About me
Iva Raykova began her musical studies in her native Bulgaria at the age of four and is a graduate of the National Music School “Lyubomir Pipkov.” She holds a Bachelor of Music and Artist Diploma in performance from Texas Christian University, where she studied with Dr. Misha Galaganov, and a Master of Music in performance from Southern Methodist University, where she was a student of Barbara Sudweeks.
An active performer and dedicated educator, Iva has appeared at numerous prestigious festivals including the Northern Lights Music Festival, Ohio Light Opera, AIMS in Graz, Castleton Festival, Brevard Music Center, and Music in the Mountains. Recent highlights include a solo performance of Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with Dr. Timothy Angel (violin) and the Mansfield Philharmonic.
Iva has performed extensively as an orchestral musician with ensembles such as the Plano Symphony Orchestra, Irving Symphony Orchestra, East Texas Symphony Orchestra, Waco Symphony, and Odysseus Chamber Orchestra. Iva also performs regularly as a violist of Bishop String Quartet and Sienna String Quartet.
She has also performed alongside renowned musicians and artists including David Kim, Fabio Luisi, Rafael Payare, Noah Bendix-Balgley, Alessio Bax, Elizabeth Adkins, Branford Marsalis, Michael Bublé, Sarah Brightman, Eagles, Pink Martini, Asleep at the Wheel, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Mariachi Vargas, and Music for Three.
As a chamber and orchestral musician, she has performed across the United States and internationally in Germany, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Serbia, and Bulgaria. She has participated in masterclasses with esteemed musicians including E. Goldstein, E. Eckert, M. Strauss, the Hugo Wolf Quartet, and Samuel Rhodes.
Between 2016-2020 Iva served as a Teaching Artist with B Sharp Youth Music, an El Sistema-inspired program focused on social change through music. She also founded the very first string program for young musicians at Valor Education in North Austin. Since 2021, she has been a member of the leadership team at the Heifetz International Music Institute, where she currently serves as Program Coordinator for the Junior Division.
Iva was recently invited to serve as Orchestra Director to develop a brand-new string program at Dallas West STEM Academy in Dallas, serving children ages 6–11. The school is partnered with Toyota and Southern Methodist University, and the initiative focuses on building foundational music skills and expanding access to high-quality string education in an underserved community.
