Kremena Nikolova
solo violin, artistic direction
Born in Bulgaria, Kremena Nikolova started the violin at the age of six. Several years later, she continued her education at the National School of Music in Bourgas, and after at the National Music Academy in Sofia. At the age of eleven, she began her concert career, winning prizes in competitions for young violinists and performing many concerts as soloist with bulgarian orchestras (Academic Symphony Orchestra of Sofia, Opera and Philharmonic Society Burgas, Sliven Symphony Orchestra, LM Collegium Musicum in the most prestigious bulgarian concert halls.
During the following years she enriched her musical knowledge under the guidance of artists such as Zakhar Bron, Michael Frischenschlager, Gerard Poulet, Dong-Suk Kang, Pavel Vernikov, Enrico Onofri, Chiara Banchini, Giorgio Fava and Anton Martynov, of whom she is currently teaching assistant.
”…She is a unique artist, her musical humility is an incredible asset for her performance where the listener’s attention is being taken by the marvel…” Philippe Graffin
After completing her studies at the National Music Academy in Sofia, she moved to Italy in 2012. Considered by critics as an extremely expressive young violinist, Kremena currently has the opportunity to perform concerts as a soloist and chamber musician in Italy, Bulgaria, France, Spain, Russia, Slovenia working with world-renowned musicians.
Her chamber music partners are: Anton Martynov, Riccardo Minasi, Ivry Gitlis, Giorgio Fava, Lyda-Chen Argerich, Vittorio Ceccanti, Anna Serova, Walter Vestidello, Alberto Casadei, Mark Drobinsky, Mario Sollazzo and many others. She plays as a soloist with various chamber ensembles including Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca, Contrarco Baroque, Ensemble Alraune, Orchestra Antonio Vivaldi of Venice, Paris Camerata, Soloists of the Menuhin Academy, Oficina Musicum and others. In 2016 and 2017 she recorded together with Anton Martynov the first two CDs of the “Music for Two” series (NovAntiqua Records) – an innovative project with virtuoso music for two violins of which the second volume was nominated for International Classical Music Awards 2017.
Kremena Nikolova is the artistic director of the International Music Festival “San Martino a Natale” in Venice since its foundation in 2014. Her repertoire includes early music performed with original baroque instruments, classical, romantic and contemporary music, as well as first performances of newly created compositions.
In 2018, Kremena recorded together with Vivaldi Society the CD Violino d’AMore – Vivaldi, Sardelli, Bersanetti, Martynov violin concertos.