Lora Markova

Bulgarian violinist Lora Markova began her musical journey at the age of five under the guidance of B. Taneva at the National School of Music “Lyubomir Pipkov” in Sofia, Bulgaria. Since 2022, she has been studying with K. Blacher at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music in Berlin. From a young age, Lora distinguished herself in numerous national competitions, earning first prizes at Young Virtuosos (2013), Dobrin Petkov (2013), and Nedyalka Simeonova (2014), as well as Grand Prix awards at Music and Earth (2018) and Hopes, Masters, Talents (2019). Her exceptional artistry has been recognized internationally through prizes at major competitions such as Andrea Postacchini and Il Piccolo Violino Magico in Italy, the Anton Rubinstein International Competition in Germany, and the Odessa International Violin Competition in Ukraine. In 2020, she won First Prize at the Leonid Kogan International Violin Competition in Brussels, followed by another First Prize at the Tibor Varga Junior Violin Competition in Switzerland in 2021. These achievements marked the beginning of her rapidly rising international career. As a soloist, Lora has performed at renowned venues and festivals including the Colourful Days of Bulgaria in Germany, Musica Mundi in Belgium, and Treasures of Bulgaria at Carnegie Hall in New York. She has appeared in France, Italy, Greece, Switzerland, Portugal, and Austria, collaborating with conductors such as D. Mason, G. Guarino, L. Kerbel, M. Šedivý, and A. Gordon. In Bulgaria, she has performed with leading orchestras under eminent conductors including E. Tabakov, G. Palikarov, Y. Kamdzhalov, M. Eshkenazy, and P. Zlatarov. Beyond her solo career, Lora is deeply engaged in chamber music. She regularly performs with talented young musicians and established artists alike, appearing at festivals and events across Germany, Finland, Switzerland, and Bulgaria. In 2021, together with cellist S. Najman, she won First Prizes at the Music and Earth and Cantus Firmus competitions in Sofia, as well as the Special Prize from the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation at the Concertino Praga International Competition.