Considered as guitarist with unique artistry, musical approach and mastery on his instrument, George Vassilev was born in Bulgaria in 1966. He started his guitar studies with Lijuben Haralambiev in Varna. In 1987 he continued his development at the Kiev Conservatory in Ukraine with N. Mikhailenko. Later he graduated "concert degree" classes from the Geneva Conservatory in Switzerland with Maria Livia Sao-Marcos, then with Ingolf Olsen at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen.
G. Vassilev has been awarded first prizes in several prestigious international competitions, such as:
| 1988 |
- First prize at the International Guitar Competition
"Silesian Guitar Autumn", Tychy, Poland
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| 1991 |
- First prize at the International Guitar Competition
"Città di Alessandria", Alessandria, Italy
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| 1992 |
- First prize at the International Competition for Musical Performers
"Maria Canals de Barcelona" , Barcelona, Spain
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| 1992/ 1994 |
- Second prize and the prize of the audience (1992) at the International Guitar Competition "Francisco Tàrrega", Benicasim, Spain
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| 1995 |
- Second prize at the International Guitar Competition
"Jacinto e Inocencio Guerrero" in Madrid, Spain
(First prize has been not awarded)
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| 1995 |
- First prize at the International Competition for Musical Performers
(CIEM), Geneva, Switzerland
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George Vassilev has performed in prestigious music venues worldwide, including the St-Peterburg’s Hermitage, Opera House, Sydney, Royal Festival Hall, London, Victoria Hall, Geneva, New Opera House, Copenhagen, The Arts Centre, Melbourne, Waterfront Hall, Belfast among others. As a soloist, G. Vassilev has been invited to collaborate with concerts managers such as The Springboard Concert Trust, LACCS and IMG Artists in U.K., "Georg Horthagel's Konzertdirektion" in Germany and has performed with orchestras, such as the National Symphony Orchestra of Italy, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the St. Petersburg Hermitage Chamber Orchestra, the Sofia State Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Danish Orchestra, the Australian Chamber Orchestra and others.
While pursuing his solo activities he has always found great inspiration in chamber music through different variety of genres - from renaissance and baroque to tango, jazz and electroacoustic music. His eclectic personality and cosmopolitan artistic interests involved him in projects, which constantly cross stylistic borders, exploring new horizons and relations between music, sound, images, lights, movements or dance.
George Vassilev is often sought after for collaboration as a chamber musician as well. He has given concerts throughout Europe, Brazil, the United States and Australia with many world-renowned musicians, such as Michel Tirabosco, James Crabb, Richard Toghetti, Christophe Fellay, Ejnar Kanding, Brigitte Fournier, André Ducret, Stéphane Chapuis, Emmanuel Pahud and others.
Recording is an activity for which George Vassilev shows particular interest. Apart for Radio broadcast and TV, he often takes part in studio projects with modern or experimental music. His has released 12 CD’s (2 solo), distributed by companies such as Fidesson, Artlab, Swiss Radio International, Switzerland, Mega Sofia, Bulgaria, IMUK, Denmark, MHR, Australia or by his own label GV Records. His solo guitar release “George Vassilev, guitar recital” as well as Piazzolla’s quintets project «Tango Jam», recorded with James Crabb, Richard Tognetti and the members of the ACO in Sydney, are highly acclaimed by the specialists.
George Vassilev lead the guitar class for superior and post graduate studies at the Conservatory of Lausanne, Campus of Sion (HEMU), Switzerland.
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