Hristo Nedyakov

Hristo Nedyalkov (1932–2013) graduated from the State Academy of Music in 1956 majoring in Composition under Professor Parashkev Hadjiev and Choral Conducting under Professor Georgi Dimitrov. From 1956 to 1960 he worked as a music editor at the Children’s Section of the Bulgarian National Radio. He conducted the Choir of Medical Workers at the Higher Institute of Medicine (1955-60) and the Sofia Young Ladies’ Choir (1966-70). In 1960 he founded the world-famous Bulgarian National Radio Children’s Choir and toured with it Europe, Asia and America. In 1989 he was promoted full professor of Choral Conducting at Sofia University. In 1996 he received the Doctor Honoris Causa degree by the Tokai University in Japan. He was member of juries of international choral competitions; he also took part in conferences and lead workshops on choral art. He won a number of prestigious awards, gold medals and diplomas at national and international choral competitions and festivals. He won the highest Bulgarian State distinctions, as well as orders and medals from other countries, among which was the highest Japanese order awarded to foreigners – the Order of the Holy Treasure “Golden Rays” with rosette – and the Hungary’s medal “Zoltan Kodaly”. In 2002 he received the highest distinction of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the honorary insignia “Marin Drinov”. He composed over 400 choral and solo songs for children’s and female voices choir a capella or with piano accompaniment, as well as music to children’s radio and TV programmes. His songs were published in choral and song collections by Bulgarian and foreign publishers and were included in Bulgarian, German and Japanese music textbooks. They were recorded on LP, audiocassette and CD by the recording company Balkanton and by German, Finnish, Russian and Japanese recording companies. His songs won first prizes at the competitions Young Bulgarian Composers, Songs about Sofia and Let’s Sing Together. They were awarded by the Bulgarian Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture, etc.