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Maya Nova

Bulgarian born Maya Nova is a soulful jazz vocalist, educator and songwriter, whose career has brought her around the world, between Europe, Asia and USA.

After earning her BA Degree at the Popular Music Department of National Music Academy, Bulgaria, she pursued the live music stage with several leading jazz and funk groups. Appearances at Sofia Jazz Fall Festival with her Jazz Quartet and the popular TV program “Todor Kolev's Night Show” with National Music Academy Big Band followed shortly. Nova was also a finalist at two Voice Competitions for young talents: “Golden Orpheus” and “Star Moments”, where she performed with the Bulgarian National Radio Big Band. In 1998, Nova moved on to tour Europe: Denmark, Norway, England, Cypress and in 2002 she moved to Singapore.

Making the vibrant island her second home, she established herself as one of the sought after jazz vocalists, appearing at concerts, festivals and events at Esplanade Theaters of The Bay, Chjimes, South Bridge Jazz Club, Singjazz Club, Marina Bay Sands, Resort World, Sentosa just to name a few. She has also performed in Kuala Lumpur ( Malaysia), New Delhi (India), Shanghai (China), Seoul (South Korea), Hanoi (Vietnam). Since 2008, Nova has been on the faculty of the Contemporary Music Performance Department of LaSalle College of The Arts as an adjunct voice lecturer. In 2009, Nova was a semi-finalist of the famed Shure Montreux Jazz Voice Competition at the 43rd Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.

2010 saw the release of her debut album "Open" with a concert at the Late Nite Show series at Esplanade Recital Hall, Singapore. In 2011 she performed with her jazz quartet at Bansko International Jazz Festival (Bulgaria) and Nisville Jazz Festival (Serbia) in collaboration with the renowned American saxophonist Rick Margitza.

In 2012 Maya Nova embarked on pursuing a Master Degree at the Jazz Vocal Performance Program at Queens College, New York. Since 2013 Nova has also led her NY quartet featuring: John Di Martino (piano), Peter Slavov (bass), Alexandre Kautz (drums). Some of the jazz venues she has appeared in NYC are: Zinc Bar, Jazz at Kitano, Whynot Jazz Room, Zeb’s, Café Vivaldi, Chez Lucienne, Somethin’ Jazz Club, Flatiron Room etc.

Her second album entitled “Days” consisting of her original compositions and co- produced with pianist and arranger John Di Martino was recorded in New York with her trio and released digitally in July 2015, followed by live concert-presentations in Singapore, New York, Bulgaria and Vietnam.

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4
Album Review

Maya Nova: Days

Read "Days" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Bulgarian vocalist/composer Maya Nova made the move from a lengthy teaching and performing engagement in Singapore to New York City, releasing Days in the creative bargain. She continues to study the seam between pop and jazz that she did on her previous Open (Self Produced, 2010), sprinkling jazz standards among interpretations of more modern tunes and her own informed compositions. Her feather-light take on Roberta Flack's “Feel Like Making Love" sets a subtle tone for a collection simply crafted with ...

285
Album Review

Maya Nova: Open

Read "Open" reviewed by Ian Patterson


Bulgarian singer Maya Nova cut her teeth in pop, funk and jazz bands in her native Sofia, before relocating to Singapore in 2002. There, she successfully established her presence on the local jazz scene, in addition to holding the post of Main Study Voice Lecturer at the prestigious La Salle College of the Arts. Open, her debut recording, sees Nova wrapping her vocal chords around a selection of mostly standards, extracting the most out of familiar tunes with her surprising ...

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"Open, her debut recording, sees Nova wrapping her vocal chords around a selection of mostly standards, extracting the most out of familiar tunes with her surprising vocal range and uninhibited improvisations. ~ Ian Patterson's review of "Open"at allaboutjazz.com

"Nova parlays her international experiences into some well-crafted, almost slick performances that are completely ready of consumption, consideration and artistic digestion...that thing that makes us all better.” ~ C. Michael Bailey review of "Days" at allaboutjazz.com

Primary Instrument

Vocals

Location

New York City

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Days

Self Produced
2015

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Open

Self Produced
2010

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Videos

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