Pianist Elitsa Desseva was born in Sofia (Bulgaria). She first studied with Mikhail Slavov at the National School of Music "Lubomir Pipkov" in her hometown and after receiving the First prize at the Liszt-Bartok piano competition in Sofia, she was invited to continue her studies in Weimar (Germany) with Balazs Szokolay and Thomas Steinhoefel and later on in Vienna with Charles Spencer and Markus Hadulla. She also worked with renowned artists such as Piotr Anderszewski, Susan Manoff, Dalton Baldwin, Veronique Gens, Pascal Jourdan, Thomas Hampson, Stéphanie d’Oustrac, Helmuth Deutsch, Brigitte Fassbänder, Graham Johnson, Stéphane Degout, Hartmut Höll, Wolfram Rieger, Gerold Huber.

 

In just two years Elitsa made a name for herself by winning three of the world's most important Art-Song competitions: Wigmore Hall Song Competition (London), the Hugo Wolf Art-Song Competition (Stuttgart), the Chamber Music Competition Franz Schubert and Modern Music (Graz) in a duo with Mikhail Timoshenko, baritone. The Duo was also prize winner at the Schubert Competition Dortmund and Concours international de musique de chambre de Lyon. Furthermore Elitsa received the Bella Bartok Prize at the 19. International Competition Ille de France (Paris) and the First Prize at the International Lied-Duo Competition (Groningen) in a Duo with the mezzosoprano Polina Artsis.

 

As a soloist, chamber musician and Lied-pianist she performed at venues such as Wigmore Hall, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Konzerthaus Berlin, Radio France, Musée d'Orsay, Pierre Boulez Saal Berlin, Musikverein Wien, Opéra de Lille and would consequently appear at major festivals such as Festival Heidelberger Frühling, Grachtenfestival Amsterdam, Eppaner Liedsommer, Musikwoche Hitzacker, Festival Junger Künstler Bayreuth, France Musique.

 

Elitsa has been invited to several young artist programs for pianists specializing in art song. In season 20/21, she was selected for the Akademie Orsay-Royaumont, culminating in a live album recording released by B Records and in 2022 was invited by Thomas Hampson to participate in the Heidelberg Lied Academy and the Schubert Week in Pierre Boulez Saal Berlin. This season she will perform at the Festivals Liedkunst in Schloß vor Husum and Neuland.Lied and give concerts in Linz, Paris and Vienna