Rossen Milanov

Rossen Milanov
Background information
Birth name Rossen Milanov
Born Sofia, Bulgaria
Genres Classical
Occupation(s) Conductor
Instruments Oboe
Years active 1994–present
Associated acts Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, Princeton Symphony Orchestra, Symphony in C, Orquesta Sinfonica del Principado de Asturias
Website www.rossenmilanov.com

Rossen Milanov is a Bulgarian conductor. He is Music Director of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra,[1] New Jersey's Symphony in C,.[2] He is also Principal Conductor of Orquesta Sinfonica del Principado de Asturias,[3] in Spain and the former Music Director of Bulgaria's New Symphony Orchestra.[4] He is Music Director Designate for the Columbus Symphony Orchestra[5] and the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra.[6]

Life and career

Early life

Milanov was born in Sofia, Bulgaria. He studied oboe and orchestral conducting at the Bulgarian National Academy of Music, and he earned his Masters degree in oboe performance at Duquesne University.[7] He studied conducting at The Curtis Institute of Music[8] and The Juilliard School,[9] where he received the Bruno Walter Memorial Scholarship.

Conducting career

From 1994–1999, Milanov was Conductor of The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Orchestra. He acted as Music Director of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra from 1997–2001.[10] He spent over 11 years with The Philadelphia Orchestra, first as Assistant Conductor from 2000–2003, then as Associate Conductor from 2003–2011, and finally as Artistic Director of the ensemble’s summer home at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts from 2006–2010.[11] Milanov was Chief Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of the Bulgarian National Radio from 2003-2008.

In September 2014, Rossen Milanov was named the next Music Director of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, effective in the 2015-16 season and with a four-year contract.[12] The following month, the Chautauqua Institution's Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra named Milanov its Music Director starting in the summer of 2015.[13]

Awards

In 2005, Milanov was named Bulgaria’s Musician of the Year. He has received the Bulgarian Ministry’s Award for Extraordinary Contribution to Bulgarian Culture and the 2011 ASCAP award for his programming with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra.[14]

Collaborators and appearances

Milanov has collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, Midori, and Christian Tetzlaff. He has conducted premieres by Richard Danielpour, Gabriel Prokofiev, and Nicholas Maw, as well as emerging composers through Symphony in C’s annual Young Composer’s Competition.

He has appeared with such ensembles as the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Grant Park Music Festival, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke's, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Residentie Orkest, Orquesta Nacional de México, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia and New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

Milanov also works as a ballet conductor and has collaborated with choreographers Mats Ek at Zurich Opera[15] and Stockholm’s Royal Ballet, Sabrina Matthews and Nils Christie at Stockholm’s Royal Ballet,[16] Benjamin Millepied and Andonis Foniadakis at the Geneva Opera, and Jorma Elo in Philadelphia.[17]

Opera and vocal experience

Milanov has worked with opera companies including Komische Oper Berlin (in Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk), The Philadelphia Orchestra (in Puccini’s La bohème),[18] and The Curtis Opera Theatre (in a recording of Dominick Argento’s Postcard from Morocco for Albany Records).[19]

Music education

Milanov is Music Director of the training orchestra Symphony in C and the New Symphony Orchestra in his home city of Sofia, Bulgaria. He appears regularly at Carnegie Hall for Link Up, a program by The Weill Music Institute.[20]

Recordings

Milanov has recorded Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 15, Brahms’s Symphony No. 1, and Joseph Jongen’s Sinfonia Concertante with The Philadelphia Orchestra – released as A Grand Celebration on the Gothic label in 2008.[21] His work with Russian composer Alla Pavlova with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra was released on Naxos Records in 2006.[22] He recently released a recording of Stravinsky’s Petrushka and Manuel de Falla’s El sombrero de tres picos with Orquesta Sinfonica del Principado de Asturias on Classic Concert Records.[23]

References

  1. "History and Mission - Princeton Symphony Orchestra". Princeton Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  2. "Artistic Staff|Symphony in C". Symphony in C. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  3. "Inicio - Orquesta Sinfonica del Principado de Asturias". Orquesta Sinfonica del Principado de Asturias. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  4. "Music Leaders". New Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  5. Nancy Gilson (2014-09-10). "Columbus Symphony to tap Milanov as new conductor". Retrieved 2015-01-21.
  6. Mary Kunz Goldman (2014-10-16). "Chautauqua Symphony names new music director". Retrieved 2015-01-21.
  7. "Biographgy | Rossen Milanov". Rossen Milanov. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  8. "Curtis Institute of Music | Curtis Musicians Perform at Mann Center June 29-July 1". Curtis Institute of Music. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  9. "Alumni News for September 2009 | The Juilliard School". The Juilliard School. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  10. "Milanov gets sensational send-off - Chicago Tribune". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  11. "Music Director|Princeton Symphony Orchestra". Princeton Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  12. Nancy Gilson (2014-09-10). "Columbus Symphony to tap Milanov as new conductor". Retrieved 2015-01-21.
  13. Mary Kunz Goldman (2014-10-16). "Chautauqua Symphony names new music director". Retrieved 2015-01-21.
  14. "ASCAP "Adventurous Programming" Presented at League of American Orchestras Conference in Minneapolis". ASCAP. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  15. "Sleeping Beauty - Vorstellung - Opernhaus Zurich". Opernhaus Zurich. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  16. "Rambert Blog". Rambert Dance Company. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  17. "111 Organizations Collaborate to Create Multi-Million Dollar Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts, Inspired by the Kimmel Center - The Business Journals". The Business Journals. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  18. "The Philadelphia Orchestra performs 'La Boheme' Wednesday|VailDaily.com". Vail Daily. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  19. "Postcard from Morocco: Albany Records". Albany Records. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  20. "Over 15,000 Children Link Up with Orchestra of St. Luke's". Carnegie Hall. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  21. "A Grand Celebration, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Wanamaker Organ, Peter Conte". Gothic label. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  22. "Pavlova, A.: Monolog/The Old New York Nostalgia/Sulamith Suite/-8.557674". Naxos Records. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  23. "OSPA". Classical Concert Records. Retrieved 2013-06-05.