Biography
Darin Lambrev was born on February 7, 2010, in Sofia into a family of artists. He began playing piano and cello at the age of five. In 2015, he was admitted to the National School of Music “L. Pipkov” in Sofia, specializing in cello. His choice of instrument was clear from the start, while he continues to pursue piano as a second instrument.
Since October 2023, he has been studying as a Junior student at the “Akademie für Tonkunst” in Darmstadt, Germany, in the class of Prof. Romain Garioud.
He has participated in numerous festivals and masterclasses, including the Weimar Masterclasses 2024 (“Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt”), ISA 2022 in Semmering, Austria, Chieti Classica 2023 in Italy, Allegra Summer Festival 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022 in Sofia, Bulgaria, and others. Lambrev has worked with renowned professors such as Troels Svane, Andrei Ionita, Peter Somodari, László Fenyö, Denis Severin, and Razvan Suma. He began performing as a soloist with orchestras at the age of eleven.
Prizes 2025: 1st Prize, Category B Chamber Music – XVI International Competition for German and Austrian Music “MAGIC” (April 2025), Burgas, Bulgaria.
Prizes 2024: 1st Prize – II Grunewald International Music Competition 2024, Berlin. Semi-finalist at the 58th Concertino Praga Competition and Special Prize from the “Viktor Kalabis and Zuzana Ružicková Foundation.” France Music Competition 2024 – 1st Prize in the 12–14 age category. 1st Prize and Grand Prix – Cantus Firmus Classic Music Competition 2024.
Prizes 2023: 1st Prize – Prinzessin Margaret von Hessen Competition 2023, Darmstadt, Germany. 1st Prize and Award for Most Exceptional Performer – International Charleston Music Competition 2023 (USA). 1st Prize – National Competition Cantus Firmus Bulgaria, age group 13–16. 1st Prize – “The Music of Europe,” Burgas, Bulgaria. 1st Prize – “Dobrin Petkov music competition for classical music instruments,” Plovdiv, Bulgaria. 2nd Prize – Chamber Music Competition “The Music of Europe.”
Prizes 2022: 1st Prize – X International Competition for String Instruments, Nis, Serbia. 2nd Prize – National Competition Cantus Firmus, 1st category. Laureate 1st Level – Golden Diploma and Discovery Diploma – International Competition for Instrumental Music “Golden Strings” (age group 10–12).
Prizes 2021: 1st Prize – National Competition for Young Instrumentalists “The Music of Europe,” Burgas. Laureate 1st Level – Golden Diploma – International Competition for Instrumental Music “Golden Strings” (age group 10–12). 2nd Prize – Jan Sibelius Instrumental Competition (online), Turku, Finland.
Prizes 2020: Grand Prix for the Instrumental Group – National Competition for Vocal and Instrumental Music “The Sound of Time,” Veliko Tarnovo (July 2020). 1st Prize – National Competition for Young Performers of Bulgarian Music, Burgas (October 2020).
Prizes 2019: 1st Prize and Special Prize (100/100 points) – International Music Competition, Nis, Serbia (April 2019). 1st Prize – International Music Competition “Daleki Akordi,” Split, Croatia (April 2019). 1st Prize – National Competition for Young Instrumentalists “The Music of Europe,” Burgas 2019. 1st Prize – National Competition for Performance in String Instruments “Dobrin Petkov,” Plovdiv 2019.
Prizes 2018: 1st Prize – National Competition for Young Performers of Bulgarian Music, Burgas (October 2018).