Press Features | Violinist Bella Hristova

The Strad: Bella Hristova on 'Lineage'

What connects Bach, Ysaÿe and the composers of today? Violinist Bella Hristova shares her thoughts behind her latest project Lineage, which pays tribute to history’s violin masterpieces through six new commissions

The Strad Masterclass: Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1, Second Movement

Bella shares her approach to the second movement of Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in a masterclass for The Strad, exploring the lyrical beauty, expressive depth, and technical challenges of one of the repertoire’s most beloved slow movements.

The Strad: Milestones with Jaime at Carnegie Hall

Bella writes in The Strad about Jaime Laredo’s profound influence on her career ahead of their performance of Dvořák’s Violin Concerto at Carnegie Hall and Laredo's final appearance conducting the New York String Orchestra.

Classical Post

Bella talks with Classical Post's Jonathan Eifert about her journey from Bulgaria to the international stage, the inspiration behind Lineage, and the experiences that have shaped her as an artist.

The Strad: how do you get to Carnegie Hall?

In this article for The Strad, Bella shares insights about her preparation for her recent Carnegie Hall performance of Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, and her long relationship with the piece, which began in her early teenage years. Read more in The Strad Practice Hub.

Over The Top

Bella joins Christopher O’Riley on Over The Top to discuss her commissioning project Lineage, inspired by Bach and Ysaÿe; recording her husband David Ludwig’s violin concerto, as well as running, reading, and more.

Skip the Repeat

Bella and Kai discuss her experiences in Bulgaria, the relationship with her mentors, becoming a US citizen, and her love of video games. Bella also shares a moving story about getting to know her long lost brother, as well as her life as a proud cat parent.

Wheeling Symphony Orchestra

Gustav Mahler believed that music should have no bounds, that whatever forces necessary should be marshaled in its realization. This is just what the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra will do Friday night.

Chamber Music New Zealand

Bella Hristova, violin, and Michael Houstoun, piano, will be touring through August and September performing the Beethoven Sonatas for Violin and Piano.

The New Zealand Herald

Violinist Bella Hristova is no stranger to New Zealand. Here for what Chamber Music NZ describes as a mini-festival of Beethoven's violin and piano sonatas with Michael Houstoun, Hristova first visited 10 years ago when she carried off top honours at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition.

Otago Daily Times

Nine years ago Bulgarian violinist Bella Hristova began a tour of New Zealand with pianist Michael Houstoun. She tells Rebecca Fox how it was the beginning of her performing career.

From The Top

Bella Hristova came to America from Bulgaria when she was 13 years old to study violin. We talked to Bella while filming This Land/Our Land in New York City. The responses below are edited for clarity.

Kansas City Symphony

Guest violinist Bella Hristova performs David Ludwig’s Violin Concerto (written expressly for her) with the Kansas City Symphony for the April 8-10 concerts in Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

The Independent

When David Ludwig began falling in love with the violin virtuoso Bella Hristova, he knew two things right away. One, that he wanted to write a concerto for her some day. And two, that it would begin with a loud crash.

Las Vegas Review-Journal

One was born in Bulgaria. One comes from Chicago. One started playing violin at age 6 — even though she wanted to play the piano. One started playing piano at age 3 — but she also learned to play the violin. Both, not surprisingly, pursued musical careers.

Philadelphia Chamber Music Society

Described by the New York Times as an artist with “impeccable sound and technique,” Bulgarian-born, Curtis-trained Bella Hristova performs on Friday, January 31 at the American Philosophical Society with fellow Curtis alumna Amy Yang.

NYC Arts

Violinist Bella Hristova, one of the 2013 Avery Fisher Career Grant winners, performs and talks about fragments from John Corigliano’s “Red Violin Caprices,” and George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess.”

Violinist.com

"Good thing she's recording this, because it's one highly technical program, I thought, reading the jacket of Bella Hristova's new CD, Bella Unaccompanied." -Laurie Niles