Theodosii Spassov is often described as “the kaval player of the world”—a title that reflects his global reputation and the breadth of his audience. Born on March 4, 1961, in Isperih, Bulgaria, he graduated from the Philip Kutev National School of Folk Arts and later from the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv.

Spassov is internationally recognized as a virtuoso kaval performer, equally respected for his mastery of tradition and his original artistic vision. He was the first musician to introduce jazz to the kaval, and the fusion of traditional folk music with jazz and classical elements lies at the heart of his original work.

Throughout his career, Theodosii Spassov has toured worldwide, performing on every continent, including Antarctica. In 1994, he performed with the Sofia Women’s Radio Choir, whose album Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares received a Grammy Award. In 1995, Newsweek magazine named him among Eastern Europe’s most talented musicians, noting that he had “invented a new musical genre.”

This collaboration began in 2016, when Theodosii accepted an invitation from Croatian musicians. The trio merges Bulgarian and Croatian musical traditions with elements of jazz and classical music, performing original compositions and arrangements. Their joint album, Duckling Soup, was released in 2023