Roumi Petrova, violist and composer, is a native of Bulgaria. She specialized in Music Education at The Academy of Music and Dance in Plovdiv, Bulgaria and completed a second MMUS in Performing Arts at The University of Pretoria, South Africa. During 1990-94, the years of her graduate studies in Bulgaria, Ms. Petrova toured UK, France, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Greece as a founding member of The Forte String Quartet.

In 1994, Ms. Petrova emigrated to South Africa, where she completed her second Master degree and performed as a full time orchestra musician with The Pretoria State Opera, The Cape Town Symphony and The Natal Philharmonic. While in South Africa, Ms. Petrova developed a system for early childhood music education and founded The Molto Facile Music School.

     In 1999, Ms. Petrova emigrated to the United States. Between 1999-2004, she lived in New York, where she taught violin, viola and chamber music at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and conducted The BCM Community Orchestra. A dedicated music educator, Mr. Petrova created String projects for the New York Public schools, as well as series of educational concerts and an educational musical, “Alex in Stringland.” She also performed with The Forte String Quartet, Bulgarian Piano Quartet, Westchester Chamber Orchestra, New York Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, Connecticut Grand Opera, Staten Island Symphony, Di Capo Opera, and other ensembles.

     Ms. Petrova started composing in her early 20s, her favorite medium being the chamber ensembles. Most of her compositions are dedicated to her friends. She always works in a close collaboration with the performers, taking inspiration from their fine musicianship. Among Ms. Petrova’s foremost works are 6 String Quartets, Piano Quartet, Piano Trio, Cello Sonata, Poem for Solo Violin and Orchestra, Suite for Baritone and Orchestra on verses by Langston Hughes and Overture for a symphony orchestra, which was commissioned for the 20th Anniversary Gala of the Long Island Chamber Music Festival. Petrova’s compositions have been performed in major music halls in New York, London, Moscow and Shanghai, and broadcasted on the New York Public Radio and The Bulgarian National Radio. Ms. Petrova is a recipient of the Bulgarian Virtuosi Artists Annual Cultural Achievement Award for 2004. MSR Classics will release her new CD album in the spring of 2006 with music for cello and piano.

“Recommended then not only for those interested in Eastern European musical influences and fine, characterful chamber playing. Rhythmically catchy and tuneful, this release proves that contemporary composition can provide undemanding pleasure…”

- Music Web-International, UK