Ms. Jivka Jeleva
Lecturer of Viola, Director of the Community Music School
Office: Pottle Annex A253
Phone: (985) 549-5502
Email: Jivka.Jeleva@selu.edu
Jivka Jeleva holds a Bachelor of Music degree in violin 
performance from the State Music Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria, and a Master of Music degree in violin performance from Southeastern Louisiana University. Before beginning her graduate studies in the US, she served as a section violinist for the “Bankya” Chamber Orchestra in Sofia, Bulgaria (1996 – 1999), and the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra in Durban, South Africa (1999 – 2001).
Jeleva joined the faculty of the Community Music School at Southeastern Louisiana University in 2003, where she developed a highly successful violin/viola studio consisting of nearly 45 students. Many of Jeleva’s students have won awards at competitions such as the Music Teachers National Association competition, Junior Philharmonic Society of New Orleans competition, Grater New Orleans Youth Orchestra Concerto competition, Louisiana Music Teachers Association- String Rally. While working at Southeastern she has also taught String Pedagogy, and Music Appreciation courses.
Throughout the years Jeleva has performed regularly as a member of the violin and the viola sections of the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra, Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra, Jefferson Performing Arts Society Orchestra, and “New Resonance” Chamber Orchestra. She has also made a number of solo appearances as a violinist, and as a violist with the Southeastern Louisiana University Chamber Orchestra.
In 2010 Jivka Jeleva was appointed Director of the Community Music School at Southeastern Louisiana University, where she concurrently continues to teach a thriving violin/viola studio.