Valentin Martchev was born in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, and started playing the bassoon at age 10. He went to the State Academy of Music in Sofia and Duquesne University, studying with Yordan Metodiev, Tony Komitoff and Nancy Goeres. During his student years in the states he attended the Aspen, Tanglewood, Music Academy of the West and Marlboro Music Festivals. Valentin was a tenured member of the Bulgarian State Radio Orchestra and the Charlottesville Symphony in Virginia, where he was also on the university faculty.
In 2001 Mr. Martchev joined the San Diego Symphony as their principal bassoonist. The San Diego Union-Tribune said his 2007 performance of John Williams’ bassoon concerto Five Sacred Trees “….made this bassoonist a star.” He has performed multiple times with the Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival, the Mainly Mozart Festival and La Jolla SummerFest. In 2008 he was Guest Principal Bassoon with the LA Philharmonic under Esa-Pekka Salonen, and in 2010 he was Guest Associate Principal Bassoon with the Cincinnati Symphony under Paavo Järvi. He has performed chamber music concerts at SDSU, Riverside Community College, Lake Mammoth and at UCSD, and has participated in music series such as Jacaranda, Art of Elan, Luscious Noise and Le Salon de Musique. He is on the faculty of Cal State Fullerton, SDSU, and plays on a 1985 Heckel Biebrich.