Violinist Petia Radneva-Manolova began her music education at the age of four at the National School for Musically Gifted Children in her hometown of Pleven, Bulgaria and earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Violin Performance from the National Music Conservatory in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Touring
After touring for 5 years with various orchestras, participating in more than 120 symphonic concerts and opera performances per year in France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Greece, the Czech Republic, and USA, Mrs. Radneva-Manolova established herself permanently in the United States in 1998, after being awarded a full scholarship from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1999, she completed her Artist Diploma in Violin Performance under Canadian born violinist Professor Charles Stegeman, Chair of Strings at Duquesne University and Azusa University in Los Angeles, California, and concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Opera, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Among the many artists who influenced Mrs. Radneva-Manolova during her studies in Pittsburgh were violinist and conductor Andrés Cárdanes, and violinists Christopher Wu and Houng-Guang Gia. .
Performance Credits
In 2000, Mrs. Radneva-Manolova was appointed to the Associate Principal Second Violin position with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra in New York where she performed with a large variety of world known artists including but not limited to Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Pearlman, Jaime Laredo, Gerard Schwarz, Kazuyoshi Akiyama, Yefim Bronfman, Elmar Oliveira, Sir James Galway, Hilary Hahn, Terrence Wilson, Augistin Hadelich, Jon Nakamatsu, Leila Josefowicz, Corey Cerovsek, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Sting, Chuck Mangione, Vince Gill, Shirley Jones, and Naxus.
violin instruction
For the last 15 years, teaching violin to children and adults has been a major priority and passion of Petia’s. During her dynamic career as an educator, she has taught violin and other aspects of classical music to over 300 students on an individual basis in her private studios in Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Los Angeles. Her unique teaching style has helped her create long lasting relationships with her students, many of which have lasted as long as eight years. All of her Syracuse students have performed in the Syracuse Symphony Youth Orchestra, having won entry auditions for this most prestigious youth music organization in Syracuse NY. Many of her former students have chosen to continue studying music professionally in reputable music institutions such as Duquesne University in Pittsburgh PA and Crane Music School in Potsdam NY, and they frequently refer to Petia as their Mentor.
Recently, Mrs.Radneva-Manolova moved to Apex, North Carolina, and started playing with North Carolina Symphony Orchestra in June 2013. She is rapidly filling her violin studio with gifted young students as well as with inspired adults who love music but did not get the chance to learn how to play the violin at a young age.
Mrs. Radneva-Manolova is a dedicated chamber music performer with ample experience as a string quartet player. She has performed more than 700 family and educational concerts as a second violinist of the Syracuse Symphony String Quartet. She has also performed as a section violin player with the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra and Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra; associate concertmaster at the Spoleto Music Festival, and principal second violin with the Maryland Symphony Orchestra.
