Zahari Metchkov, DMA

Both a pianist and an organist, Dr. Zahari Metchkov has performed at such venues as New York’s Avery Fisher Hall and Washington’s Kennedy Center. He has concertized in China, Israel, Bulgaria, and the United States. Dr. Metchkov released his first CD in 2008 - a recording of works for piano and orchestra by Franz Liszt and Cesar Franck and a second recording project featuring solo works for piano and organ completed in the Spring of 2014. In 2022, he premiered and recorded with the Pueblo Symphony his orchestration for piano and orchestra of Rachmaninoff’s Fantasy No. 1, originally for two pianos.

Native of Sofia, Bulgaria, Dr. Metchkov holds DMA in piano performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music, Cleveland, Ohio. He is a Professor of Music at Colorado State University Pueblo, teaching applied piano, chamber music, and pedagogy. Zahari was the 2013 recipient of the CSU Pueblo’s Outstanding Service and Transformative Leadership Award and the 2014 recipient of CHASS Outstanding Faculty of the Year. In 2018, he received the Steinway & Sons Top Teacher Award. In 2022 he received the Colorado State Teachers Association “Teacher of the Year” Award. Dr. Metchkov has also taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music as well as Youngstown State University. Currently Dr. Metchkov is the Artistic Director of the Pueblo Keyboard Arts Festival and Piano Conversations Concert Series, Pueblo

 As a performer he has appeared in the Mostly Mozart Music Festival, Pianofest in the Hamptons, Bridgehampton Music Festival, Sofia Music Weeks, Varna Summer Music, Geneva Chamber Music Festival, New Year’s Music Days Festival, and San Angelo Piano Festival, Varna Music Festival, and Sofia Music weeks. He has appeared live on radio CPR-Denver, WCLV-Cleveland, Bulgarian National Radio, Radio Alma Mater-Sofia.

Placing high priority over the education of young pianists in Southern Colorado, Dr. Metchkov has served in numerous roles including as President of the Colorado State Music Teachers Association, a chapter of the Music Teachers National Association. Students from his private studio have garnered state and national awards. He is a founding member of the Southern Colorado Music Adventure Camp.

Dr. Metchkov has been enjoying an active artistic life as a soloist, chamber artist, as well as church musician. He has been a guest artist with the Pueblo Symphony, Chamber Orchestra of the Springs, Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra, Colorado State University Pueblo Orchestra, Colorado State University Pueblo Wind Ensemble, Suburban Symphony, University Circle Chorale, University Circle Wind Ensemble, and Pleven Philharmonic. Besides music, he also enjoys skiing, bonsai, and in 2020 completed climbing Colorado’s fifty-four 14ers. He was named the Rocky Mountain Bonsai Society 2022 Emerging Bonsai Artist and in 2024 taught “Introduction to Bonsai”, one credit course at CSU Pueblo as part of the Creative Wellness program. In 2025 he was named Rocky Mountain Bonsai Society’s 2026 Artist of the Year

www.zaharimetchkov.com | @Ponderosapine