Teodor Petkov “Toto” – Pianist, Composer, Musician, and Producer
Teodor Petkov, known to audiences as “Toto,” is a highly acclaimed Bulgarian pianist, composer, musician, and producer. His musical journey began at the age of three when he demonstrated an exceptional ability to play songs by ear that he had learned in kindergarten. By the age of five, he was already performing professionally and was later accepted into the National School of Arts “Prof. Veselin Stoyanov” in Ruse, majoring in piano.
During his school years, Teodor exhibited remarkable improvisational skills on the piano. His first foray into jazz and fusion came with the band Low Step, formed with his like-minded friends Svetoslav “Kozmo” Nedelchev, Alexander Slavchev, and Deyan Iliev. After graduating from music school, he continued his education at the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” in Sofia, specializing in Pop and Jazz Piano under the mentorship of Prof. Julia Tsenova.
In Sofia, Teodor collaborated with numerous bands and ensembles, such as – “Mango Duende”, “Tango-go”, “Gathering Point”, “Unlimited”, “Da New Generation”, and more, expanding his expertise across different genres of popular music. For more than 10 years, he also served as a lecturer at the National Academy of Music and New Bulgarian University, where he studied under the legendary Milcho Leviev and later became his assistant.
From 2016 to 2018, Teodor was a composer, arranger, and performer with the Bobby Yotsov Clarinet Sextet, with whom he recorded a concert film produced by Bulgarian National Television. His musical endeavors continued with the project Jazz for Kids, led by Venzi Blagoev. Toto was the leading music director of sound workshops for children in the national house museum of “Pancho Vladigerov”.
Teodor has performed at prestigious music festivals such as:
• Bansko Jazz Festival
• Nisville Jazz Festival
• Jazz Forum Stara Zagora
• Eurosonic
• Pianissimo
• Varna Jazz Days
• Bucharest Jazz Festival, and more.
He has also collaborated with the Military Big Band of Stara Zagora. Throughout his career, Teodor has worked with renowned and Grammy awarded musicians, such as Alex Sipiagin, Sebastian Burneci, Carol Jarvis, Milcho Leviev and Igor Stetsyuk.
In 2021, Teodor released his debut album Bake A Biscuit, featuring compositions dedicated to legendary pianists such as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Phineas Newborn and Errol Garner—artists who greatly influenced his instrumental and compositional aesthetics. His trio, consisting of bassist Vasil Hadjigrudev and drummer Borislav Petrov, draws inspiration from the creative energy of the 1950s and 1960s jazz trios. Teodor’s technique, creativity, and musicality allow him to convincingly convey the essence of his piano heroes while engaging his fellow musicians in spontaneous and dynamic interplay that embodies the true spirit of jazz improvisation.
Following the release of his debut album, Teodor Petkov Trio was invited to perform at international festivals such as:
• March Music Days (Ruse)
• Sofia Jazz Days
• Varna Jazz Days
• Tryavna Art Festival
Teodor holds a master’s degree in Creative Music Production from the United Kingdom. As a member of the European Jazz Orchestra in 2012 and the British Musicians’ Union, he remains an active performer, composer, arranger, and producer. His involvement in projects includes:
• Flying Wiseguy
• Yotsov Clarinet Sextet
• Unspoken
• Cultural Collision
• 90 years anniversary of the National Bulgarian Radio Album
• Avigeya Voices
• Diva Reka
• Krista
• Lina Nikol
• The Ruse Jazz Syndicate
• Head sound technician for the Tryavna Art festival
• Animation Expose, where he contributed as a foley artist, audio designer, sound engineer, and composer for the short film Sunshine.
Teodor Petkov continues to enrich the music world with his distinctive style, blending tradition with innovation, and inspiring audiences with his artistry and passion.