Yordan Kamdzhalov

Education Kamdzhalov began piano lessons as a child at the cultural community center in Turgovishte, guided by his mother, a music teacher. He was selected to work over an extended period with the Philharmonia and London Philharmonic Orchestras, which led to his collaboration with well-established conducting mentors including Lorin Maazel, Vladimir Jurowski and Esa Pekka Salonen. Career In 2006, Kamdzhalov became Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the international Berlin Ensemble Innorelatio and served as musical director at the Schlosstheater Rheinsberg from 2007 to 2009. In 2011, he was appointed Chief Conductor of the opera, the philharmonic orchestra and the Schloss festival in Heidelberg. He chose not to extend his contract beyond 2014, but he remained as Principal Guest Conductor for the following season. His rendition of Bruckner’s Symphony No.3 at his final concert in Heidelberg as General Music Director prompted a critic from Bachtrack to write: “I have now heard many performances of the finale, including that by Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic, but at this point Kamdzhalov outshone them all.” In 2014, IAU and NASA named a minor planet 52292 Kamdzhalov, stating that "he connects the world of music with the fascination for the universe." The same year the publishing house Sagner released the book "Sound Worlds: Conductor Yordan Kamdzhalov" about Kamdzhalov's music and philosophy. As of 2018 he has been appointed Music Director & Chief Conductor of the opera house in Rijeka, Croatian National Theatre Ivan Zajc. Аwards (Highlights) • 2009 - first prize at the fourth international orchestra conducting competition 'Jorma Panula' in Vaasa (Finland) • 2010 - third prize at the third international conducting competition 'Gustav Mahler' in Bamberg (Germany) • 2014 - "Music Critics’ Award" at the 24th Central European Music Festival (Slovakia) • 2015 - Honorary award 'Ambassador for Bulgarian Culture Worldwide' from Superbrands == Work at Foundation Yordan Kamdzhalov ==

Kamdzhalov is the co-founder and president of the Foundation Yordan Kamdzhalov, established in 2010 with a stated goal of supporting young Bulgarian talents and preserving Bulgaria's musical traditions. The foundation's activities gradually led to the creation of the socio-cultural platform, including theYoung Artists Competition, Music Laboratory for the Human Self, Genesis Orchestra, Academia Musica, and Interdisciplinary Artists. The orchestra's debut concert at Gasteig, recorded for the German label cpo, was perceived as 'a new chapter in our cultural heritage'. The Choir acts as the resident choir for the symphonic Genesis Orchestra. The vocal Ensemble's repertoire includes music styles from antiquity to the 21st century, interwoven with fragments and motifs of Bulgarian folklore. Bulgaria Sings provides a platform for people to gather, sing, and collaborate at significant historical and cultural-educational sites across Bulgaria. In 2018, Kamdzhalov conducted the debut of the Music Laboratory for the Human Self (Chore and Ensemble), accompanied by the Genesis Orchestra, at Wiener Musikverein in an sound-spatial performance featuring motifs and music by Peter Deunov. Academy for the Human Self In the spring of 2024, the "Yordan Kamdzhalov" launched the Academy for the Human Self - an interdisciplinary educational center consisting of training on Science (mathematics and physics), Art (theory of music, piano, violin, percussion instruments and dance) and Sport (chess and table tennis). Kamdzhalov envisioned the Academy for the Human Self as a platform for enhancing individuals' overall intelligence, regardless of age. In April 2024, Kamdzhalov announced the latest concert-spectacle with the Genesis Orchestra, Music Laboratory (Choir and Ensemble), Eastern Quartet (Switzerland) and Sofi Marinova, titled Mystery and Freedom. Combining classical music, romances, and folklore, the concert will flow continuously through 'sound, musical, tunnel transitions' as he described them. == Vision ==

, Bulgaria, 2016 Recognizing the potential of Bulgarian music and talent to enrich global culture, Kamdzhalov considers the expansion of his projects in Bulgaria in recent years a paramount endeavor. He established the Genesis Orchestra with the mission to 'create pulses' in cultural space, uncovering deeper layers within individuals and tapping into the inner power of the human self. Kamdzhalow regards the interpretation of Deunov's music in the project Etudes of the Future as a pinnacle of creative freedom and the work of his life. Describing his nearly two-decade exploration as "music of absolute content", he continues to shape his visionary ideas into reality. == References ==