Daniella Ganeva
Bulgarian born percussionist Daniella Ganeva is a strikingly original artist who is
captivating international audiences with her brilliantly virtuoso and highly theatrical
performances of unusual repertoire and her magical stage presence.
Daniella Ganeva was born in Gabrovo in Bulgaria, both parents being civil engineers,
but spent her early years with the family growing up in Cuba. It was here that the
powerful and intensely colourful music accompanying spectacular dancing, both in the
streets and in sophisticated shows and carnivals first aroused her desire to be a
musician. She studied both piano and percussion, but was developing a very strong desire
to be creative in solo percussion, particularly loving its Latin American application. At
this time solo percussion recitals were less popular than they are now, but Daniella
Ganeva’s brilliant talent and engaging appeal led to a tour of Bulgaria, including an
appearance at the Liudmila Jivkova Palace of Culture, and appearances in Hungary, Germany
and Spain. She continued her studies at the Pleven Academy of Music in Bulgaria, a school
specialising in offering intensive training to exceptionally gifted pupils. There she
received instruction from Simeon Serafimov and played in many contemporary ensembles and
masterclasses.
Soon Daniella Ganeva won international instrumental competitions, including the
Tergovishte Percussion and Wind competition in 1987 and the Provadia Music Competition in
1989. She decided to move to the United Kingdom where she began to attract considerable
attraction for the virtuosity, originality and artistry of her performances. In fact she
created her own market, as at first there was little interest in promoting a solo
percussionist. She made a CD with sponsorship from Technics Hi-Fi, which was used by the
company as a promotional demonstration disc. The theatricality and imagination of her
playing then came to the attention of the specialised Cala Record company, with whom she
recorded her next CD. Daniella’s expressive and atmospheric performing on that
recording of Japanese works created a very strong impression amongst a wide range of
international listeners and critics. It helped lead to a quick succession of engagements
in Europe and the USA, the recording of a further solo CD, released by GMN, and guest
recordings as a soloist with other solo artists and small ensembles. In the UK she scored
great successes with her solo debuts at the coveted Wigmore Hall and at the Purcell Room
in the South Bank Centre, and after touring Northern Italy playing the marimba concerto by
Milhaud she performed this work at the Aldeburgh Festival. Radio and television
appearances soon followed.
Daniella Ganeva has won great acclaim as an attraction at the Rhythm Sticks Festival in
the UK and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in the USA, giving
national and world premieres at both events. She has commissioned many new works and in
particular composers David Horne, Piers Hellawell and, from Latvia, Rihards Dubra have
written immensely demanding works for her with her highly imaginative range of colours and
atmospheric sonorities in mind.
Daniella Ganeva is a member of the soloistic ensemble group S.P.E.C.T.R.U.M. in which
the artists compose and arrange material themselves and play music that eclectically fuses
pop, rock, jazz and classical styles through improvisatory performance.
Daniella Ganeva is highly committed to teaching in order to create a greater awareness
of the expressive potential of solo percussion playing. She gives masterclasses and was
the co-founder of the Graham Cole Percussion School where internationally acclaimed
musicians and students of many countries and backgrounds from all areas of percussion and
drum-kit playing meet to learn, discuss and develop their music making.
Although her striking dark beauty gives the clue to Daniella Ganeva’s origins she
has learned almost perfect English from her husband, percussionist Graham Instrall, in
under six years, a sign of her highly sensitive hearing and lively interest in the world
around her.