Devorina Gamalova

Biography

The Bulgarian-German musician and writer Devorina Gamalova obtained her violin performing and teaching diplomas from the Music Academies in Sofia and Dresden, postgraduate certificates from the Royal College of Music and Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London and in 2008 was awarded a PhD degree outright at the University of West London. Among her professors were Grigory Zhislin (whom she later assisted), Boyan Letchev (D. Oistrach’s pupil) and Dora Bratchkova.

She worked as principal leader in Germany and later moved to UK focusing on solo performance and teaching (currently as Lecturer at Trinity Laban and Birmingham Conservatoire and Goldsmiths, University of London and as Instrumental Professor at London College of Music). Her Junior students frequently win festivals and competitions and achieve ‘distinction’ and her Senior and Master students 1^st class in their exams.

Gamalova performs in concert as a soloist and chamber musician and gives masterclasses and lectures around the globe. She has numerous recordings and publications in different languages and countries, is a songwriter and brought to life a new music form of works for violin and viola performed by one soloist.

She worked also as a recitalist for Menuhin’s ‘Live Music Now’, bringing live classical music to disadvantaged audiences and continues transmitting this mission worldwide under the motto ‘Live Music for All’.

She has been Artistic Director of numerous educational projects, adjudicator of competitions and runs a Charity in aid of young musicians and children with diabetes.

Among her recent awards are the prestigious ‘Crystal Lyre 2013’ for “outstanding artistic achievements” and an ‘Honorary Diploma’ in 2014 from the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture.

D. Gamalova’s interpretation of Poulenc’s Violin Sonata on her first CD was discribed by Poulenc’s biographer Benjamin Ivry in The Yale Review Magazine as “the best case I have heard”.

Her recent “TREASURED CLASSICS” CD with favourite pieces for violin and her own transcriptions for viola was highly commended by the Quarterly Review Magazine and received 5 stars from the Musical Opinion Classical Music Magazine.