Concert pianist Ivaila Ivanova was born in Sofia, Bulgaria.
She started her musical training with accordion lessons at age five, under the instruction of Professor Georgi Gulubov. From 1991 to 1993, she participated in numerous competitions at the national and international level, taking home many prizes for her skill on accordion.
A change of focus in 1994 led Ivanova to start studying piano.
1993
Began piano lessons with Professor Antoaneta Arsova
1995
Entered the "Lyubomir Pipkov" National Music School in Sofia
1996
Participated in the Coast of Hope International Music Festival in Dobrich, Bulgaria, where she received the special prize
1999/2002
Studied piano under Stefka Matanova
2000
Took first place at the second national Viennese Classical Piano Competition in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
2000
Invited to participate in a concert to fête 50 years of the United Nations.
For a number of years in a row, she participated in the international arts festival We, the 21st Century
2001
Awarded the special prize of the Hope, Talent, Mastery International Music Festival in Dobrich and in Albena, Bulgaria
2002
Participated in the fifth ppIANISSIMO International Festival of Contemporary Piano Music, which was broadcast by the Bulgarian national radio and television channel
2002
Participated in the National Festival of New Bulgarian Music
2002
Accepted as a student at the Pancho Vladigerov State Music Academy in Sofia, where she began studying under master pianist Professor Stela Dimitrova
2004
Gave a concert with the Pancho Vladigerov State Music Academy Orchestra
2004
Won third place and the audience award at the Seiler competition for piano duets in Sofia
2004
Received a scholarship to the European music academy in Baden, Austria
Ivaila Ivanova has participated in master classes with:
Professor Catherine Vikers (Germany)
Professor Martin Hughes (Austria)
Professor Noel Flores (Austria)
Professor Tamara Podubnaya (Russia)
Professor Jenny Zaharieva (Bulgaria)
Maria Prinz (Austria)
Boris Romanov (Russia)
Tomislav Baynov (Germany)
Fulvio Turissini (Italy)
Svetozar Ivanov (USA)
November 2005
Invited to give a piano recital in the chamber hall of Sofia's concert venue Bulgaria Hall as part of the project National Memory
March 2006
Performed with the orchestra Symphonieta Sofia at Bulgaria Hall under the direction of Nikos Tzouklos (Greece)
March 2006
While in Italy for the International Piano Meeting, Ivanova participated in a master class and gave a concert
June 2006
Graduated with a bachelor's degree from the Pancho Vladigerov State Music Academy; she continued on to study for a master's under professors Atanas Kourtev and Margarita Krusteva
March 2007
Invited to give three solo concerts in different cities in France as part of the Extra Piano Festival, which Ivanova is happy to report were met with great success. Her repertoire comprised Clara Wieck's variations on Robert Schumann and Schumann's Fantasy in C Major, opus 17, and Symphonic Etudes, opus 13
May 2007
Won second place at the national chamber music competition for her interpretation of Bulgarian composition
June 2007
Gave a concert of Mozart for two pianos with fellow student Yoana Kyurkchieva and the Pancho Vladigerov State Music Academy Orchestra; following the concert Ivanova was invited by the foundation 13 Centuries Bulgaria to perform at a charity concert in Bulgaria Hall to raise support for Bulgarian monasteries and churche
September 2007
With Sofia Philharmonic, performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto Number 4 at the closing concert of the Young Musical Talents festival; the concert, held at Bulgaria Hall, was broadcast live by Bulgarian National Television's Kanal 1 and on the satellite channel Bulgaria
November 2007
Took first place and, with Andrei Angelov, the prize for best ensemble performance of a piece by Schubert in the four hands category at the International Schubert Competition in Rousse, Bulgaria
March 2008
Invited to participate as a duo in a concert for Bulgarian National Radio
May 2008
Organised a multimedia performance that comprised Ivanova on piano playing Modest Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition", accompanied by a slide projection of the paintings that inspired Mussorgsky's music; the show, held at Sofia Art Gallery, was the Bulgaria multimedia premiere of Mussorgsky's composition
May 2008
Gave a concert in Bösendorfer Hall in Vienna
May 2008 May 2008
February 2009
Graduated with a master's degree in piano from the Pancho Vladigerov State Music Academy
Graduated with a master's degree in piano from the Pancho Vladigerov State Music Academy
August 2008
Received a scholarship to the European music academy in Reichenau an der Rax, Austria
Oktober 2008
Gave a concert, for 100 years from Marin Goleminov's birth at "Boris Hristov" Music Center in Sofia
Gave a concert at the Polish Cultural Center with works by Chopin
March 2009
Made recordings of "Pictures at an exhibition" by Mussorgsky and Fantasy by Schumann for the Bulgarian National Radio
April 2009
Gave a charity concert with Bulgarian program in Subotica, Serbia
May 2009
Gave a concert in the Conservatory of Estoril, Portugal