A reviewer (Richard Hudson) once said: ‘’The thing that makes Galin Ganchev so rewarding to listen to is that no allowances need to be made, no disbelief suspended.’’
He has given numerous recitals in cities such as London, Oxford, Milan, Sofia, Varna, Gent, Essen and others, and has collaborated with conductors such as Francesco Lanzillotta, Robert Wysome, John Moore, amongst others.
Galin’s most recent live performances include a solo recital in the opening of the new music festival “Balchik Piano Days”; a performance of J.S.Bach’s d minor concerto, BWV 1052 in July, 2021 and D major Concerto, BWV 1054 in July, 2020 (conducting both from the keyboard); his involvement in the ‘’Crossover’’ concert in September, 2020 in the Varna Summer Festival, alongside musicians such as Mario Hossen, Theodosii Spassov and Klaudiusz Baran. Earlier that Summer, Galin made studio recordings of L.van Beethoven’s ‘’Appassionata’’ and M. Ravel’s ‘’Jeux d’eau’’ at the studio of the Bulgarian National Radio in Varna, Bulgaria, which were later distributed nationwide. In September, 2021 Galin was awarded the Tunnell Trust Award (UK), alongside his partner in the Perseus Duo – violinist Anthony Poon.
In October, 2019 Galin was awarded the Lilian Davies Prize in the Royal Academy of Music for his performance of L. van Beethoven’s “Appassionata”, and in January, 2018 he won First Prize in Piano Recital Category in Oxford Music Festival, UK.
In 2017, Galin performed F. Liszt’s First piano concerto in the distinguished European Music Festival in Varna, Bulgaria, with the Varna Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Martin Georgiev. In November he took part as one of the two pianists in F. Poulenc’s ‘’Concerto for two pianos’’ in the festival ‘’Shalom and friends’’. Galin has also recently started giving the premieres of his own works, the first few of which were the ‘’Nocturne in e minor’’ for solo piano, op.7 (played in a recital in April, 2017); and his ‘’Requiem for Auschwitz’’ in the spring of 2020.
Galin Ganchev was born in 1996 in Varna, Bulgaria and was raised in a family with rich musical heritage dating back to his grandparents. His father Gancho is a conductor, his mother Miglena is a pianist and vocal coach. Galin began his music education at the age of six in the National School of Arts “Dobri Hristov” in Varna, under the tutelage of Eli Chorbadjijska who taught him for six years. At the age of twelve, Stanislava Stavreva took over his pianistic development for another year.
In the period 2002 – 2010 Galin spent eight years of his life going to rehearsals and performances of the VCO – Varna Children’s Opera. With the members of the opera Galin has had over 100 appearances on stage in major operas, operettas and musicals, sometimes playing main roles – for example the Kid from Charlie Chaplin’s film “The Kid”.
In Bulgaria he took part in many concerts and competitions. In April, 2009 he won the special prize in the “Young Virtuosi Competition” for playing G. F. Händel’s ‘’Chaconne with 21 variations’’ in Sofia, and in the “Magic – for German and Austrian piano music” competition in Bourgas he was highly commended.
Later that same year he was invited to play in the “International Charity Gala Concert”, organised by Gareth Jenkins in Shrewsbury School (Charles Da rwin’s school). There Galin performed alongisde high-class musicians such as Phillip Griffiths, Stephen Garner, Susie Allan and John Moore. After his performance Galin received an invitation to study in the music department of Shrewsbury School as a music scholar. In February 2010, he travelled to England to be formally assessed for the music scholarship that was offered to him and from the beginning of September 2010 he was accepted at Shrewsbury School as a full scholarship Charles Burney scholar. There he studied piano and composition with conductor and composer John Moore and piano with the Anglo-Italian pianist Peter Bradley-Fulgoni.
In the period 2010-2015 Galin had 9 appearances in competitions including Llangollen and Trefeglwys, in which he won the first prize twice; Gregynog and BBC Shropshire, in which he gained the ‘’Young musician of the year’’ title in 2012. He took part in more than 70 concerts and gave five piano recitals in the UK, six in Bulgaria and one in Italy. He played in renowned halls such as Wigmore Hall, Hollywell Rooms, Machynlleth, Varna State Opera House, Varna Festival and Congress Centre and others, and collaborated with the Vidin Philharmonic, Shrewsbury School, Shropshire Philharmoic and Varna Philharmonic orchestras.
His repertoire includes more than 170 pieces of music – including masterworks written by composers from the Baroque to Contemporary eras – just to name a few: R. Schumann’s ‘’Etudes Symphoniques’’, F. Liszt’s ‘’B minor Sonata’’, L.van Beethoven’s ‘’Appassionata’’ and ‘’Waldstein’’, S. Prokofiev’s Piano Sonatas Nos.6 & 8 and Piano Concerto No. 2, E. Grieg’s ‘’a minor piano concerto’’, J. Brahms’ ‘’Second Piano Concerto’’, S. Rachmaninoff’s 1st and 3rd Piano Concertos, and many others.
Galin has taken part in masterclasses with internationally renowned musicians such as Michael Roll, Yevgeny Sudbin, Tatiana Sarkissova, Michael Foyle, Jack Liebeck, Pascal Devoyon, Adrian Brendel, Imogen Cooper and others.
Galin has recently finished his Masters degree in the Royal Academy of Music with Distinction and DipRAM. There he studied piano with Ian Fountain and piano accompaniment with Michael Dussek.