IVO IVANOV, violinist, has been a full-time member of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra since 1997. He was born in Rousse, Bulgaria where he began to study violin at age of 6 with Anelia Popova. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from the State Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria, where he studied violin with Georgi Badev, Chamber Music with Vladimir Avramov and Orchestral Studies with Alipi Naydenov. Soon after his graduation, he joined the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra where he worked for two consecutive seasons before moving to the United States where he studied at Southern Methodist University with the legendary concertmaster of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Emanuel Borok earning his Master’s degree in Violin Performance. He also studied in a DMA program at University of Houston with Fredell Lack.
While a member of the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Mr.Ivanov toured and performed in concert halls throughout Europe such as the City of Birmingham Symphony Hall (UK); the City Halls of Leeds, Bristol and Nottingham (UK); Prinzregententheater (Munich, Germany); and Teatro dei Rinnovati (Siena, Italy).
He took part in the 1990-1994 editions of “Settimana Musicale Sienese” in Siena, Italy. He has appeared in Potsdam, Germany (1980); Athens, Greece (1993); Ravello, Italy (1993). In 1980 Prof. Ivanov participated in a governmental cultural exchange delegation including solo performances in Pyongyang, North Korea.
He has participated in the January 2008 Carnegie Hall Tour in New York City and the 2018 Shift Festival at Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra .
In his solo appearances he has performed J.S. Bach’s Double Violin Concerto and Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with Rousse Philharmonic Orchestra in Rousse, Bulgaria; Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with the State Academy Symphony Orchestra in Sofia, Bulgaria and Haydn’s Sinfonia Concertante at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion in Houston, Texas. Prof. Ivanov has been on the music faculty of Tarrant County Community College, S.E. campus since 2016 and joined the music faculty of Tarleton State University as an Adjunct Violin Professor in the Fall of 2022.
He and his wife reside in Arlington with their two daughters, Josephine and Annabel.