Marta Simidtchieva

Marta Simidtchieva is currently the Professor of Cello at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Marta Simidtchieva is a native of Bourgas, Bulgaria where she began the cello at an early age and studied at the Bulgarian State Academy of Music. Upon the completion of her degree, she performed with the New Symphony Orchestra in Sofia until her path led her to the United States to continue her studies. She earned her doctorate in cello performance in 2005 from Florida State University where she was a student of Lubomir Georgiev, a member of the Eppes String Quartet, and principal cellist of the University Symphony Orchestra with whom she was a soloist several times, most notably performing the Vivaldi Concerto for Two Cellos with vocalist Bobby McFerrin.

Marta enjoys a varied and exciting carrier as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral musician and pedagogue. Marta has performed with numerous orchestras, including the Illinois Symphony and Orlando Philharmonic, and has been a member of the faculty at the Eastern Music Festival since 2004. On the faculty at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville since 2005, Marta has taught cello, chamber music, string methods, and is a member of the Musici Piano Trio (formerly the LeClaire Piano Trio). She is a passionate music educator and clinician, frequently presenting at the American String Teacher’s Association on cello playing and Eastern European classical music. Marta also directs the Southern Illinois University cello festival Cellobration, an event that brings together students, teachers and guest artists to perform and celebrate the art of cello playing.

Marta is an advocate for the music of composers from her native Bulgaria and has received several grants and awards for her research. Her album of 20th Century works for cello by Bulgarian Composers “Bulgarian Sketches” was released by GEGA NEW in June 2018. In 2019, the CD received Silver medal/outstanding achievement for new release by the Global Music Awards. In 2021 Marta was awarded the Emeriti Faculty Association Award for her project “A century of Bulgarian Piano Trios” which led to the world premiere of Lora Al-Ahmad’s work Irminden.

A passionate chamber musician, Marta joined Chamber Project Saint Louis in 2021. The group presents concerts of innovative and contemporary programming, featuring a diverse body of composers. The group has premiered numerous works by American composers, most recently the work Sylver Lynings by the St. Louis composer Syrhea Conaway. Each year the Chamber Project serves as a resident ensemble at Webster University Community Music School, presenting the winning compositions of the national and international Young Composers Competition.