Liya Petrova: It's always a special moment to play on Bulgarian stage

A concert that brings together on one stage the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Thomas Sanderling and Liya Petrova is among the anticipated music events in December. Petrova is one of the most remarkable Bulgarian violinists, whose début at the prestigious BBC Proms festival became a real sensation and led to great reviews in the British press. The program includes works by Wagner, Ravel, and Sibelius.

Let us recall that Liya Petrova is a laureate of prestigious awards, who has had concerts in Europe, Asia, USA, plays regularly with renowned pianist Alexandre Kantorow, partners with big names from the world stage, including Martha Argerich, Renaud and Gautier Capuçon, Yuri Bashmet, Mischa Maisky and many others. Petrova lives in Paris and has recently been teaching at the Paris Conservatory.

Bulgarian stages are always present in her busy program. Just a month ago, she had concerts in Varna and Sofia together with the Cantus Firmus Orchestra, as she played her two violins – Guarneri del Gesù ‘Consolo’ and Stradivarius, as the second one was entrusted to her in 2024 by the Bulgarian state.

"For me, it is always a special moment to play on a Bulgarian stage. This is my stage!", Liya Petrova says.

In a special interview for Radio Bulgaria, she told us about the important aspects of the profession and went back in time - to the years at the National School of Music "Lyubomir Pipkov" and her favourite teachers:

“The fact that I spent my most important years at the Music School in Sofia was decisive. Being among musicians and playing in an orchestra from an early age influenced my way of thinking and shaped me as a person. Bulgaria has a unique system of music education, thanks to which music is studied seriously. In many other countries this is not the case and children go to a regular school and attend music lessons separately. I had an incredible violin teacher - Evelina Arabadzhieva, a student of Leonid Kogan, who is one of my favourite violinists. I owe a lot to her. Also to my accompanist Evelina Kazandzhieva, my chamber music teacher Daniela Cherpokova, to Milka Miteva (then the school principal), who gave me the opportunity to play as a soloist in an orchestra very early. Famous violinists Mincho Minchev and Angel Stankov were my mentors and I also learned a lot from pianist Violeta Popova (mother of Albena Danailova, concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic). Without these wonderful teachers and personalities, I would not be the musician I am today."

What was 2025 like for Liya Petrova and what is she excited about in the coming 2026?

"2025 was a very special year for me. I had important performances, including my debut at the BBC Proms. I thought a lot about my development as a musician, about the freedom of the stage and about the meaning of the profession. The next two seasons will be very intense with concerts across Europe. I also have many concerts in Bulgaria - this is something I hold dear and which I hope to keep. The audience is very warm and I always enjoy playing here."