The Music Theory Department is one of the main units within the National Academy of Music and encompasses the music theory classes for students majoring in all courses of the three faculties, including the pedagogy and philosophy courses. Some of the most prominent Bulgarian artists have taught in the department in the past, and today, it is still a hub where fundamental works of Bulgarian music theory are being created and significant musicology research is being made.
Soon after the State Academy of Music was founded, the first Bulgarian theoretical course books for Organology, Music Analysis, Harmony, Counterpoint, etc. were published. The first course lecturers were Prof. Dimitar Hadzhigeorgiev, Prof. Dimitar Radev, Prof. Dobri Hristov, Prof. Nikola Atanasov, Prof. Tsanko Tsankov, Hristo Panchev. Some of the most respected professors at the Academy, like Prof. Veselin Stoyanov, Prof. Asen Karastoyanov and Prof. Parashkev Hadzhiev, wrote course books of significant importance for the in-depth understanding of basic theoretical disciplines such as Harmony, Music Analysis, Polyphony, Symphony Orchestration and Wind Ensemble Orchestration. The works of Prof. Konstantin Konstantinov, Prof. Ivan Peev, Prof. Kamen Popdimitrov are crucial for creating the integrative connection of the Solfeggio course with the other theoretic academic disciplines. Prof. Pencho Stoyanov, Sc.D. has had a substantial role in the developing of the strict scientific methodology in the Music Analysis instruction at the Academy. Of similar importance is the work of Prof. Zdravko Manolov and Prof. Dimitar Hristov, Sc.D. for the academic instruction in polyphony, and that of Prof. Dimitar Sagaev and Prof. Bozhidar Abrashev – in the area of symphony orchestration.
In the last decades of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century, there have been a new wave of significant scientific research by professors Neva Krysteva, Elena Kuteva, Elena Stoyanova, Tomi Karklisiyski, Zvezda Yonova, Penka Kadieva, Maria Simeonova.
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In 1973 a new course, Sound Recording (today Sound Recording, Sound and Media Design), was created within the Music Theory Department by Assoc. Prof. Mihail Lyutskanov, a German graduate, and Prof. Slavcho Malyakov, an engineer with experience in cinema. Ivo Keremidchiev was the first professor of Sound Recording at the Academy. A German graduate as well – from the Detmold music school, he played a major role in the academic development of the course, modernizing it and setting the standards for practical and academic results. Nowadays, the leading lecturers in the Sound Recording major are Prof. Kremena Angelova, Ph.D. and Assoc. Prof. Pavel Stefanov, Ph.D., whose zeal and initiative constantly enrich the learning process and lead to steady modernization of the equipment and facilities.
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CURRENT ACADEMIC STAFF
Solfeggio
Prof. Angelina Petrova, Ph.D.
Assoc.Prof. Teodora Dimitrova, Ph.D.
Assistant Antonina Nedelcheva
Harmony
Prof. Andrey Diamandiev, Ph.D.
Assoc. Prof. Nikolay Gradev, Ph.D.
Prof. Vesela Naumova, Ph.D.
Chief Assistant Nadezhda Todorova, Ph.D.
Polyphony
Prof. Neva Krysteva, Ph.D.
Prof. Vesela Boyadzhieva, Ph.D.
Prof. Sabin Levi, Ph.D.
Symphony Orchestration
Prof. Andrey Diamandiev, Ph.D.
Assoc. Prof. Hristo Pavlov, Ph.D.
Wind Ensemble Orchestration
Denislav Tomov, Ph.D., part-time lecturer
Organology
Assoc. Prof. Hristo Pavlov, Ph.D.
Music Analysis
Prof. Tomi Karklisiyski, Sc.D.
Assoc. Prof. Snezhina Vrangova, Ph.D.
Music Aesthetics
Prof. Ilya Yonchev, Ph.D.
Assoc.Prof. Irina Haralampieva, Ph.D.
Assoc. Prof. Yordan Banev, Ph.D.
Music Philosophy
Prof. Ilya Yonchev, Ph.D.
Assoc. Prof. Yordan Banev, Ph.D.
Music Pedagogy
Prof. Ilya Yonchev, Ph.D.
Assoc. Prof. Yordan Banev, Ph.D.
Assoc. Prof. Emil Devedzhiev, Ph.D.
Introduction to Musicology
Prof. Kristina Yapova, Sc.D., part-time lecturer
Sound Recording, Sound and Media Design course
Prof. Kremena Angelova, Ph.D. – sound recording, psychoacoustics, audio postproduction
Assoc. Prof. Pavel Stefanov, Ph.D. – musical acoustics, sound recording practice, sound reinforcement
Chief Assistant Petar Kostov, Ph.D. – sound engineering, basic elements of audio systems
Assistant Ani Svinarova, Ph.D. – sound synthesis and MIDI
Prof. Boyka Aneva, part-time lecturer – theory of sound
Stanimir Ivanov, part-time lecturer – media practice (TV)
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FORMER ACADEMIC STAFF
The first professors in theory at the Academy
Prof. Dimitar Hadzhigeorgiev (1873 – 1932)
Prof. Dimitar Radev (1874 – 1952)
Prof. Dobri Hristov (1875 – 1941)
Prof. Nikola Atanasov (1886 – 1969)
Prof. Tsanko Tsankov (1899 – ?)
Hristo Panchev (1882 – ?)
Solfeggio
Prof. Konstantin Konstantinov (1903 – 1955)
Prof. Kamen Popdimitrov (1904 – 1992)
Prof. Ivan Peev (1907 – 1981)
Prof. Penka Kadieva (1938 – 2015)
Prof. Zvezda Yonova
Prof. Maria Simeonova
Harmony
Prof. Veselin Stoyanov (1902 – 1969)
Prof. Asen Karastoyanov (1893 – 1976)
Prof. Parashkev Hadzhiev (1912 – 1992)
Prof. Alexander Raychev (1922 – 2003)
Prof. Benzion Eliezer (1920 – 1993)
Nadezhda Gagosova (1924 – 1999), part-time lecturer
Prof. Tsvetan Tsvetanov (1931 – 1982)
Prof. Stefan Ikonomov (1937 – 1994)
Prof. Evgeniy Avramov (1929 – 2021)
Assoc. Prof. Doychin Oshanov
Elena Karastoyanova, part-time lecturer
Prof. Mihail Pekov (1940 – 2022)
Prof. Georgi Kostov
Prof. Georges Bonev, Ph.D.
Polyphony
Prof. Asen Karastoyanov (1893 – 1976)
Prof. Zdravko Manolov (1925 – 1983)
Prof. Dimitar Hristov (1933 – 2017)
Dimitar Petkov (1919 – 1997), part-time lecturer
Prof. Artin Poturlyan
Symphony Orchestration
Prof. Veselin Stoyanov (1902 – 1969)
Acad. Marin Goleminov (1908 – 2000)
Rumyana Zlatanova, part-time lecturer
Prof. Dimitar Sagaev (1915 – 2003)
Prof. Dimitar Tapkov (1929 – 2011)
Prof. Bozhidar Abrashev (1936 – 2006)
Prof. Evgeniy Avramov
Prof. Alexander Tekeliev
Wind Ensemble Orchestration
Prof. Dimitar Sagaev (1915 – 2003)
Necho Rusev
Assoc. Prof. Hristo Tonev
Nikolay Bratanov
Organology
Acad. Marin Goleminov (1908 – 2000)
Prof. Dimitar Sagaev (1915 – 2003)
Prof. Dimitar Tapkov (1929 – 2011)
Prof. Bozhidar Abrashev (1936 – 2006)
Prof. Evgeniy Avramov (1929 – 2021)
Prof. Alexander Tekeliev
Music Analysis
Prof. Veselin Stoyanov (1902 – 1969)
Prof. Pencho Stoyanov, Sc.D. (1931 – 2020)
Assoc. Prof. Emil Dimitrov (1929 – 2011)
Assoc. Prof. Svetlana Zaharieva (1937 – 2013), part-time assistant
Stefan Remenkov (1923 – 1988), part-time assistant
Jules Levi (1930 – 2006)
Prof. Kina Prodanova, Ph.D.
Prof. Elena Stoyanova, Ph.D.
Prof. Elena Kuteva, Ph.D.
Music Aesthetics
Prof. Krum Angelov (1918 – 2006)
Assoc. Prof. Andrey Koralov, Ph.D. (1938 – 1987)
Prof. Vesa Haralampieva, Ph.D.
Music Pedagogy / Methodology
Anton Nikolov (1906 – 1971)
Gencho Gaytandzhiev (1935 – 2010), part-time lecturer
Benyu Totev (1911 – 1987), part-time lecturer
Georgi Torbov (1932 – 2015), part-time lecturer
Totyu Georgiev (1919 – ?), part-time lecturer
Necho Rusev (1922 – ?)
Prof. Galina Stoyanova, Ph.D., part-time lecturer
Prof. Elena Stoyanova, Ph.D.
Prof. Angelina Petrova, Ph.D.
Sound Recording course
Assoc. Prof. Mihail Lyutskanov (1934 – 1959) – sound recording
Prof. Slavcho Malyakova – sound recording
Anton Stanchev – sound recording
Atanas Atanasov – studio equipment
Alexi Kusev – acoustics
Emil Milev – studio radio equipment
Simo Lazarov – mixing and editing, musical electroacoustics
Radka Shehtanova-Kuseva – mixing and editing
Konstantin Hadzhiev – practical TV course
Ivan Ventsislavov – practical TV course
Stefan Vladkov – practical radio course
Elena Changarova – practical radio course
Miloslav Popov – sound synthesis and MIDI
Prof. Ivo Keremidchiev (1954 – 2008) – sound recording, music acoustics
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HEADS OF THE DEPARTMENT
Prof. Dimitar Sagaev (1915 – 2003)
Prof. Alexander Raychev (1922 – 2003)
Prof. Zdravko Manolov (1925 – 1983)
Prof. Pencho Stoyanov (1931 – 2020)
Prof. Tsvetan Tsvetanov (1931 – 1982)
Prof. Zvezda Yonova
Prof. Neva Krysteva, Ph.D.
Prof. Vesa Haralampieva
Prof. Elena Stoyanova, Ph.D.
Prof. Tomi Karklisiyski, Sc.D
Prof. Andrey Diamandiev, Ph.D.