Story

The Bulgarian Music Association (BMA) was founded in June 2012 by 49 professional musicians, representatives of the rock, pop and jazz genres. Today, the association unites over 800 professional artists-performers, covering all musical styles.

Over the years, BMA has gained considerable experience in projects at both national and international levels. We organize national stands at important music exhibitions and maintain active communication channels through which we inform our members about funding opportunities and realization of their projects. For 12 years of existence, BMA has established itself as the most active and energetic unifying structure for musical performers in Bulgaria.

BMA has built sustainable partnerships with the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria, National Fund “Culture”, National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”, as well as with organizations for the collective management of copyright and related rights such as Music Author and PROFON. We also work actively with artistic associations such as the Union of Artists in Bulgaria and the Union of Bulgarian Music and Dance Artists, as well as with local governing bodies.

European Music Council (EMC) and International Music Council (IMC)
European Folk Network (EFN)

Our membership in these organizations provides numerous benefits to our members:

Access to information and know-how from similar national organizations in Europe;
Possibility to influence the European Commission on policies, programs and funding in regard to music projects;
Direct communication with the European Commission on important issues concerning music artists;
Access to a variety of creative and financial opportunities that we make available to our members in a timely manner.

European Music Council (EMC)

Since February 2020 BMA is a full member of the European Music Council (EMC), which makes it the only professional musician’s organization representing Bulgaria. The membership in the EMC automatically gives BMA the status of a member of the International Music Council (IMC), putting us on the global map of non-governmental organizations for professional musicians.

The European Music Council, founded in 1972, is a leading international organization committed to the development and promotion of all musical genres and styles in Europe. EMC plays an important role in the development of music policies in the European Union and cooperates actively with the European Commission.

European Folk Network (EFN)

In the spring of 2022 BMA became a member of the European Folk Network (EFN) and is the only organization from Bulgaria member of this network. EFN brings together organizations and artists from Europe who work in the field of folk and traditional music. Its mission is to be an authoritative representative of folk arts in Europe, stimulating partnerships and collaborations among its members.

EFN organizes annual meetings, promotes the exchange of good practices and provides opportunities for artistic and professional growth. An important initiative of EFN is the European Day of Folklore, which from 2023 henceforth is celebrated on September 23, with the aim of asserting folklore as an important element of the European cultural identity.

European Association for Music in Schools - EAS

At the end of 2024, the Bulgarian Music Association became a member of the European Association for Music in Schools (EAS). EAS is a network for music education in Europe and its integrated into numerous initiatives and projects aimed at improving and updating music education both on the continent and beyond. The organization is an European partner of ISME (International Society for Music Education) and a member of EMC (European Music Council). The main goal of EAS is to support the music education community in the development of key competences that promote progress in practice and research, as well as to promote cultural awareness.

Hristo Yotsov

Chairman

One of the most creative musicians on the jazz scene in our country, a graduate of the National Music School "L. Pipkov" and National Academy of Music in Sofia, in the class of prof. Dobri Paliev. Hristo Yotsov is the author of works and arrangements for jazz formations, big band, symphonic, film and theater music. He works with Milcho Leviev, Yildiz Ibrahimova, Teodosii Spasov, Simeon Shterev, "Acoustic version" with Antoni Donchev. Between 1982 and 1989 he was a drummer and arranger of the Big Band of the National Bulgarian Radio. Since 1989, he has been leading a percussion class, he is a professor in the "Pop and Jazz" department at the "Pancho Vladigerov" National Academy of Music, continuing to discover young jazz talents.

Mila Georgieva

Deputy Chairman

Musician, artist manager and urban culture entrepreneur. She graduated from the National Music School "L. Pipkov" majoring in piano. She studies "Mass Communications, Public Relations, Management and Production in the Musical Arts" at the New Bulgarian University. In the period 2010 - 2012, she was the Head of Talent management for Bulgaria at Central European Media Enterprises (CME). Mila Georgieva also has interests in the field of artists' rights and culture and media legislation. She was the manager of international relations of the "A to Z" foundation and the representative of the BMA in the international project for Balkan music "MOST".

Dimitar Hristov

Member of the Board of Directors

Composer, arranger, instrumentalist, choral and orchestral conductor, his path has been connected with Bulgarian folklore since he was 7 years old. He graduated from the “Philip Kutev” Secondary Music School in Kotel with a degree in tambourine, and then received a master's degree in choral and orchestral conducting of folk ensembles at the “Prof. Asen Diamandiev” Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in Plovdiv. In 2014, he specialized in conducting at the “Mikhail M. Ippolitov – Ivanov” Moscow Pedagogical Institute. His career is connected with the “Trakia” Academy of Music as chief conductor, the “Pirin” Academy of Music and Dramatic Art as chief artistic director, and with the Folk Music Orchestra of the Bulgarian National Radio, whose conductor he has been since 2011. Since 2018, he has been a lecturer at the “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” National Music Academy in Sofia, where he is currently a chief assistant. In 2020. defended his doctoral dissertation in the professional field 8.3 – Music and Dance Art at the Academy of Music and Dance “Prof. A. Diamandiev” – Plovdiv. He writes vocal-instrumental, dance, theater and film music for various ensembles. One of the founders of the ethno groups “Bulgara” and “Diva Reka”.

Ventsislav Mitsov

Member of the Board of Directors

Composer, pianist and teacher at the Faculty of Arts, Department of Music at Southwestern University "N. Rilski" - Blagoevgrad, he is currently the main assistant in the same department. In the period 2015 - 2019, he was a municipal councilor in Sofia. He was a member of the Creative Council of the Capital Program "Culture" for two terms, he is part of the expert group at the Capital Municipality, which prepares the cultural strategy of Sofia for the period 2023 - 2033. Editor in the "Culture" section of the "Offnews.bg" website in the period 2019 - 2023. He is the author of chamber, symphonic music, musical-stage works and pop arrangements, film and theater music, former keyboardist of the group "Hipodil". In 2020, he defended his dissertation on the topic "Countercultural music audiences in Bulgaria in the 1980s and 1990s: creation and characteristics".

Marina Vasileva

Member of the Board, representative of the Brass Association

She graduated in international economic relations with a profile "International Business and Management". Music manager with many years of experience as an advertiser and marketing expert. Member of the Management Board of the Brass Association, coordinator of international activities, marketing and communications of BrazzViliDJ, The essential FUNK trombone, Old School Trombone, "Meeting with grandfathers Jozhi", V.A. Combo, etc. She is part of the working groups of the independent cultural sector with the line ministries to develop measures to overcome the COVID crisis and to create a registry for free artists. Official Deputy Minister of Culture in the office of Nayden Todorov (February - June 2023)

Bogdan Tomov

Member of the Board of Directors

Pop singer and composer with a long successful career. He graduated from the Pop Department of the Bulgarian State Conservatory in the class of Angel Zaberski in 1983. As a performer, he won numerous awards from international and national competitions. He works in collaborations with famous Bulgarian groups and performers such as Sturtsite, Tangra, Argirovi brothers, FSB. Host of the TV shows "Labyrinth" and "Crossroads", as well as the "Golden Orpheus" youth singer competition. Among his popular songs are "And now where", "Just a husband", "Student summer", "I will pray".

Alexander Obretenov

Member of the Board of Directors

Alexander Obretenov was born in Sofia in 1978. He has been playing the bass guitar since he was 15 years old, and shortly after he turned 20, he became part of the most popular Bulgarian band D2, with whom he works to this day. Alexander is the winner of dozens of music awards, participated in hundreds of concerts and festivals in Bulgaria and abroad (he opened for bands such as Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Guns 'N Roses, and many others). He works as a studio musician and is part of the concert formations of Grafa and Lyubo Kirov. He hosts his own radio show on "Tangra Mega Rock".

Boris Kuchkov

Member of the Board of Directors

Graduated from National school of music and dance art "Dobrin Petkov" in Plovdiv with classical singing in the class of Assoc. Elena Baldzhieva. He specialized under maestro Stoyan Kosiov and in the master classes of Margarita Lilova and Kaludi Kaludov. Since 2000 works at the State Opera - Plovdiv as an artist - chorister and tenor soloist. Sings in operas by J. Verdi, J. Puccini, J. Bizet, V. A. Mozart and operettas by Johann Strauss, J. Offenbach, A. Karastoyanov, P. Vladigerov and others. He has considerable experience in trade union activity in the musical and performing arts.

Antoanella Petrova

Member of the Board of Directors

Jazz singer, art manager and producer, her life has been connected to music since she was a child. She plays the flute, studies singing and acting, participates in various youth artistic projects. Since 2008, she has been working in joint projects with Stracimir Pavlov, Valeri Tsenkov and Neicho Petrov – Reji. With "Art-e-fact" there are over 20 projects with various jazz formations and classical orchestras, two of which are original. Antoanela Petrova is a soloist in the musicals of the Varna State Opera "The Three Musketeers" and "Zoro".

Vasil Vasilev

Chairman

He has lived with classical music since childhood, graduated from National music school "L. Pipkov" with a horn. He then studied music pedagogy and opera singing at Sofia University. For nearly 10 years, his career has been connected with PROFON - the "Public Performance" department. Since then, his interest in the legislation in the field of copyright and related rights in our country and in the EU. Vassilev was among the founders of BMA in 2012.

Krasimira Gosheva

Member of the Central Committee

She was born in Plovdiv, studied at NUMTI "Dobrin Petkov". She has been playing the violin since she was little, and graduated from school with classical singing. She received his higher education with a specialty in music pedagogy at today's Academy of Music, Dance and Visual Arts in the city. Since 1989, she has been working at the Plovdiv State Opera as an artist - soprano chorister.

Vasil Gyurov

Member of the Central Committee

He was born in 1965 in Sofia. He studied at the Sofia Mathematical High School. Since then is his interest in rock and the bass guitar, as well as his first band. Together with Dimitar Voev and Kiril Manchev, in 1985 they created the group "Kale", and in 1988 - in "Revue" with Milena Slavova, in which he was a bass guitarist and vocalist. Vasil Gyurov is one of the founders of BMA, which was created on his idea in 2012.

Mirena Staneva

Executive Director

Professional with more than 15 years of experience in the field of cultural policy and cultural management. She holds a doctorate in cultural heritage management, as well as a master's degree in archeology from Sofia University. She participated in internships in cultural policies and cultural management at the University of Arts in Belgrade, Serbia and the Observatory of Cultural Policies in Grenoble, France. Mirena Staneva has held key positions in the field of cultural policy, project and program management in the field of culture. In 2012, she joined the team of the Regional Center for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-Eastern Europe under the auspices of UNESCO, where she is responsible for the development of programs and projects, networking with cultural institutions, universities and NGOs. Honorary teacher at Sofia university "Kl. Ohridski", National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts and National Music Academy.

Rumena Kalcheva

Coordinator

Specialist with many years of experience in the coordination of projects and the organization of events in the cultural sector, in institutions such as: Union of Bulgarian Artists, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Institute for Arts Research. Doctor of Arts, National Academy of Arts (2014), author of visual arts criticism both online and in print. Member of the Union of Bulgarian Artists, the Union of Bulgarian Journalists and the International Association of Critics AICA. Winner of the 2011 St. St. Cyril and Methodius Foundation Critic Award for Young Artists, Critics and Curators.

Mila Panayotova

PR manager and communications

A specialist with many years of experience in communications and public relations. She graduated with a degree in "Mass Communications and Public Relations" at the New Bulgarian University. Works as PR & Brand Manager of Sofia Live Club, PR & Communication Manager of Sofia Live Festival, SoAlive Music Conference and Bulgarian Music Association. Over the years, she has taken care of, and continues to take care of, the communications of many different Bulgarian groups and artists, including the group Ostava, P.I.F., hug or handshake, Bulgarian Cartrader and many others. Her work in the music industry began in 2007. as PR and manager of the duo Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankulov - Stundji. She was also part of the teams of Park Live Fest, Elevation Music Festival, Vola Open Air and the promoter company Art Studio.