EVA TONCHEVA, VIOLIN

Eva’s formal music studies began at the State Music Academy “Prof. Pantcho Vladigerov” in Varna, Bulgaria at the age of 6. There she took private violin lessons and studied solfege, alongside singing in an all-girls choir. After moving to Canada at the age of 10, she continued studying privately with several teachers, most notably Joy Crawford. Eva headed the string ensemble at Central Memorial High School and was enrolled in masterclasses and chamber groups at the Mount Royal University Conservatory. She played with the Calgary Youth Orchestra in 2013-14.

The University of Lethbridge is where Ms. Toncheva completed the first half of her Bachelor of Music degree and played with the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra. The latter half she completed at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, playing with the UBC Symphony Orchestra and the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra. Formative teachers from her undergraduate degree include Peter Visentin and Jasper Wood. Some notable highlights from her time at UBC include placing 1st with her quartet in the Friends of Chamber Music Young Musicians’ Competition, receiving an award upon graduation for orchestral leadership, and playing in the Health Arts Society Concerts in Care as a UBC Ambassador.

In the summers of 2017 and 2018, Eva joined the National Youth Orchestra of Canada for an intensive chamber and orchestral training program, touring Canada coast to coast in 2017 and Germany and Scotland in 2018. 

Since relocating to Calgary, she has immersed herself in orchestral playing, performing with most of the major orchestras in southern Alberta and interior BC. She has played numerous concerts with the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra, Symphony of the Kootenays, Kamloops Symphony Orchestra, Symphony 21, and Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra. In addition, she has performed with a number of smaller ensembles and other organizations, such as the Bow Valley Chorus, Festival Chorus, ProArts Society, and Calgary Jazz Orchestra. Being a strong leader, Eva is currently serving as concertmaster of the Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra, as well as leading the newly-founded self-run chamber ensemble Stringendo. Well-acquainted with a more intimate chamber setting, Eva is a part of an active guitar-violin duo with Lethbridge-based classical guitarist Austin Culler. She has also done work in a cello-violin Baroque duo, and regularly performs with quartets in Calgary. Miss Toncheva is looking forward to performing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra in May of 2022.

In her teaching, Eva has worked with a number of students of all ages, both privately and in collaboration with studios. Currently on faculty at Asylum for Art, Eva is teaching a limited number of students.

When her violin is in its case, Eva enjoys getting out to the Rocky Mountains for long days of scrambling or mountaineering. She is also a regular at the climbing gym and enjoys practicing mindfulness meditation and yoga.