Virtuoso violinist Ivan Staykov and pianist Veneta Neynska will introduce young music lovers to enchanting melodies from some of the most celebrated composers for the violin. Music by Niccolò Paganini, Astor Piazzolla, Béla Bartók, and many other renowned composers will have little feet dancing along to the rhythm of the violin.

The concert begins with Mozart’s elegant Violin Sonata No. 21 in E minor, followed by Paganini’s lyrical Cantabile. The audience will then enter the emotional world of Piazzolla through the famous Adiós Nonino, immediately followed by Brahms’s fiery Hungarian Dance No. 5. The dancing spirit continues with Piazzolla’s most popular tango, Libertango, before listeners are transported into the colorful rhythms of Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances. The concert concludes with Monti’s brilliant Csárdás – a whirlwind of virtuosity, energy, and excitement.

Part of the “Pillow Concerts” Series

The Performers

Ivan Staykov, violin
Veneta Neynska, piano

The ProgramME

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Violin Sonata No. 21 in E minor

I. Allegro
II. Tempo di Menuetto

Niccolò Paganini (1782–1840)
Cantabile

Astor Piazzolla (1921–1992)
Adiós Nonino

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
Hungarian Dance No. 5

Astor Piazzolla (1921–1992)
Libertango

Béla Bartók (1881–1945)
Romanian Folk Dances

Vittorio Monti (1868–1922)
Csárdás

Ivan Staykov is a Bulgarian violinist who graduated from the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” in Sofia, where he studied under Prof. Yosif Radionov. Prior to that, he completed his secondary music education at Georgi Bregov School in Pazardzhik. Throughout his career, he has refined his artistry under the guidance of distinguished Bulgarian and international violin pedagogues and has participated in numerous masterclasses. He further specialized his studies in Mannheim with Prof. Dora Bratchkova and Prof. Stefan Arzberger. He is a laureate of various national and international competitions and festivals. In 2011, he co-founded the Sapaev Quartet, which won several prestigious international awards. As a soloist and chamber musician, he has performed in Bulgaria, Turkey, Italy, the Czech Republic, Russia, and France. In 2014, he served as concertmaster of the Via Pontica Festival Chamber Orchestra. Since 2013, he has been a permanent member of the orchestra of the Sofia National Opera and Ballet, and in 2017 he continued his studies at the Royal Conservatory of Belgium. Today, Ivan Staykov maintains an active career as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral performer both in Bulgaria and internationally.

Veneta Neynska is a pianist with an international career, recognized for performances distinguished by depth and emotional intensity. She graduated from the Lyubomir Pipkov National Music School in Sofia before receiving a full scholarship to the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where she studied with the renowned pianist and pedagogue John Perry. She later completed her master’s degree at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London under Joan Havill. Veneta is a prizewinner of numerous international piano competitions, including First Prize at the Beethoven Hradec Competition (Czech Republic) and Third Prize at the Alexander Tansman Competition (Poland). As a soloist, she has performed recitals throughout Europe and the United States. She has appeared with leading orchestras and at prestigious festivals such as Apollonia and Piano Extravaganza. In addition to her performing career, she is the founder of Sofia Art Institute. Through this organization, she combines her artistic work with innovative educational and cultural initiatives. Today, she continues to develop projects that connect high-level musical performance with audience engagement and artistic education.