Lyubomir Pipkov(1904-1974)

Lyubomir Pipkov was born on September 6, 1904 in Lovech, Bulgaria. He is a son of the composer Panayot Pipkov. Lyubomir Pipkov is a representative of the so-called "second generation" of Bulgarian composers, one of the founders of the "Society of Bulgarian Composers for Contemporary Music "(1933). His varied creative realization as a composer, writer and poet, publicist and public figure, educator and artist with a bright social position and progressive for the time belief has made him as a leading figure in the musical culture and Bulgarian intellectual elite in the twentieth century. He studied piano in the class of Ivan Torchanov and H. Wiesner. He graduated from Ecole Normale de Musique Paris (France), in the composition class of Paul Duke and N. Boulanger, and in the piano class of Yves Lefebure. After his final return to Bulgaria in 1932, he had worked as an accompanist and chorus master at the Sofia Opera and was actively involved in the work of the newly established "Contemporary Music" society. After 1944 he is a Chief of the Sofia Opera (1944-48). Since 1948 he is a professor of vocal ensembles in Music Academy "Pancho Vladigerov"). He was a founder and first editor of the magazine "Music" (1948) (since 1953 - "Bulgarian music"). He participated in many congresses and international juries. He was a Chairman of the Union of Bulgarian Composers (1945-54). He was a Honorary member of the Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers (1974). He was posthumously honored with the title of Corresponding Member of Arts of the German Democratic Republic (today Germany). He had composed in all genres of their time creatively rethinking their imagery and musical language. He composed three operas; vocal-orchestral works; 4 symphonies and other symphonies for string and chamber orchestra; voice and chamber orchestra; chamber music; choral, solo songs, children's songs, folk song for voice and piano; film music and more. Among his choral masterpieces are "Levels", "Spring Wind", "Yellow Butterfly", "Nani my Nani, Damyancho", "Muted Songs" cycle for female choir and others have permanently entered the repertoire of Bulgarian choirs and established reputation of Bulgarian choral art of authoritative international forums. He died on May 9, 1974 in Sofia, Bulgaria.