Stoika Milanova, the renowned Bulgarian violinist and teacher, passed away on September 29 in Madrid following a long illness. She was 79.
Milanova began playing the violin at age three, under the guidance of her father. She went on to study with David Oistrakh at the Moscow Conservatory. After placing second in the 1967 Queen Elisabeth Competition, Milanova won first prize at the 1970 Carl Flesch International Violin Competition. Between 2005 and 2010 she taught at the State Conservatory of Venezuela. In 2016 she became professor and chair of violin at the State Academy of Music (Bulgarian State Conservatory) in Sofia.
Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Op. 19
Stoika Milanova’s recording of Prokofiev’s two Violin Concertos from the mid 1970s with Vassil Stefanov, and the Bulgarian National Radio Orchestra was awarded a Grand Prix du Disque by the Académie Charles Cros in Paris. Here is Violin Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Op. 19:
Prokofiev: 5 Mélodies, Op.35bis
Here is Stoika Milanova’s recording of Prokofiev’s 5 Mélodies, Op.35bis. She is accompanied by her sister, pianist Dora Milanova:
Franck: Sonata in A Major for Violin and Piano
Frequently, Stoika Milanova collaborated with Romanian pianist Radu Lupu. Here is their 1972 concert performance of César Franck’s Violin Sonata in A Major:
Recordings
- Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Op. 19, Stoika Milanova, Vassil Stefanov, Bulgarian National Radio Orchestra Amazon
- Prokofiev: 5 Mélodies, Op.35bis, Stoika Milanova, Dora Milanova vibrarico.com