Yuli
Lavrenov, Belgian, was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. He started learning the piano
at the age of six with Rositza Ivancheva.
In 1970 he won the second prize of the Second National Contest “Svetoslav Obretinov in Provadia. At that period (11 years old), he played with the greatest orchestras of Bulgaria and gave concerts and recitals for the Bulgarian radio and television. He was recognized by all as a "child of prodigy." In 1975 he went to study in Sofia with Milena Curteva. Two years later he won the third prize of the “Senegalia International Competition” where he met Madame Denise Tolkowsky-de Vries (head of the “Alex de Vries Funds”). In 1978 he won the third prize of the “Smetana Competition” in Prague, where he studied with Professor R. Rauch. In 1981 he arrived in Belgium, to study further at the Royal Conservatory of Music of Antwerp, under the supervision of Professor Fr. Gevers. There he received, among others, the Special Diploma with First Prize in 1982, and the Higher Diploma for piano in 1983. He received also several distinctions and prizes. He kept on studying with Professor Eliane Richepin in Annecy. He also gave concerts and recitals in Bulgaria, Italy, Czech Republic, France, Belgium, Sweden and Germany. In December 1986 he received the first prize of the Musical Contest “Young Virtuosos” at the Lions Club Antwerpen-Linkeroever(B). In 1987 he won the “Alex de Vries Prize” for outstanding public performances. During the annual audition by the Great Master Gyorgy Cziffra, created for young musicians, Cziffra stated that Yuli Lavrenov was a true revelation and that he was by far the best pianist of the 1987 session. From 1993 to 1995, Yuli Lavrenov was the regular pianist of the program “Funiculi Funicula” on the Flemish Radio 2. From 1995 on he collaborated to “pianomania” (8 pianists - 4 pianos) under the direction of Roland De Munck. July 1996: three days of recording at the “Abbey Road Studios” in London. Recordings: • A Romantic Touch from Yuli Lavrenov at the Abbey Road Studios • Marc Brillouet introduceert Yuli Lavrenov • Chopin - Yuli Lavrenov |