Stoyan Karaivanov is the first Bulgarian bandoneon player to play the classical Argentine system. He was awarded a diploma of honour by the Bulgarian Academy of Arts and Sciences for his high level of performance. He was awarded the prestigious Olga Kamburova Prize at the Musician of the Year 2021 ceremony, organized by the Allegro Vivace programme and the Bulgarian National Radio. In 2021 he graduated from the master class of the world-famous bandoneon player Juan José Mosalini. The following year, the young performer worked with Maestro Daniel Binelli, bandoneon player in Astor Piazzolla’s Tango Nuevo sextet, as well as with Juanjo Mosalini, bandoneon teacher at the Edgard Varese Conservatory, Paris. In the autumn of 2021 Stoyan Karaivanov began his master’s degree programme in conducting under Mo. Nayden Todorov at New Bulgarian University. The young musician debuted as a conductor alongside the famous Bulgarian pianist Ludmil Angelov and the Shumen Sinfonietta in 2023. He attended two master classes in conducting with maestro Georgi Dimitrov, during which he conducted the Sinfonietta Sofia. In 2022 he was given the opportunity to conduct the Sinfonietta Vidin within the framework of the Young Conductor’s Podium cycle. He has majored in bandoneon with prof. Fabio Furia at the Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina Conservatory in Cagliari, Italy, as well as genre music at the International and National Center for Accordion and Music “Jacques Morne” under Prof. Jacques Morne in France. Stoyan Karaivanov has participated in the master classes of some of the most prominent and proven teachers of bayan and accordion such as prof. Friedrich Lips, prof. Mie Miki, prof. Nikolay Kravtsov, prof. Yuri Shishkin, prof. Frederic Deschamps and prof. Vladimir Mandic. He has been a soloist under the baton of Konstantin Ilievsky, Plamen Djourov, Grigor Palikarov, Dimitar Kosev, Deyan Pavlov, Hristo Pavlov, Levon Manukyan, Kalina Vassileva, Tsanislav Petkov, Ivan Stoyanov, Arto Chifchian, Ramiro Arista, Viktor Krumov and others. He has given concerts with the Symphony Orchestra of the Bulgarian National Radio, Pleven Philharmonic, Razgrad Philharmonic, Vratsa Sinfonietta, Shumen Sinfonietta, Vidin Sinfonietta, State Opera – Burgas, Chamber Ensemble “Dianopolis”, Symphony Orchestra – Sliven, AGBU Sofia Chamber Orchestra, Sinfonietta del Arte Chamber Orchestra, Austria, Haskovo Chamber Orchestra, Bulgarian Chamber Orchestra – Dobrich, etc. In June 2021 he made his highly acclaimed debut with the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra at Bulgaria Hall under the baton of Konstantin Ilievsky. Stoyan performed alongside world-renowned musicians such as Ludmil Angelov, Tsvetan Nedyalkov, Fabio Armiliato, Margarita Kalcheva, Jovan Bogoslavljevic and others. He was the first bandoneonist of the young generation to perform the entire works of Astor Piazzolla for bandoneon and orchestra and to present the legendary programme Piazzolla – The Last Concerto, which replicates the composer’s last concert in Athens. In the autumn of 2022 Stoyan Karaivanov founded the first Bulgarian tango orchestra “Libertango” with the participation of young musicians and became its artistic director. He has given concerts and participated in the prestigious festivals “European Music Festival”, “Sofia Music Weeks”, “Apollonia” Arts Festival, “Piano Extravaganza”, “Days of Music at Balabanov House”, “Golden Diana” Music Festival, “Days of Classical Music – Balchik”, “Accordomania”, as well as in a number of international festivals in Austria, Slovakia, Germany, Italy, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus.
Stoyan Karaivanov plays a historic Bandoneon Alfred Arnold Semi Nacarado made in 1935, one of the few instruments preserved in perfect condition.