The elegance and refinement of French music, combined with the brilliance of the harp in the treasures of the chamber music repertoire – from the exquisite piece Le jardin mouillé (“The Rain-Soaked Garden”) for solo harp by Jacques de La Presle and the Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp by Claude Debussy, to his famous Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune and his Fantaisie for clarinet and piano. They will be heard alongside Saint-Saëns’ virtuosic Tarantella, as well as two of Debussy’s emblematic songs in transcription for flute and harp: Beau soir and Nuit d’étoiles.

Exceptional musicians come together on stage: the harpist Denitsa Dimitrova, violist Stefania Yankova, clarinetist Yavor Dobrev, flutist Nikolay Stoykov, and pianist Veneta Neynska – who will offer the audience a truly memorable experience in the spirit of Paris, the city of art and inspiration.

PART OF THE CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERTS SERIES

Denitsa Dimitrova is Principal Harpist of the National Opera and Ballet in Sofia and one of the most distinguished representatives of the Bulgarian harp school. She graduated from the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov”, and her specialization with the legendary Prof. Elisabeth Fontan-Binoche in France marked a decisive stage in her artistic development.

She is a laureate of 12 national and international competitions, including First Prize at the International UFAM Competition in Paris. She has appeared as soloist with the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra, the Thessaloniki Philharmonic Orchestra, the Razgrad Philharmonic Orchestra, and the chamber orchestra “Quarto.”

Dimitrova has performed in France, Greece, Italy, Cyprus, Lebanon, Monte Carlo, and beyond. Her masterclasses inspire young harpists in Bulgaria and abroad. Alongside her active concert career, she has extensive pedagogical experience having taught at the National Academy of Music in Sofia and at the Lebanese Conservatory in Beirut, and today she leads her own harp class.

She is renowned for her brilliant technique, vibrant energy, and inspiring artistry.

Stefania Yankova is among the most distinguished violists on the Bulgarian chamber music scene. She began her musical path as a violinist, but at the age of 13 turned to the viola and studied at the music school of Bilkent University (Turkey).

She graduated from the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” in the class of Prof. Stefan Zhilkov and later specialized in Vienna and Hamburg with Prof. Thomas Selditz.

She performs actively in Bulgaria and across Europe—France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Finland, and the Czech Republic—and has appeared on prestigious stages such as the Musikverein (Vienna), Palau de la Música (Barcelona), and the Rudolfinum (Prague).

She has participated in festivals including “Varna Summer,” “March Music Days,” “Apollonia,” and the Brahms Festival in Brussels. She is a laureate of national and international competitions, among them “Young Virtuosos” and the Competition for German and Austrian Music.

Since 2017, she has served as Principal Viola of the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra, and in 2025 she earned her doctoral degree at the National Academy of Music.

Nikolay Stoykov graduated from the National School of Music “Lyubomir Pipkov” in the flute class of Mila Pavlova and continued his studies at the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” with Prof. Lidia Oshavkova.

Between 2010 and 2017, he specialized in France—first at the Conservatory of Strasbourg with Sandrine François, and later in Paris with the world-renowned flutist Patrick Gallois.

He is actively engaged as both a soloist and chamber musician, with appearances at festivals such as “ppIANISSIMO,” “New Bulgarian Music,” “The Art of the Baroque,” and “Mozart Celebrations – Pravets.” He has collaborated with distinguished artists including Zefira Valova, Ina Kancheva, Christophe Coin, and Alon Sariel, and is a regular guest of the French Institute in Sofia.

He performs in Bulgaria and abroad, including concerts in Paris with violinist Augusta McKay Lodge. His repertoire spans music from the Renaissance to the present day.

He is currently a principal flutist with the Sofia Wind Orchestra and maintains an active concert and teaching career.

Yavor Dobrev was born in Sofia. He graduated from the Sofia School of Music under Dancho Radevski and from the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov,” where he studied clarinet with Prof. Petko Radev.

He later specialized at the Geneva Conservatory with Thomas Friedli and at the Lausanne Conservatory with Frédéric Rapin, earning a Soloist Diploma in Clarinet. He lived and worked in Switzerland for ten years.

He has won First Prizes at the French Music Competition in Plovdiv and at the competition in Riddes, Switzerland. He is also a laureate of the “Young Musical Talents” competition as a chamber musician.

He has appeared as a soloist with the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra. He has completed masterclasses with Peter Schmidl, Paul Meyer, and Wenzel Fuchs, principal clarinet of the Berlin Philharmonic.

He is currently Principal Clarinet of the Orchestra of the Sofia Opera and Ballet.

Veneta Neynska is a pianist with an international career, whose concerts are distinguished by depth and powerful emotional intensity. She graduated from the National School of Music “Lyubomir Pipkov” in Sofia, after which she received a full scholarship to the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where she studied with the world-renowned pedagogue John Perry. She completed her Master’s degree at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London under the guidance of Joan Havill.

She is a laureate of numerous competitions, including First Prize at the “Beethoven Hradec” Competition (Czech Republic), Third Prize at the “Alexander Tansman” Competition (Poland), as well as awards in Cyprus and the United Kingdom.

As a soloist, she has given recitals across Europe and the United States, performing with leading orchestras and appearing at prestigious festivals such as “Apollonia” and “Piano Extravaganza.”

Veneta is the founder of the Sofia Art Institute, where she combines her artistic career with innovative educational and cultural projects.