Tsvetan Tsvetanov (composer)

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Tsvetan Tsvetanov (6 November 1931 – 4 April 1982) was a Bulgarian composer and music teacher. He blended Western classical music with Bulgarian folk sounds. He also wrote a widely used music theory book called Exercises in Harmony (Zadachi po kharmoniya), published in 1973.

Born in Sofia, Tsvetanov studied composition at the Bulgarian State Conservatory with Parashkev Hadjiev and Pancho Vladigerov. He also trained as a violinist under Vladimir Avramov. After finishing his studies in 1956, he worked as a music editor at the Central Military Club from 1956 to 1958.

Tsvetanov began teaching at the Conservatory in 1956 as a harmony instructor. He became a lecturer in 1970 and a professor in 1975. He also served as secretary of the Union of Bulgarian Composers from 1966 to 1969.

He died in Sofia in 1982. His music includes four symphonies, two ballets, film scores, oratorios, concertos, chamber music, songs, choral works, and pieces for solo instrument. A notable work is the cantata Stalbata (1966), also called The Ladder, for alto soloist, male choir, and orchestra.