Vasil Kazandzhiev was born in 1934, in Rousse. He began composing at the age of ten. Konstantin Iliev and Dobrin Petkov were his first composing and conducting teacher. In 1957, Kazandzhiev graduated from the National music academy as part of Pancho Vladigerov’s composing class and prof. Vladi Simeonov’s conducting class. Vasil is a laureate of the sixth International youth music festival in Moscow (1957) for “Sinphonietta” (large orchestra); jury chairman: Dm. Shostakovich)
Vasil Kazandzhiev began his career as a conductor at the Sofia Opera and Ballet where he worked for seven years. During this period, he produced and director a number of Bulgarian and foreign operas and ballets.
In 1962, he founded the “Sofia lead singers” chamber ensemble which performed with great success both in Bulgaria and abroad, for a period of fifteen years. From 1978 he worked as a conductor. From 1985 to 1993 he was the chief conductor of the Bulgarian National Radio symphonic orchestra. He is an honored guest of many Bulgarian symphonic orchestras and toured almost all European countries with outstanding success as well as the USA, Canada, Afrika, Japan, South Korea etc.
His art was recorded on numerous occasions by the Bulgarian Radio, Balkanton, Harmonia Mundi (France), Kibaton (Japan) and many other recording studios based in different countries.
Vasil Kazandzhiev is an accomplished professional with a broad musical culture and a highly developed creative intuition. That is why his interpretations of works by various authors, styles and ages shine with their depth, stylistic authenticity and a heightened sense of contemporariness.
Kazandzhiev is one of the biggest names in contemporary Bulgarian music, an outstanding conductor and pedagogue, a professor of orchestral conducting at DMA “Pancho Vladigerov” and one of the most talented Bulgarian composers. He is a man of many talents who has greatly influenced generations of Bulgarian musicians. He has written a large number of symphonic and chamber pieces: eight symphonies, a number of sonatas and instrumental concert “Visions of Bulgaria”, “Icons come to life”, “Holiday music”, “Apocalypse”, “Illuminations”, a symphonic concert for saxophone, piano and orchestra, nine stringed instrument quartets, a piano quintet, ballet score etc. as well as lots of theatrical and film music. His style is defined by sharp expression, a rich palette of timbres, artistry, philosophical depth and a virtuoso musical technique.
In 2005, Vasil Kazandzhiev was elected as a correspondent member and in 2008: as an academic at the “Creators of Art” department at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
