Bulgarian Composer Kiril Ikonomov Dies at 71
Jerusalem, 16 April, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- Sofia (BTA) – bulgarian composer Kiril Ikonomov has died.
“Last night my boy suddenly passed away. Maestro Kiril Ikonomov. My everything…”, his wife Maya Neshkova wrote on Facebook.
“Kirill and I are celebrating 48 years of unconditional love,” she wrote on Blagoveshchenie, March 25.
Kiril Ikonomov was born on May 10, 1954 in the village of Musomishte, Gotsedelchevsko. As a child, he settled in Sofia to study music. He began his trumpet studies with Rusan Atev, Prof. Petar Karparov and Prof. Karel Staari, and later studied choral and orchestral conducting with Professors Lilia Gyulel and Emil Yanev. His professional career began at the Stefan Makedonski Musical Theater, after which he worked with the “Objective” orchestra at the Concert Directorate. This was followed by performances with the big band of the Sofia circus “Optimists” under the conductorship of Darcho Sekelarev and Gogo Bakardzhiev.
In 1978, Kiril Ikonomov founded the Blagoevgrad Orchestra, with which he worked for more than 20 years. Among its soloists are some of the biggest names in Bulgarian pop, such as Emil Dimitrov, Yordanka Hristova, Mustafa Chaushev, Hristo Kidikov, Donika Venkova, Maya Neshkova. Together with his wife, singer Maya Neshkova, they are the authors of songs such as “Konche vihrogonche”, “Slancheva obich”, “Kitka za obich”, “Shtastie s pari ne se kupi”, “Hours of Love”, “The Temple”, “Chestit rozhden den”, “I Love You” and “Sing, Heart”.
Ikonomov gave more than 4,000 concerts in Bulgaria and abroad. His albums, including double and triple editions, are released in large numbers. He is the winner of the Grand Prix in Ulaanbaatar for Best Guest Conductor (1987), the Grand Prix “Filigrani” for a song (2006), as well as the Grand Prix for Lifetime Achievement in North Macedonia. He has also been awarded the Russian Orders “Dignity” and “65 Years of Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War”.
In 1991, together with his wife, he built the church “Assumption of the Virgin Mary” in the Bachinovo area near Blagoevgrad. He was among the initiators of the construction of the “St. Kliment Ohridski” school in the city and actively supports causes related to disadvantaged children. In Sofia, he was a member of the board of trustees of the State Musical Theater and chairman of the European Agency for the Protection of Performing, Copyright and Producer Rights. He is an honorary doctor of the Institute for Social and Political Analysis.
Ikonomov is also survived by daughters – twins Vesela and Yoana, who also embarked on the path of music.
