Vesselina Tchakarova – piano

Born in Sofia, Bulgaria, Vesselina Tchakarova began playing the piano at the age of seven. Three years later she was accepted as a student of the Central Music School “L. Pipkov” under the tutelage of Professor Milena Kourteva.

Her first public recital was at the age of twelve and only a year later she won 3rd prize at the Stresa International Piano Competition. In 1995 she was a winner of the Union of French Musicians and Artists Competition. After these achievements she performed extensively throughout Greece and Bulgaria. In 1999 Vesselina came to London to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. In 2001 she gave her London debut and was invited to participate in masterclasses given by renowned pianists Leslie Howard, Paul Roberts and Joan Havill. A year later she was a concerto soloist in Brescia, Italy performing with Vox Aurae orchestra under Giancarlo De Lorenzo. In 2006 Vesselina released her debut album under ‘Gega New’ record label - music from Bulgarian composers for violin and piano with Yana Burova. She is also a guest at the opening of “Young Musical Talents” festival in two consecutive years under Konstantin Ilievsky performing Mozart concerto and the following year Beethoven with Ulrich Kern (Germany). Both these concerts were a live broadcast on the Bulgarian National Television. In 2007 Vesselina played at the Wigmore Hall (London) with the cellist Alexander Somov. This concert was in aid of ARK (Absolute Return for Kids) whose projects for Bulgaria help children in need in the region of Stara Zagora (www.arkonline.org).

In February 2010 she performed Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto at St John Smith Square in with “I Maestri” orchestra under Jean-Louis Gosselin. This April Vesselina was invited to participate at the International Music Festival “Spring In Russia” held annually in Moscow where she gave a solo concert at the Pushkin Museum.

Engagements for next year include performance of Brahms Piano Concerto No2.

Currently Vesselina lives in London where she performs a diverse repertoire as a solo recitalist and chamber musician as well as teaches at St Paul’s Cathedral School and “Music All” where she is the Director of Music.