Albena Danailova is a foremost violinist who grew up in Sofia in the family of professional musicians: her mother, Violeta Popova, is a pianist, and her father, Boyan Danailov, a famous violin pedagogue. Albena graduated the Lyubomir Pipkov National School of Music and the Pancho Vladigerov National Music Academy in Sofia. She continued her studies in Rostock, in Germany. She has garnered a host of prestigious distinctions at international violin competitions at home and abroad, and has a rich experience as concertmaster of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich and the London Philharmonic.
Albena Danailova came into the spotlight, when she won an audition for concertmaster of the Statsoper in Vienna, and became the first lady to hold the position. She has the chance of working with world famous musicians and conductors, such as Seiji Ozawa, Daniel Barenboim, Lorin Maazel, etc.
Albena Danailova has maintained her connection with the Bulgarian audience. Each year she comes to Bulgaria and gives concerts either a soloist or as part of a chamber ensemble. In the beginning of 2012 she guest performed as soloist of the Sofia Philharmonic. Together with German cellist Alexander Hulshoff she performed Brahms’ double concerto. Here is what Albena Danailova told Radio Bulgaria after the concert.
“I am very glad that I have been with the orchestra of the Statsoper in Vienna for four years. Everything goes fine. We have a busy schedule and being a concertmaster is part of my routine. I try to squeeze work as soloist or chamber musician in-between. It is essential in our work that the way we play matches our personality. And it is very important to make an ensemble. When we hire a new musician it is in that trial period that we find out whether we have been wrong about the personality.”
Albena Danailova will perform at the Winter Music Evenings in Pazardzhik with virtuoso works from the violinist repertoire. She is also concertmaster of the Ensemble Wien. The musicians perform a chamber programme in the Brahms Hall of the Musikferein. At the end of 2011 Albena Danailova performed for the first time as soloist of the Symphony Orchestra of the Bulgarian National Radio under the baton of maestro Emil Tabakov. They performed Beethoven’s violin concerto.
English version by Radostin Zhelev
