Simeon Simeonov
Born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Moni Simeonov started studying the violin with Darina Dankova in “D. Petkov” School of Music. At 16, he continued his education at the Idyllwild Arts Academy in California. In the next few years, he attended the Eastman School of Music and Yale University, on full-scholarships, where he studied with Zvi Zeitlin and Ani Kavafian. In 2007, he began his Doctoral studies at the University of Southern California under the tutelage of Midori, where he also became her assistant.
Concert tours and festivals have taken Moni to Europe, the Middle East, Asia and South America. most of the American States. He has served as a concertmaster under the batons of Kurt Massur, Valeryi Gergiev, Roberto Abado, John Williams, James Levine, Riccardo Mutti, Christoff Penderecki, Helmuth Rilling among many others. He has soloed in Carnegie Hall, Disney Hall, Royce Hall, The National Auditorium in Mexico, Kitara Hall in Sapporo, Japan, Sejong Center in Seoul, Korea, as well as Bulgaria Hall. As a chamber musician, Moni has collaborated with Ensemble San Francisco, the Tokyo String Quartet, soloists of the Vienna Philharmonic, as well as with Jerome Lowenthaal, Giora Schmidt, Joseph Silverstein, Joshua Bell, Yo-Yo Ma, Zvi Zeitlin, Midori and others. His solo recordings are archived with the National Radio and TV in the United States, the California Classical Station KUSC, the Japanese Broadcasting Station NHK, as well as with the Bulgarian National Radio and TV.
The violinist devotes considerable time and energy to musical outreach. For the last seven years, alongside Midori, he has traveled nationally and internationally to perform for and teach young musicians. During the summers, Moni teaches at the University of Maine and the Montecito International Music Festival. He has served in the juries of the “D. Petkov” violin competition, as well as competitions organized by American and the California String Teachers Associations.
Moni performs regularly with the Los Angeles Opera and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, while he continues to serve as the concertmaster of the Sacramento Philharmonic. Currently he is also the Director of the Strings Department, as well as violin, viola, and chamber music teacher at the California State University.