Stilian Kirov

A prize winner at Denmark’s 2015 Malko Competition, Stilian Kirov begins the 2015/2016 season as the newly-appointed Music Director of two prestigious music organizations: the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra in California, and New Jersey’s Symphony in C, one of America’s premier orchestras for young professionals (former music directors have included internationally known conductors, such as Alan Gilbert). Having recently completed a highly successful tenure as Associate Conductor of the Seattle Symphony, Mr. Kirov has also served as Associate Conductor of the Memphis Symphony and Music Director of their Youth Symphony Program.

 Among Mr. Kirov’s guest engagements are the Tucson Symphony, Amarillo Symphony, Memphis Symphony, Lansing Symphony, the National Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge, among others. He also appears regularly as guest conductor with the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle. In the 2013/2014 season, Mr. Kirov was engaged as an assistant conductor to Bernard Haitink with the Chicago Symphony and a cover conductor for the Boston Symphony.

Worldwide, Stilian Kirov has appeared with the Thüringen Philharmonic Orchestra/Germany, Victoria Symphony/Canada, State Hermitage Orchestra/St. Petersburg, Leopolis Chamber Orchestra/Ukraine, Orchestra of Colours/Athens, Orchestre Colonne/Paris, Sofia Festival Orchestra, and the Zagreb Philharmonic, among others.

 A graduate of The Juilliard School’s conducting program, Mr. Kirov was invited to further his studies at the summer festivals in Aspen, Tanglewood, and Chautauqua. Among his numerous awards and prizes, an Emmy for the Memphis Symphony’s Soundtrack Project, the Orchestra Preference Award, and Third Prize at the 2010 Mitropoulos Conducting Competition. Also a gifted pianist, Stilian Kirov was the Gold Medalist of the 2001 Claude Kahn International Piano Competition in Paris. stiliankirov.com