Keyboards, Vocals

Born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria, Kristian is an accomplished pianist, drummer, composer & producer who has made Canada his home since 1995.

Growing up in a family of musicians, music was revered and celebrated. At six years of age, Kristian was accepted into the prestigious L. Pipkov School of Music where he completed twelve years of intense training as a pianist and percussionist. Kristian’s extensive training and passion for performance enabled him to tour across much of Europe by the age of nineteen.

Onstage Kristian has worked alongside some tremendous Canadian and International artists, including: kd Lang, The Tenors, Senator Tommy Banks, Measha Brueggergosman, Jackie & Kim Richardson, Wycliffe Gordon, James Ehnes, All Star Brass, Order of Canada Big Band, Lauren Spencer-Smith and Tate McRae. Kristian is a long-standing musical director for acclaimed trumpeter Jens Lindemann, Youth Singers of Calgary and Acoustic Soul artist Shannon Gaye. Kristian is also a frequent pianist for the pops program of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

Recent career highlights include performances at the Eilat Chamber Music Festival (Eilat, Israel), Sochi Music Festival (Sochi, Russia), Bulgarian Embassy (Washington DC and New York, NY), Vibrato’s Jazz (Los Angeles, CA), International Trumpet Guild (Grand Rapids, MI), Brassfire at Benaroya Hall (Seattle, WA), and the Order of Canada Big Band at Koerner Hall (Toronto, ON).

On the recording studio front, Kristian is definitely in demand. He’s performed on three Juno-nominated CD’s:  Lauren Spencer-Smith Unplugged Vol.1 (2020), Order of Canada Soloists Sweet Canadiana (2017), and Jens Lindemann and Tommy Banks Legacy Live (2016). He also co-produced and played piano & drums on Shannon Gaye’s Christmas CD Songs of Joy & Peace.