"Zetvarski pripev i Horo" by G.Cherkin performed by Nedyalka Simeonova
The first Bulgarian violinist-virtuoso, declared by the American Critics of the 1920s one of the best violinists in the world. Unfortunately her destiny did not allow her to make a career like Hefetz, Elman, Cimbalist und Seidel even she was recognized by the USA Press like the one of the Top 3 Female Violinists together with Erika Morini and Erna Rubinschtein. Her life was full of dramatic twists: she was kidnapped by her egiptian husband, after she escaped from him she ran away to South Amerika, Australia and Java Island, later she returned to Europe and the Second World War found her in Dresden as a Soloist and Leader of Dresden Philharmony. She must returned to her homeland leaving her precious violin (Gagliano) which returns to her after the war.
She was born on 2nd December 1901 in Haskovo, Bulgaria in a poor family. She started playing at 6, her first teacher being her father -- Dimitar Simeonov -- self-taught musician, trumpeter and a violinist. At 9 she was said to be a wunderkind by the musical critics in Bulgaria. Her first concert was in Haskovo when she was 10. In 1913 she went to the USA and performed many charity concerts, and the earned money she gave to the Bulgarian Red Cross to help the Bulgarian who had been affected by the Balkan Wars. Nedyalka Simeonova studied violin with the famous Russian Pedagogue Prof. Leopold Awer, who made her musician of world class. She had many performances in Germany, the USA, Belgrade, Prague, Bratislava, South America and Bulgaria, when she returns in 1932. She was awarded a distinguished civil service order. In 1938 she studied in the Dresden Conservatory and graduated only for 6 months with excellent results.
In 1946, she was employed full time in the Musical Academy in Sofia, and two years later she became a Professor. The repertoire of Nedyalka Simeonova includes almost all violin works, some them devoted to her.
She died from cancer on 14 March 1959 in the Paris State Clinic.