Violetta Todorova

An emerging voice of her generation, Violetta Todorova has performed as a soloist with orchestras and ensembles around the world. She is currently the Concertmaster of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and the Artist Violin Professor at Taylor University. She also holds top prizes from a number of international violin competitions, and in February of 2019 she was awarded the "Emerging Artist" award from Arts United. 

Todorova started playing the violin when she was five years old, making her public debut at 7 years old. Her talent was noticed soon, and the young violinist was invited to the prestigious Interlochen Summer Arts Festival in Michigan, which she attended for many summers and where she won the concerto competitions in both the Intermediate and High School divisions.

After her studies at the Interlochen Arts Academy, she earned her Bachelors (summa cum laude) and Masters (with distinction) Degrees in violin performance at DePaul University School of Music, studying with one of the world’s top concert violinists and pedagogues, Ilya Kaler. Her other teachers and masterclasses include Joseph Silverstein, Ida Kavafian, and Lewis Kaplan. During that time, Todorova also served as an assistant concertmaster of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and after an inspiring year of artistic advisory from Yo-Yo Ma, she co-founded a conductorless orchestra, called “42nd Parallel”. 

After graduation, Todorova held the Concertmaster position with the Illinois Symphony, and was a part of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. She has also been the Guest Concertmaster with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, Chicago Arts Orchestra, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Iowa, South Shore Orchestra, and Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra.

Todorova’s musical interests extend beyond classical music to such genres as rock and pop. Her collaboration with the owner of House Harp in Michigan was featured in the New York Times magazine and she has appeared in the role of a violinist in the pilot episode of the television series “Boss”, directed by Gus Van Sant.