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Ivo Varbanov

Professional field - Music

Ivo began playing the piano at the age of six with Eleonora Karamisheva in his hometown. He then studied in Milan with the famous Hungarian pianist Ylonka Deckers. After graduating at the age of 20, he went to England to work with Sulamita Aronowsky at the RNCM in Manchester and with Frank Wibaut at the Royal Academy of Music.

His performances include concertos, recitals and chamber music in over twenty countries on three continents. Ivo has appeared as soloist with some of the world's finest orchestras. These include the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the English Chamber Orchestra, the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bulgarian National Symphony Orchestra, Sofia Soloists, St Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra, Tianjin Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra Filarmônica de Minas Gerais and Gdansk Philharmonic Orchestra.

Professional sector - Wine

Self-taught, Ivo has been inspired by a wealth of wine-related books, and has taken part in workshops with many gifted and renowned wine producers in Europe and the United States. Between 2004 and 2006, in Bulgaria, he began researching with Professor Marin Penkov (the legendary person who, in the 60s, mapped Bulgaria's wine-growing areas) to find the most suitable location for realizing his idea of terroir wines.

Owner of 15 ha, including 8 ha already in production with Marselan, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes.

Philosophy

"My choice of a natural, biodynamic approach was not dictated by commercial or marketing reasons. I'm always inspired by the soil and the sun, which possess and exert very democratic forces. They give us the opportunity to plant vines and make wine on the most diverse and amazing places on the globe".

  • Home country Bulgaria
  • Country of residence London
  • Function Ivo Varbanov Wines, Bulgaria
  • Affiliation Production
  • Website https://ivovarbanov.com/
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Contact information

Full Member 27 Pyrmont Road London W4 3NR United Kingdom Tel: +44 20 8581 9690 Mob. UK: +44 7956 377 705 Email: ivo@ivovarbanov.com

Course

  • Born November 15, 1972 in Pleven, Bulgaria

Music studies, classical pianist:

  • Personal studies in Milan, studying with the renowned Hungarian pianist Ylonka Deckers, followed by studies at the Conservatorio di Musica, Genoa, Italy and the Royal Academy of Music, London.

Professional field – Music

  • Concerts in prestigious venues such as Royal Festival Hall (in collaboration with Royal Philharmonic Orchesrta), Kings Place and Cadogan Hall, Carnegie Recital Hall, New York, Philharmonic Hall in St.Petersburg, etc.
  • A dozen commercial recordings for Hyperion Records, ICSM Records, Gega New and BNR.

Professional sector – Wine

  • At the same time, although very different from music (despite a few similarities), my interest in wine is growing:
  • Internships and inspirational work at wineries in Tuscany and Piedmont.
  • Self-taught, I draw inspiration from a wide range of wine-related books, and take part in workshops with many talented and renowned wine producers in Europe and the United States.
  • Between 2004 and 2006, in Bulgaria, I set out on a search with Professor Marin Penkov (the legendary person who, in the 60s, mapped Bulgaria’s wine-growing areas) to find the most appropriate place to realize his idea of terroir wines.
  • Development of Ivo Varbanov Wines in 2006.
  • Owner of 15 ha, including 8 ha already in production with Marselan, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes.
    • After a fire in the vineyards in 2014, which destroyed 1.5 ha, I set in motion a planting project for 2017 and 2018 with Viognier, Petit Manseng and Fiano grape varieties, plus two indigenous grape varieties: Tamyanka and Gamza, and Syrah too, to reach its full potential as a harvesting winemaker.
    • Sales mainly in the UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, USA, Poland.

Philosophy

Philosophy “My choice of a natural, biodynamic approach was not dictated by commercial or marketing reasons. I am always inspired by the soil and the sun, which possess and exert very democratic forces. They give us the opportunity to plant vines and make wine in the most diverse and astonishing places on earth. Wine, of course, is a work of art, an artistic creation that undoubtedly bears the distinguished signature of the artist (as I am myself), a signature without equal, unimitable, authentic, as is the terroir of my vineyard…. in the land of the Kings of theThracians”.