Maria Panayotova (b. 1976) holds a doctorate in composition from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She also studied at the University of Maryland (UMCP) and the Mannes College of Music. She has held teaching responsibilities at CCM, UMCP and the New Bulgarian University. Her works used together or separately acoustic instruments, electroacoustic music, video, and audio / spatial installations. The latter are based on images and sound from nature also including in the gallery space natural physical elements thematically related to the video and audio. In 2013 she received Heidelberger Kunstlerinnenpreis and a commission from the Theater und Orchester Heidelberg. The work was later performed by the Phillharmonic Orchester Heidelberg under maestro Kamdzhalov and recorded by radio Deutchlandfunk. Some previous participations include sound / video / site-specific installation at the World New Music Days in Zagreb (2011), "Videoholica", "Contempo", International Computer Music Conference, Atlantic Center for the Arts, "Switched on Video" Filmmakers Festival in Chicago, the Society for Electroacoustic Music in the US. She was a winner of an award from the International Alliance of Women in Music.