UT Concert Hall brings you excellent performances that were given at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, spotlighting faculty, guest artist, and graduate student recitals, as well as student ensemble performances. Join local host and producer, Melony Dodson, for this hour-long program, as she transports you to Cox Auditorium and/or the Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall to hear these world class performances. Thursday night at 8pm and Sunday evenings at 7pm.
UT Concert Hall, July 30 and August 2, 2026
Guest Artist Recital
Borislava Iltcheva, violin
Michael Bunchman, piano
Sunday, October 05, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.
Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall
Natalie L. Haslam Music Center
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Program
Sonata for Piano and Violin in G major, K. 301
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
⠀⠀I. Allegro con spirito
⠀⠀II. Allegro
Sonata for Violin and Piano
Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
⠀⠀I. Allegro Vivo
⠀⠀II. Intermede
⠀⠀III. Finale - Tres animé
Sonata for Piano and Violin in A major, Op. 100
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
⠀⠀I. Allegro amabile
⠀⠀II. Andante tranquillo - Vivace
⠀⠀III. Allegretto grazioso
Artist Biographies
Dr. Borislava Iltcheva, an acclaimed violinist and educator, holds degrees from the Bulgarian National Academy, Louisiana State University, and Indiana University, where she studied under renowned mentors. Currently, she is Concertmaster of the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, Assistant Professor of Violin at the University of Southern Mississippi, and an assistant to Professor Mauricio Fuks.
A versatile performer, Dr. Iltcheva has appeared globally with leading orchestras and at prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall. She frequently conducts masterclasses worldwide, inspiring students who have excelled in major international competitions. In addition to performing and teaching, her upcoming engagements include festivals, recitals, and recording projects across the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
Pianist Michael Bunchman maintains a fulfilling schedule as a collaborative pianist with both singers and instrumentalists throughout the United States and abroad. He is currently on faculty at the University of Southern Mississippi as the director of the Collaborative Piano Program, where he is honored to coach, teach and guide the next generation of collaborative pianists in both vocal and instrumental repertoire. He has given masterclasses at such institutions as Arizona State University, University of Texas at Austin, Texas Christian University, Illinois State University, Troy and the University of Albany to name a few. Prior to working at the University of Southern Mississippi, Dr. Bunchman served as coordinator of Collaborative Piano at Truman State University from 2015 to 2017.
Dr. Bunchman maintains an active performance schedule outside of his work in academia. He has performed collaborative recitals with members of the Atlanta Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony and soloist from the Metropolitan Opera, to name a few. In January 2024, he played a chamber concert in Carnegie Hall’s Weill hall to a sold out crowd. He has spent six seasons as a principal coach and collaborative pianist at the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theater, as well as appointments with the Natchez Festival of Music and Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra. His many collaborations with opera companies also include Santa Barbara Opera, Opera Saratoga, the Princeton Festival and El Paso Opera. Active as a concerto soloist, Dr. Bunchman has performed with the Festival Música nas Montanhas, in Poços de Caldas, Brazil, Ridgefield Symphony, the Breckenridge Music Festival, the Antara Ensemble in New York City, the Utah Festival Opera Orchestra and the National Repertory Orchestra.
In the summer of 2017 Dr. Bunchman had the honor to be counted among the amazingly diverse and talented group of artists of A Prairie Home Companion, hosted by Garrison Keillor, on their multi-city European cruise. In addition, Dr. Bunchman has served as the Director of Music and Collaborative Piano at the International Performing Arts institute in Bavaria, Germany since 2018. This is an intensive three-week festival for collaborative pianists and singers.
Dr. Bunchman holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder, a Master of Music in Piano Performance from the Peabody Conservatory, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Collaborative Piano Performance from the University of Texas at Austin. He spent three summers at the prestigious Aspen Music Festival. His teachers have included Anne Epperson, Rick Rowley, Marian Hahn, Joseph Kalichstein, Antoinette Perry, Adrienne Sielaff and Doris Pridonoff-Lehnert.