Assen Avramov

He graduated from the State Academy of Music majoring in Percussion (1991). He attended the master course of the Musical Opera Festival in Bayreuth (1984) and the master course of the First Summer Music Academy in Brittany (France, 1986).

As a performer, he was awarded the second prize and the silver medal at the National Competition of singers and performers in Targovishte (1984). As a student, from 1986 to 1991, he was member of the percussion ensemble “Polyritmia”, founded by Professor Dobri Paliev. He composed chamber music for various professional ensembles. From 1987 to 1991 he composed mainly theatre music to the performances of the National Theatre and Film Academy, as well as to children’s performances. From 1991 to 1997 he worked as a composer and music director at the Small City Theatre “Off the Channel” in Sofia. He founded a vocal ensemble and a choir including actors from that theatre. He wrote the music for most of the theatre productions, as well as the music for a series of other Sofia theatres’ productions. He composed music for films and for TV novels. He teaches Theory of Music at the National Theatre Academy and Rhythmics (music, text, movement) at the Liuben Grois Theatre College. He was among the founding members of Arts Digital Studio (ADS). Since 1994 he has been a freelance composer. He was member of the Bulgarian National Commission for Theatre Projects (1998–2000), the National Council for Theatre at the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture (1999–01). In 2000 he was appointed at the National Theatre and Film Art Academy. He wrote ballet music, the music to over 100 theatre productions, 12 feature films and TV documentaries. He is the author of about 10 audio projects, too. His music was awarded at prestigious festivals and international forums: the Askeer Prize for best theatre music – for the performance Apocrypha (Bulgaria, 1997), the Grand Prix at the International Festival “Prix Marulic” and the second prize at the International Festival “Prix Europe” for the radio project Apocrypha in Berlin (Germany, 1998), the Grand Prix (The Best European Radio Play of the Year) at the International Festival “Prix Europe” for the radio project The Atoll in Berlin (Germany, 1999). He was ranked fourth at the International Festival “Prix Europe” for the radio project Citadel in Berlin (2001).