Ilia Radoslavov
Associate Professor of Music
Head of Keyboard Area
B.M., State Conservatory of Music, Sofia, Bulgaria;
M.M., Southern Illinois University-Carbondale;
D.M.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison
A native of Bulgaria and hailed by The Beeld as a performer who reaches “high levels of purity” and “exquisite, pure sound” with a “soothing, yet elusive power held in check by an unseen emotion that leaves the audience breathless,” pianist Ilia Radoslavov began his formal studies at age five in Ruse, Bulgaria and was receiving critical acclaim by the age of fourteen.
Throughout his career, Radoslavov has been welcomed warmly and with accolades by audiences and critics alike, while appearing in numerous solo and chamber performances in prestigious venues in the United States, Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Serbia, and South Africa. Most notably, he has performed as soloist in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Seattle’s Benaroya Hall, Pretoria’s Brooklyn Theater, and the National Palace of Culture in Sofia, Bulgaria. Among his festival appearances are the Johannesburg’s Olde’n’New Recital Series, March Days of Music in Ruse, Bulgaria, the Festival for Young European Talents in Potsdam, Germany, Illinois Chamber Music Festival, New Music Festival, Kirksville, Missouri, and the Fairbanks New Music Festival. An enthusiastic and dedicated collaborator, Radoslavov has performed with such prominent musicians as Metropolitan Opera flutist/piccoloist Stephanie Mortimore, Canadain Brass French horn player Bernard Scully, and most recently distinguished South African violinist Zanta Hofmeyr and renowned Bulgaran violinist Stoika Milanova. His performances have been broadcast on Classic FM Radio, Johannesburg, King FM Evergreen Channel, Seattle, WSIU TV 8, Illinois, and the Bulgarian National Radio. His most recent recording with the Blue Griffin recording label features works from one of his most recent chamber projects with Zanta Hofmeyr – the ten Sonatas for Piano and Violin by Beethoven.
As the gold medalist in the 2009 Seattle International Piano Competition, Radoslavov has also served as one of the jurors for its 2010 edition. The list of recognitions in his name includes first prizes from the American Protg International Piano and Strings Competition, the Saint Louis Artist Presentation Society, UW-Madison Concerto Competition, UW-Madison Beethoven Piano Competition, National Mozart Competition, Sofia, Bulgaria, and National Piano Competition, Provadia, Bulgaria, as well as awards from the Missouri International Piano Competition, Joplin, Missouri, and the Hague International Piano Competition, the Netherlands.
Radoslavov holds a Doctoral Degree in Piano Performance from University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he was a Paul Collins Distinguished Graduate Fellow, an award celebrating outstanding performing ability and musicianship. He has graduated with high distinction and holds degrees in Piano Performance from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and the State Conservatory of Music, Sofia, Bulgaria. His teachers include Christopher Taylor, Wilfred Delphin, Stella Dimitrova, Ilya Tchernaev. He has also studied with world-renowned Leon Fleisher, Richard Goode, and Ann Shein.
Radoslavov is in high demand as a master teacher, adjudicator, and clinician both in the US and Europe. He has taught master classes at University of Chicago, Missouri State University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Drake University, Kansas State University, Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle, Xavier University of Louisiana, Truman State University, State Conservatory of Music, Sofia, Bulgaria, and State College of Music, Ruse, Bulgaria. As a member of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), he is a frequent presenter and adjudicator for MTNA events. He is a regular adjudicator at the Illinois State Music Teacher Conference and is a founding member of Bloomington Normal Music Teachers Association.