IVAN SPASSOV

IVAN SPASSOV

Ivan Spassov graduated from the State Academy of Music in the composition class of Prof. P. Vladigerov and choir conducting under Prof. G. Dimitrov (1957). Specializes in Warsaw Conservatory composition with K. Sikorski and conducting at St. Vislotski (1960-62). In his graduation concert he performed his First Symphony with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra. Since 1962 he has been working as a symphonic conductor. He founded the Plovdiv Chamber Orchestra and the musical society “Plovdiv Musical Youth”, whose concerts for the first time in Bulgaria performed works by Penderecki and other contemporary authors. In 1967, he attended the summer courses for new music in Darmstadt, where in 1968 the Frankfurt radio under the direction of M. Guillen performed his “Episodes for Four Timber Groups”. From 1970 to 1991 he was the chief artistic director of the newly formed Symphony Orchestra in Pazardzhik, where he performed concerts and recordings in Bulgaria and abroad. Since 1989 he has been a professor and rector of the Plovdiv Academy of Fine Arts until his death. Lectures in USA (1982, 1989, 1990). In 1989, he conducted a concert at the Garden Grove (Los Angeles) Symphony Orchestra, and in New York he gave UN Secretary-General Xavier Perez de Cuellar his work entitled “The Mankind XX century” dedicated to the United Nations. As a conductor he has performed many premieres of works by contemporary Bulgarian and foreign authors. He is among the inspirational and vivid representatives of the avant-garde trends in modern Bulgarian music. Author of 1 monopoly and 1 opera (unfinished); 4 symphonies; 4 concerts; canto-oratorical works; orchestral, instrumental, vocal music; choral songs and solo songs; music to more than 50 theatrical productions, 3 films and more. In his choral and instrumental work, the folk melodic and its rich ornamentation and rhythmic diversity are subjected to original authorial transformation through the freedom of aleatory, improvisation and other contemporary composing techniques. His choral songs are among the most representative repertoires of the Bulgarian choir choirs and form a new style of performance that has received a high international rating. His vocal-orchestral works of the 80s and 90s stand out with his deeply elevated spirituality. His works have been performed in a number of European countries, USA, Japan and Australia. He has recordings in Bulgarian and foreign radio stations, and record labels and CDs. He has performed concerts with his music in New York, Warsaw and Moscow. He is author of three books and critical articles.