Valentin Martchev was born in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, and started playing the bassoon at the age of 10. He received his specialized high school degree in 1987 with honors, and was immediately accepted to continue his education at the State Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria. His primary teachers were Yordan Metodiev and Tony Komitoff. In 1992 Mr. Martchev won a position with the Bulgarian Radio State Orchestra, Bulgaria’s second largest orchestra. Later that same year he arrived in Pittsburgh, PA to pursue professional bassoon studies with Nancy Goeres, principal bassoonist of Pittsburgh Symphony. During the next 7 years he participated in the Aspen, Tanglewood, Music Academy of the West, and Marlboro Music Festivals.

Between the years 1997-2001 Mr. Martchev was principal bassoonist of the Shira International Symphony Orchestra in Jerusalem, Israel, which was created by Maestro Lorin Maazel. In 1998 he was appointed principal bassoonist of the Charlottesville Symphony, and was hired to the music department of University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He also participated in the 2001 Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival as the featured bassoonist.

In the fall of 2001 Mr. Martchev started his collaboration with San Diego Symphony as acting principal bassoonist, and became a tenured member under Maestro Jahja Ling in 2004. In February 2007 he performed John Williams’ bassoon concerto “Five Sacred Trees,” with the San Diego Symphony, to critical acclaim. The San Diego Tribune reviewed “…Small wonder that Martchev received an enthusiastic outpouring of cheers and applause. John Williams’ concerto made this bassoonist a star.” Since moving to San Diego he has also performed with the Mainly Mozart Festival and La Jolla Summerfest, where in La Jolla he was again featured this past August.

In his free time, he loves hiking, studying flamenco, and performing music with his wife and flutist Pamela Vliek. Mr. Martchev performs on a 1985 Heckel Biebrich bassoon.