Milen Nachev
Conductor
Born in: Silistra, Bulgaria
Performing with Shen Yun since: 2012
Milen Nachev is a conductor well known for his strong musicality, stylistic faithfulness, and extensive repertoire of symphonic works, operas, and ballets. Born in Bulgaria, he is a graduate of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory in Russia, where he earned his master’s degree in symphony and opera conducting. He served as principal conductor and music director of several major Eastern European orchestras, and his recordings have been regularly broadcast by the BBC and Radio France. He is now in his eleventh season with Shen Yun Performing Arts and has also conducted nine seasons with Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra, performing at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Tokyo Opera City, and many other celebrated concert halls worldwide.
There is a saying: ‘Music starts where words end.’ If I were to compare our Shen Yun orchestra with other orchestras, I would say that in Shen Yun we are not just performing music, playing notes and tunes. We go deep inside the meaning of the music, even past the emotional side—most orchestras go to the emotional side, but we go beyond that—to illustrate the deeper meaning. It’s like a secret code inside the musical text that we bring out to the audience. It’s not necessary for them to understand the secret code, but the effect and the resonance is there. I would say what most accounts for this is the idea that through meditation and personal development and personal improvement, we are capable of communicating with the audience not only through the surface of the music, but at a deeper layer of inner meaning.
Go Behind the Scenes
“Whatever I’m conducting right now is my favorite music,” says Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra Conductor Milen Nachev.
Today we invited four Shen Yun conductors to answer your burning questions.