Biography

Yavor Genov is a lute and basso continuo player and musicologist. As a soloist he has appeared on many European venues, and his five solo CD’s for the Dutch label Brilliant Classics: “Nicolas Vallet - lute music” (2024), “Hans Neusidler – lute music” (2022), “Orpheus Anglorum” (2018), “Zamboni – lute music” (2014) and “Kapsberger – Libro primo di lauto” (2013) have received international critical acclaim. His playing has been cited as “clever and immediately appealing” (American Record Guide) and “top-level execution” (Folk Bulletin). “Genov promises to be a force to reckon with in the lute world” (International Record Review).

As an active basso continuo player, he performs with ensembles and orchestras such as Utopia, EUBO, Cordevento, MusicAeterna, Valetta International Baroque Ensemble at some of the most important European festivals and opera houses, like the Salzburger Festspiele; MA Brugge; Musica Antiga de Barcelona; Festival Oude Muziek Utrecht; Berlin Philharmonie; Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow; Het Concert Gebouw, Amsterdam; Cité de la musique, Paris; and St. John’s Smith Square, London, amongst others. He has had the pleasure of performing with musicians such as Dame Emma Kirkby, Núria Rial, Andrew Lawrence-King, Lars Ulrik Mortensen and Teodor Curentzis.

Yavor has studied the performance practice of early plucked instruments and basso continuo with Jakob Lindberg.

As a musicologist, he was initially focused on the Latin chant repertory, wherein he defended his PhD thesis, later directing his theoretical interests to the field of Renaissance music of the 16th century. He is an author of two books and several specialist publications and articles.