MUSIC Beyond Borders
Atanas Valkov’s originality as a live performer is deeply rooted in improvisation and his dual Polish-Bulgarian heritage, drawing on both Balkan and Slavic musical traditions. Classically and jazz-trained as a pianist and percussionist, he is also an accomplished multi-instrumentalist—performing on flutes, zithers, and a wide array of traditional instruments with the creative mindset of a composer. Valkov brings expressive rhythms, unique ornaments, and the vibrant energy of Bulgarian and Roma traditional folk music into dynamic dialogue with jazz, contemporary influences, and his prepared piano techniques. His improvisational style—shaped by years of formal training, a passion for spontaneous musical conversation, creates concerts that are both unpredictable and emotionally compelling. This unique synthesis of tradition, innovation, and technical artistry gives every live performance a sense of freedom and authenticity, captivating audiences with each appearance.
Live Projetcs
While he creatively integrates electronic sounds, and original performance techniques, his artistry remains deeply rooted in organic expression, classical foundations, and emotional authenticity.
He created the series of concerts Cinematic World Sextet, performing his music from the films, featuring one of the best Polish, Ukrainian, and Hungarian jazz soloists.
He performs cutting-edge solo projects like Piano Odyseja, implementing ESA Space Sounds and real-time AI sonifications. He creates original arrangements and concert programs for cultural institutions and major festivals, including FMF Film Music Festival, Singer’s Warsaw Festival of Jewish Culture, Polesie-inspired arrangements for the Re:tradition Festival.
As a Volkswagen brand ambassador, for the Masvoba Project created with his wife Jagoda Valkov, he records authentic ethnic music across the Balkans and Europe on the iconic VW Grand California camper, customized as a mobile studio—working directly with local musicians and living sources of traditional music. Through this journey, he documents and reinterprets vanishing traditions and endangered roots of folk music, helping to preserve their unique sound for future generations.
