Born in Vidin (Bulgaria) Nikolay started to play the trumpet at age of 13. After graduating at the Conservatoire de Fribourg with Jean-François Michel for trumpet teacher (former principal trumpet with the Munich Philharmonic) with Diplôme d’enseignement de Trompette he took a postgraduate course in performance (trumpet) under the tutorials of Murray Greig (Opera North) and John Miller. After few years of working as a principal trumpet with the Vidin Philharmonic, he is freelancing at present as a performer and teaching brass at the St Cyril and St Methodius Secondary School – Vidin and acting as a music director of the school marching band.

In addition to his formal education Nikolay has attended masterclasses and private lessons of between others Maurice André, Rod Franks, Maurice Murphy, Robert Rotter and more recently - Larry Meregillano

Since May 2024 Nikolay has started to build his own trumpets and flugelhorns, which has never been done before in Vidin, and maybe in Bulgaria in general. While the trumpets will have a standard layout, some of the flugelhorns will have the bell on the left of the piston block, which we believe will offer a more free vibration of the bell and will enhance the dynamic possibilities of the instrument. For a video demonstration click here.

Intermediate and professional trumpets and flugelhorns by Iliev Brass Music: The time needed to produce an instrument on demand is 6 months from the day of the payment. All payment must be paid in full in advance. Piston Trumpets Dunonia € 500 intermediate trumpets in B flat (yellow raw brass) Bononia €1200 professional entry grade trumpet (yellow raw brass) Piston flugelhorns: Dunonia € 1700 professional flugelhorns in B flat (yellow brass, standart setup) Dunonia Custom € 1900 professional flugelhorns in B flat (yellow brass, bell on the left, adjustable pinky hook/ring or both) Bononia € 2000 professional flugelhorns in B flat (red brass, elegant curve on the lower portion of the main slide, standart setup) Dunonia Custom € 2200 professional flugelhorns in B flat (red brass, elegant curve on the lower portion of the main slide,bell on the left, adjustable pinky hook/ring or both)