Maria Radicheva

Described by Yehudi Menuhin as ‘an artist of outstanding and exceptional talent’, violinist Maria Radicheva has received critical acclaim and accolades as a recitalist, guest soloist with orchestra, and chamber musician. The Italian publication La Repubblica cited her as ‘one of the most gifted violinists’ of her generation.

Ms. Radicheva has appeared in major concert halls throughout Europe, North America, Asia, Mexico, Israel, as well as at summer festivals including Aspen, Marlboro, ‘Violins in Valencia’ International Course, Spain, Summit Music Festival, NY, NYU ‘Music in Italy’, ‘Varna Summer’ and ‘Sofia Music Weeks’ International Festivals, Bulgaria, Cuernavaca Chamber Music Concert Series, Mexico, to name a few. A noted pedagogue, Ms. Radicheva is frequently invited to adjudicate competitions and to conduct violin and chamber music masterclasses in the U.S. and abroad. Among the numerous venues her masterclasses have been highly sought after are the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London, Israel Conservatory of Music, Tel Aviv, National Music Academy, Bulgaria, Bangkok Symphony Orchestra Foundation & School of Music, Thailand, Suwon University, Korea. Many of her students are top prizewinners of international and U.S. competitions. Her faculty affiliations have included Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Montclair State University-John J. Cali School of Music, NYU Steinhardt School of Music. She is on the Manhattan School of Music College and Precollege faculties.

A strong supporter of new music, Ms. Radicheva has recorded an album of all four sonatas for violin and piano by Bulgarian composer Parashkev Hadjiev. She gave the U.S. Premiere of his second sonata, reviewed by Musical America as ‘a sparkling North American premiere’. In addition, she also gave the world premiere of Hadjiev’s third and fourth sonatas, works that were written especially for her. Ms. Radicheva has recorded for the Balkanton and Musical Heritage Society. She has been heard on numerous occasions appearing on radio and television, including on New York’s classical music radio station WQXR, Radio France International and Bulgarian Radio and Television.

Ms. Radicheva was awarded the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts, Honoris Causa, by the National Music Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria. Among her many other awards are the ‘Premiere Prix’ Concert Diploma from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and Dame Myra Hess Trust Award Ms. Radicheva is on the board of music organizations and foundations that support young artists, such as the InterSchool Orchestra of New York Advisory Council, and on the International Advisory Board of ‘Music and Earth’ international competition for instrumentalists and composers.

A performance in Paris by Ms. Radicheva at a young age was heard by Nadia Boulanger, who said: ‘The performance of Maria Radicheva made a great impression.  She enabled us to appreciate her technique as well as her sensitivity and intelligence…in a word, a violinist of real quality.’ Following her New York debut recital while still at Juilliard, as the recipient of the National Federation of Music Clubs career grant, Ms. Radicheva was cited by Musical America as a ‘Young artist of the year’ and a ’talent to watch’. Ms. Radicheva calls among her mentors Lord Yehudi Menuhin, Henryk Szeryng and Yfrah Neaman. She received her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from The Juilliard School as a full scholarship recipient, where she studied with Dorothy DeLay and chamber music with Felix Galimir and the Juilliard String Quartet.

Manhattan School of Music College faculty since 2005 and Precollege faculty since 2001.