Nayden Todorov is an internationally acclaimed conductor whose career spans over three decades.
He made his conducting debut at 16 in Plovdiv, where he founded the Plovdiv Youth Orchestra, and studied under renowned mentors such as Krastyu Marev, Alexander Vladigerov, Karl Österreicher, Uroš Lajovic, and Mendi Rodan.
His extensive education includes a Master’s degree, a Ph.D. from the University of London, and a Master’s in Cultural Management.
His breakthrough came in 1998 when he was chosen from over 150 candidates to conduct the North Israel Symphony Orchestra. At 26, he was appointed music director of the Plovdiv Opera and Philharmonic Orchestra, recording numerous works and touring internationally. In 2001 he began his long collaboration with soprano Raina Kabaivanska, which has led to master classes and performances in Bulgaria, Italy and Spain.
Todorov’s career includes roles as artistic director of the Burgas Opera and Philharmonic Society and conductor of ‘The Night of the Five Tenors’, which has performed in prestigious venues such as the Berlin Philharmonic and Munich’s Herkulessaal.
As director of the Ruse State Opera between 2005 and 2017, he received several awards – including several Crystal Lyres – and was made an Honourary citizen of Ruse.
Internationally, he has made his debut with the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, performed at the Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow and conducted Tchaikovsky’s ‘The Nutcracker’ at the Vienna Volksoper. His crossover projects include collaborations with artists such as Deep Purple’s John Lord, and in 2019 he conducted Disney’s ‘Star Wars in a Concert’ in China.
In Bulgaria, Todorov is particularly associated with the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, where he has served as permanent guest conductor, principal guest conductor, and was elected director in 2017. His work with the orchestra has won him numerous awards, including the Golden Staves Award, the Golden Book Award and the Sofia Municipality Culture Prize.
Todorov also hosts the classical music programme ‘In Concert with BNT 2’, conducts courses and master classes, and has served as a jury member in international competitions. In 2023, he also took on the role of Minister of Culture in Bulgaria’s caretaker government.
