Kolio Plachkov, horn

Kolio Plachkov was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, where he first started studying horn at the age of eight under the direction of Stoyan Karaivanov. At the age of 13 he won the 4th International Competition for French Music, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. In the following year 2001, he won first prize at the competition ‘Young Music Talents’ in Sofia, Bulgaria, and as a part of the prize he was invited to play with the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra, first as a soloist, and later as a member of the orchestra on an international tour.

In 2001 Mr. Plachkov won first prize at a prestigious horn competition in Chisinau, Moldova. In 2002 he was offered a full scholarship by Idyllwild Arts Academy in California. Not long after beginning his studies at Idyllwild he won the concerto competition of the school and performed the Strauss First Horn Concerto with the Idyllwild Arts Academy Orchestra. In 2004 he played principal horn with the Idyllwild Festival Orchestra in Los Angeles’ Disney Hall under the direction of Larry Livingston and in the same year he was invited to Norfolk (Virginia) to perform on the radio show From the Top. In 2004 he won second prize (no first prize awarded) at The Pasadena Showcase House Instrumental Competition. In 2005 he was the winner of the Redlands Bowl Competition and gave a recital in the city of Redlands. In 2006 he was a winner of the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts scholarship as well as the winner of the 7th Annual Rotary District 5330 Music Competition.

Mr. Plachkov has been principal horn with the New York String Seminar Orchestra in Carnegie Hall and also principal horn with the New York Youth Symphony. In the summer of 2009 Mr. Plachkov was invited to the Tanglewood Music Festival, where he performed with the Festival Orchestra under James Levine, Bernard Haitink, Kurt Masur and Herbert Blomstedt.

Mr. Plachkov is currently pursuing his bachelor,s degree in horn at The Juilliard School where he studies under the direction of Jennifer Montone, principal horn of Philadelphia Orchestra.