The Cappa
The pianist Ventsislav Yankoff was born into a family of musicians. His father - Prof. Yanko Yankoff, is a respected flute teacher and performer. His brother - Lyubomir Yankoff - was a distinguished violinist and professor at a music school in France.
Prof. Panka Peliszek was the first piano teacher of Ventsislav Yankoff when he was at the age of three. His first public performance was at the age of six, when his obvious talent captivated the audience.
In 1936, Ventsislav Yankoff completed his general education and at the same time finished his second degree at the Sofia Conservatory.
In 1937, he and his brother Lyubomir received a scholarship from the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture and continued their studies at the Berlin Conservatory. There, under the guidance of prof. Karl-Adolf Martinsen, Ventsislav Yankoff graduated with honors in 1942 and later specialized with Wilhelm Kempff, Edwin Fischer and Marguerite Long.
From 1947 until the end of his life Ventsislav Yankoff lived in Paris. For him, France became a second homeland, where he was warmly welcomed and honored by the audiences at his numerous concerts and by institutions such as the Paris Commune, the Conservatoire National de Paris and the French Ministry of Culture.
In 1949, Ventsislav Yankoff won first prize at The Long-Thibaud International Competition together with Aldo Ciccolini. This distinction opened the doors for him to the world’s great stages and marked the beginning of a brilliant career. He played in almost all European countries, Japan and also in countries in the Americas and North Africa. He did a nine-month world tour and played in the USA, New Zealand and Australia. He has worked with conductors Hans Knappertsbusch, Ernest Ansermet, Rafael Kubelík, André Cluytens and others. He has performed over 2500 concerts worldwide in his lifetime.
From 1977 to 1999 Ventsislav Yankoff was a professor at the Conservatoire National de Paris.
Order of Stara Planina
1st degree – 2002
Zlatna lira (Golden Lyra)
special award from the Union of Bulgarian Musicians and Dancers
Ville D’Epinal
badge of honour - 1981
Ville De Paris
honorary plaque - 2001
Ville De Canohes (Semaine Bleue)
honorary plaque – 2011