Njagul Tumangelov belongs to the music generation which was part of Bulgaria’s music life in the 1960s. This generation of Bulgarian musicians had a series of successful performances at various music contests. The Bulgarian soloists, chamber musicians, concertmasters and music pedagogues brought huge international recognition to Bulgaria. Njagul Tumangelov received recognition in many European countries, yet he was not that popular in Bulgaria. Njagul passed away on March 28 this year.

Njagul Tumangelov is a son of Dragia Tumangelov who graduated the music conservatory in Würzburg, Germany. Dragia was also a music teacher, conductor of a folk choir in Sofia, a member of the Sofia National Opera. He wrote solo and chamber songs, chamber and orchestral works. Njagul was born in 1939. He started to play on the violin when he was only six. Three years later, after his first public performance, Njagul joined the classes of Trendafil Milanov at the Boarding School for Talented Children.Njagul Tumangelov graduated from the National Academy of Music in the classes of Professor Boyan Lechev. In 1961 he started his music career as concertmaster of the Varna Philharmonic Orchestra which was a very impressive recognition for a young musician and between 1962 and 1969 he worked as concertmaster at the Sofia Philharmonic. Meanwhile, he performed successfully at the international stage- at violin competitions in Helsinki (1962) and the Tibor Varga violin competition in Switzerland in 1969.

The complicated changes that occurred in Bulgaria and their impact on the professional career of the Bulgarian musicians made many of them work abroad. Njagul Tumangelov made this step too and in the autumn of 1969 became the first concertmaster of the Viena Radio Symphony Orchestra. The negative attitude of the socialist government to people who made careers in Western Europe thanks to their talent and qualities made Njagul an emigrant. Between 1975 and 1982 he was a concertmaster at the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Munich and until 1989 he worked as a primarius of a string quartet at the Austrian National Radio Symphony Orchestra. He was a soloist of orchestras in Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece, Japan and other countries. Njagul Tumangelov held music recitals together with Bulgarian musicians – pianists Bozhidar Noev and Julika Behar, soprano Krassimira Stoyanova, viola player Nikola Zidarov, etc. His performances are valued highly by the music audience and music experts. In 1989 Njagul Tumangelov received the honorary title Professor by the Austrian President for his contribution to the Austrian music culture.

Again in 1989 he had to replace an ill conductor for the opera show the Barber of Seville at the Vienna Opera House. He showed great skills with the baton and later became conductor as well. His rich experience as concertmaster, his rich repertoire and the work with many popular musicians helped him get used to this profession quite quickly and started conducting pieces by celebrated composers such as Mahler, Gershwin, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, etc. Njagul was happy to have the opportunity to make a career in this new field. After the political changes in Bulgaria in 1989 Njagul was a guest musician at the symphony orchestras in Varna, the Sofia Soloists Chamber Orchestra, the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra, etc. Thus, he made his dream to return to Bulgaria came true.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov