Vladimir Nikolov

Vladimir Nikolov is a composer whose works cover a wide range of musical languages and genres, using backgrounds in classical music and jazz as point of departure. He has been 'behind the scenes' of worldwide orchestral projects as arranger for some time now, while also frequently performing as conductor and guitarist with renowned soloists and ensembles. He was born 1979 and raised in Skopje, Macedonia. He started music at the age of 14, beginning with the guitar. Soon after, he enrolled in classical guitar studies with Vera Ogrizovich and Pablo Baron, graduating with an original composition. Deeply inspired by mentorship of Ilija Pejovski, Vladimir began cross-over composing and arranging. After departing for the Netherlands in the autumn of 2002, he started jazz composition and arranging studies with Jurre Haanstra at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, Netherlands. He finished his Master's studies in 2005 with focus on symphonic writing. As a composer and arranger, Vladimir worked with ensembles such as the Metropole Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic, Pophorn Big Band, Berlin Art Orchestra, Belgrade Philharmonic, Orchestra Jazz della Sardegna, Barga Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, the Amsterdam Saxophone Quartet. Among the collaborative artists, he worked with: John Clayton, Randy Brecker, Conrad Herwig, Ronnie Cuber, Vince Mendoza, Chaka Khan, Gino Vannelli, Andy Narell, Sertab Erener, to name but a few. He's often part of film projects as orchestrator and music editor, among which: The Artist (FR), Punk's Not Dead (MK) and Pipo en de p-p-Parelridder (NL). As guitarist, pianist and conductor, he performed with various ensembles including CvA Big Band, Berlin Art Orchestra, Trojka, Official Language and Schultzing. Vladimir's compositions and arrangements have won numerous international prizes, including two first prizes for original compositions and five first prizes for homages to the great jazz composers Thelonious Monk, Wayne Shorter, John Coltrane, David Liebman and Steve Swallow.