Assen Karastoyanov

Bulgarian composer Assen Karastoyanov (1893–1976) was born in Samokov and studied Flute at the Music High School in Sofia (1914-18). He continued his music education at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin majoring in Flute under E. Pril and Harmony under P. Yuhn (1921-22). From 1923 to 1929, he conducted wind and symphony orchestras in Asenovgrad and Pernik. In 1930-31, he specialised in Composition at the Ecole Normale in Paris under Paul Ducas and Counterpoint at the Schola Cantorum under Paul le Flemme. In 1932, he studied Theory of Music under S. Karl-Egert and Composition with G. Rafael at the Conservatoire of Leipzig. In 1993, he returned to Bulgaria and joined the staff of the State Academy of Music as a lecturer in Theory of Music. He was promoted Full Professor in 1945. He composed stage music; cantatas and other choral-orchestral pieces; symphonies and other works for symphony, wind, string or mandolin orchestra; chamber music; choral works; pop and dance music; he made transcriptions and orchestrations. Very popular are his five operettas. After 1944, his social songs became very popular and up to the late 1980s were among the most frequently performed works of this genre. He was awarded a lot of national prizes and distinctions. He wrote theoretical works, textbooks and articles.