
Prof. Stoyan G. Stoyanov (1902 – 1953)
Simeon Panchev (1898 – 1952), part-time lecturer
Angel Belneev (1900 – ?), part-time lecturer
Blagoy Simeonov, part-time lecturer
Prof. Sava Dimitrov (1919 – 2008)
Prof. Petko Radev (1933 – 2017)
Prof. Dimitar S. Dimitrov (1947 – 2012)
Bassoon
Prof. Atanas Gardev (1896 – 1964)
Petar Mironov (?), part-time lecturer
Prof. Hristo Proshkov (1912 – 1977)
Lazar Stoychev (1929 – 2004), part-time lecturer
Yordan Metodiev, part-time lecturer
Prof. Marin Valchanov (1949 – 2017)
French Horn
Parvan Georgiev (1889 – 1962), part-time lecturer
Boris Tsankov (1908 – ?)
Prof. Kiril-Karel Starý (1914 – 1984)
Toma Tomov (1916 – 2005), part-time lecturer
Prof. Nikolay Tonev (2021 – 2013)
Prof. Todor Tonev
Prof. Vladislav Grigorov
Prof. Stefan Kanchev
Trumpet
Prof. Petar Karparov (1920 – 2013)
Patyu Nikolov (1898 – 1982), part-time lecturer
Vasil Kostov (1935 – 2001), part-time lecturer
Prof. Angel Makedonski, Ph.D.
Trombone and Tuba
Alexander Dochev (1881 – 1950)
Grigor Stoyanov (1904 – ?), part-time lecturer
Prof. Georgi Todorov (1917 – ?)
Assoc. Prof. Petar Popov
Konstantin Bakardzhiev, part-time lecturer
Pavel Yakovchev, part-time lecturer
Percussions
Vasil Spasov, Ph.D. (1902 – 1947)
Ivan Zagorski (1895 – 1961)
Prof. Dobri Paliev, Ph.D. (1928 – 1997)
Ivan Savchev, part-time lecturer
Woodwind Instruments Accompanists
Albena Georgieva
Iliana Yotova
Dimitar Minkov
Zlatina Mishakova
Alexandra-Velizara Raynova
Rina Randzheva
Bozhidara Tomova
Daniela Dikova
Ruzhka Milcheva
Brass Instruments and Percussions Accompanists
Iliana Yotova
Maria Lungarova
Margarita Parasnikova
Lili Popova
Temenuzhka Yaneva
Lilyana Getova
Natalia Pyaskovskaya
Nina Varimezova
Markrit Berberyan
* * *
HEADS OF THE WOODWIND INSTRUMENTS DEPARTMENT
Prof. Hristo Proshkov (1912 – 1977)
Prof. Sava Dimitrov (1919 – 2008)
Prof. Yordan Kindalov (1920 – 2010)
Prof. Georgi Zhelyazov (1938 – 2005)
Prof. Dimitar S. Dimitrov (1947 – 2012)
Prof. Marin Valchanov (1949 – 2017)
Prof. Spiro Petkov, Ph.D.
HEADS OF THE BRASS INSTRUMENTS AND PERCUSSIONS DEPARTMENT
Prof. Dobri Paliev, Ph.D. (1928 – 1997)
Prof. Tatyana Karparova-Glavanova, Ph.D.
Prof. Yasen Teodosiev, Ph.D.
HEADS OF THE WIND AND PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS DEPARTMENT
Prof. Atanas Gardev (1896 – 1964)
Prof. Stoyan Stoyanov (1902 – 1953)
Prof. Petar Karparov (1920 – 2013)
Prof. Atanas Dyulgerov