Simeon Pironkov(1927-2000)

Simeon Pironkov was born on June 18, 1927 Lom, Bulgaria. He graduated National Music Academy in Composition in the class of Professor Hadjiev and Conducting in the class of Professor. Assen Dimitrov (1952). During his studies he worked as conductor and artistic director of the Orchestra of the National Youth Theatre. Simeon Pironkov was a music editor at the Boyana Film Studios (1964-68). From 1968 to 1980, he was a freelancer. Since 1980 he was an associate professor in National Academy for Theatre and Film Art, Sofia, Bulgaria, where he taught musical setting of the show. In 1982, he visited Cite des Arts Paris, and in 1990 - Los Angeles (USA), where lectured. He was Vice President of Union of Bulgarian Composers (1980-85). He was a co-founder of the Company for New Music in Bulgaria (1990). From 1994 until his death he had worked as Chairman of the Annual International Festival for Contemporary Music "Musica Nova", Sofia. He was a Chairman of the Foundation and the International Competition for Young Opera Singers "Boris Hristov" (1992). He was among the prominent contemporary Bulgarian artists. His music is filled with different original artistic decisions regarding achieved imagery and used musical language. He is an author of works in different genres: three operas; Oratory; works for symphony, string and chamber orchestra; chamber instrumental and vocal music; choral music; music to 43 feature films, 25 multiplier, 36 popular science films and documentaries; music for 51 theater, 15 radio and television productions. His works have been performed in nearly all European countries, USA, Russia, the International Festival of Contemporary Music in Warsaw, Budapest, Berlin, Zagreb, Prague, Bratislava, issued in Bulgaria, Germany and Japan. He won prestigious national awards. He was awarded the prize "Gottfried von Herder" for Lifetime Achievement (1985). He died on January 25, 2000 in Sofia, Bulgaria.