Boyan Ivanov

Boyan Ivanov is a versatile and virtuosic clarinettist from Bulgaria who has enjoyed great success as a solo, chamber and orchestral musician, performing at some of the world’s most prestigious venues including the Barbican Centre, Royal Festival Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Cadogan Hall, Kings Place, and St John’s Smith Square, among many others. Ivanov studied at the Plovdiv Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts under the tutelage of Petko Radev, long-time principal clarinettist of Milan’s La Scala, where he toured extensively throughout Europe and South Korea, as well as winning numerous prizes and awards including the Third Prize at the 2003 International Competition for French Music Performance. He continued his studies with Spanish virtuoso Joan Enric Lluna at Trinity College of Music graduating with the FTCL Recital Diploma in Clarinet, before progressing to postgraduate studies at the renowned Guildhall School for Music & Drama, studying under Julian Farrell, Nicholas Carpenter and Andrew Webster. During his time at GSMD, Ivanov was awarded the Making Music Philip & Green Award for Young Concert Artists which led to numerous recitals for music societies across the UK and invitations to perform as a soloist with the Dulwich and Warwickshire Symphony Orchestras. Ivanov has participated in masterclasses with eminent clarinettists such as Michael Collins, Andrew Marriner, Robert Spring, Charles Neidich, Reiner Wehle, Nicolas Balderou, and Hervé Cligniez to name but a few. Ivanov has a vibrant freelance career, playing regularly with a variety of orchestras, including the Hastings Philharmonic, Vox Vanguard, London Arts Orchestra, Orion Orchestra, Firebird Orchestra, Orpheus Sinfonia, King’s Chamber Orchestra, Aldwych Sinfonia, Guernsey Sinfonietta, Ensemble OrQuesta, and the Co-Opera Company and OperaUpClose orchestras. Since 2012 he is a regular Classical Guest Entertainer aboard Cunard, P&O, Fred Olsen and Saga cruise ships, and from 2016 Boyan Ivanov is holding the positions of Principal Clarinet and Orchestra Manager with Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra. He has been a regular Guest Principal Clarinet of the State Opera Plovdiv Orchestra since 2017. In addition, Ivanov is a founding member of the Inspirity Ensemble and the Trinity Trio with which he remains an active solo and chamber musician to this day. Highlights of Ivanov’s performance career include his Kings Place debut performing the UK premiere of American composer Deborah Netanel’s Before, and a further performance at the venue collaborating with the world-renowned Chilingirian Quartet; performing at Wigmore Hall as part of the Chamber Tots programme; and performances of Weber’s Clarinet Concerto no.2 with the King’s College London Chamber Orchestra. In addition, Ivanov participated in the “Celebrating Jon Lord” concert with the Orion Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall beside rock legends Deep Purple and subsequently performed on the “Journey to the Centre of the Earth” UK Tour with Rick Wakeman. Recent engagements include successful tours to China with the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra (Bulgaria) in which he performed Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A major (December 2018) and L. Bassi’s “Rigoletto” Concerto-Fantasy (December 2019) as a soloist; further performances of Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A major with the innovative London-based immersive classical arts production company, Vox Vanguard; a performance at the prestigious ceremony of the Gramophone Classical Music Awards as part of the Pan-Armenian Symphony Orchestra (broadcast live on Medici.tv and Classic FM); and two performances at the “Golden Diana” Music Festival in his hometown of Yambol, Bulgaria. This included appearances in a recital with regular chamber partner French-Taiwanese pianist Lysianne Chen, and as a soloist in Theodosii Spasov’s Double Concerto for Kaval, Clarinet and Symphony Orchestra, alongside the legendary Bulgarian kaval player himself (both concerts were recorded and broadcast on Bulgarian national channel DTV). In addition, the Ivanov & Chen Duo returned to Bulgaria to perform at the prestigious Balabanov's House Music Days International Festival in Plovdiv in July 2019. The Ivanov & Chen Duo will release their debut album, “Euphony”, in 2023 featuring classic works and unique popular arrangements for clarinet and piano including music by Brahms, Elgar, Sarasate, Piazzolla, and Gershwin.