Born in Varna, Bulgaria, our CEO, Kalin Tchonev, studied piano performance and music theory in high school before obtaining a bachelor's and master's of music at the National Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria, and additional master's degrees in choral conducting and piano performance from the School of Music at the University of South Carolina. In addition to his piano performance and conducting experience, Kalin brings skills in music management, international tours, and festival organization to create phenomenal performance opportunities for musicians the world over.

In 1999, Kalin founded Varna International Music Academy (VIMA)with his father, Prof. Marin Chonev, an accomplished Bulgarian conductor. Together they brought many musicians from the USA to Kalin's hometown: Varna, for Conducting Workshops and large-scale choral-orchestral performances.

Over the years, the company continued to grow and flourish. Today, VIMA is one of few international summer academies offering a comprehensive program combining unparalleled music instruction and fully-staged orchestral productions with costumes and sets. Throughout the program, soloists, choral singers, conductors, and instrumentalists attend a variety of masterclasses and individual coaching while preparing to perform in the fully staged operas and choral-orchestral productions.

Our Director of Operations, Sharon Tchonev, left her home in Israel to earn her law degree from the University of South Africa in Pretoria. After graduation, she worked as a Communications and PR Manager, organizing international conferences that hosted thousands of leaders from more than 100 countries. In 1998, Sharon moved to the United States where she spearheaded fundraising activities for underprivileged people in Sub-Saharan Africa. After marrying Kalin, she joined him at Varna International, where her unique combination of organizational skills and heart to serve have had a significant impact on the company's culture.

As a granddaughter of two survivors who were rescued by the Bulgarian people during the Holocaust, Sharon and Kalin launched Songs of Life, debuting the 1st Songs of Life Festival in 2008, in four cities of Bulgaria and Israel and in 2011 in Washington DC, Boston and New York City. In 2022, Songs of Life collaborated with Violins of Hope-Israel and brought the performances to 12 cities in South Carolina.