Vasko Vassilev

Born in 1970 in Sofia into a family of musicians — his father, Petar Vassilev, a violinist, and his mother, Krasimira Vassileva, a pianist — Vasko Vassilev’s passion for music began at an early age. He started violin lessons at the age of five, and at seven, he performed as a soloist with the Bulgarian Chamber Orchestra at Bulgaria Hall under the baton of Dina Schneidermann. Two years later, Balkanton released his first LP with the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Konstantin Iliev. At the same time, he took part in the children’s assembly Banner of Peace, made his acting debut at the Ivan Vazov National Theatre in the role of Leonardo da Vinci, and won a leading role in the children’s film Sun Over Childhood, starring alongside Nevena Kokanova. In 1980, he received a scholarship from the Bulgarian government and moved with his parents to Moscow, where he continued his education at the Central Music School of the Moscow Conservatory under Professor Maya Samuilovna Glezarova. In 1988, he won three of the world’s most prestigious international violin competitions — Jacques Thibaud in Paris, Carl Flesch in London, and Paganini in Italy. That same year, he relocated to London to continue his studies at the Royal College of Music. Between the ages of 19 and 21, he served as guest concertmaster of both the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. At 21, he was appointed Super Solist of the Lyon Opera in France, and at 23, he became the youngest-ever and first concertmaster of the Royal Opera House in London — a position he still holds today, also serving as Creative Producer. He has released more than sixteen albums featuring a diverse repertoire. In early 2023, he received a special invitation to serve as concertmaster of the orchestra for the coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023. In 2024, the documentary Vasko & The Violin premiered — dedicated to the life and career of Vasko Vassilev. Created by journalists Lora Krumova and Maria Yotova, with cinematography by Dobromir Ivanov, the production was officially recognized by the Bulgarian National Film Center as the most-watched and successful documentary film in Bulgaria.