Vladimir Nikolov (composer)


Vladimir Nikolov is a Macedonian composer, arranger, Big Band leader and musician.

Biography

Nikolov started music at the age of 14, beginning with the guitar. Soon after, he enrolled in classical guitar studies, graduating with an original composition. Deeply inspired by the mentorship of composer and arranger Ilija Pejovski, Vladimir began cross-over composing and arranging. After departing for the Netherlands in the autumn of 2002, he started jazz composition and arranging studies with Jurre Haanstra, at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, Netherlands. He finished his Master’s studies in 2005 with focus on writing for large ensembles. His composition portfolio includes works for piano, guitar, chamber ensembles, Big Band and Symphony Orchestra.

Career

From 2008, Vladimir Nikolov is a steady arranger for the Metropole Orkest. He also arranged for numerous other ensembles, most notably Brussels Philharmonic, Berlin Art Orchestra, Belgrade Philharmonic, Heritage Orchestra, BBC Radio Orchestra. Among the collaborative artists, he worked with: John Clayton, Randy Brecker, Vince Mendoza, Chaka Khan, Jules Buckley, Jacob Collier, to name but a few.
As composer and producer, he published two studio albums with the semi-large ensemble Nikolov-Ivanović Undectet. JazzTimes magazine reviewed this ensemble as “groundbreaking, among the most creative current large jazz ensembles in Europe”, while Downbeat magazine reviewed the music as “rhythmically complex, harmonically evocative compositions, all impeccably arranged.”
He’s often part of film projects as orchestrator and musician, among which Oscar winner “The Artist”, “Clear History” and “Punk’s Not Dead”. He also orchestrated the Grammy awarded arrangement of the retake of “All Night Long” by Jacob Collier.

Works

His works for piano include , published in 2012 by J.W. Pepper Sheet Music. Chamber pieces include trios, guitar duets, harp duets, but also special pieces like “Disconnected Dreams” for two pianos and two percussionists and “” for brass quintet.
Nikolov’s Big Band portfolio consists of more than 20 original pieces, including 8 awarded pieces on International Jazz Festivals and Calls for Scores: “”, “”, “Might of Perception”, “”, “”, “”, "Let Ring" and "Changing Landscapes". Although most of his Big Band works were performed many times internationally by different Big Band ensembles, a large portion of them are yet to be recorded.
His Symphonic works include:
As leader or co-leader, composer & arranger
As arranger
As composer
Ministry of Culture for the Republic of Macedonia - Call for Orchestral Works
2011
Silesian Jazz Festival - 3rd International Jazz Composition Competition
Grolsch International Jazz Festival - ArtEZ Composition Contest
International Competition of Composition and Arrangement for Jazz Orchestra:
International Competition of Arrangement for Rhythmic-Symphony Orchestra: Castel dei Mondi
International Competition of Composition and Arrangement for Jazz Orchestra: Barga Jazz