Natoly Vapirov was born in 1947 in Ukraine, Berdiansk. He graduated from Leningrad Conservatory (clarinet) in 1971 and finished post-graduate course (saxophone) in 1977. From 1976 to 1982 he was a professor at the Leningrad Conservatory (saxophone /classical and jazz). He recorded numerous compact discs ans participated in jazz festivals in Russia, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Rumania, Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Germany, USA, Canada, France, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, Greece, Holland, Belgium, Israel.
Although during the last years Anatoly Vapirov lives in Bulgaria, this former Leningrader, saxophonist and composer, has the full right, not nominally but in fact, to stay as a person to the Soviet jazz scene. He doesn’t break the relations with his fatherland and very often plays at various festivals in what was the USSR recently.
The brilliant schooling, many years experience and splendid skill, have provided him with practically unlimited opportunities as a musician. He has a wide range of interests: he likes and plays mainstream in the Gold Years of Jazz ensemble, in Varna he is leader of a Big Band playing traditional jazz, he has composed chamber pieces and ballet music.
Leningraders jazz enthusiasts will never forget Vapirov’s large compositions: The Mirror of Memory (dedicated to Charlie Mingus), The Lines of Fortune (in memory of Alban Berg), De Profundis, Macbeth, Slovonic Mystery. Many of them have been released on LPs and CDs and are soundtracks to TV films.
