Veselina heeft vele prijzen behaald, waaronder de eerste prijzen van nationale concoursen in Bulgarije, de eerste prijs voor Kamermuziek van de stad Fontainebleau en Milka Violin Grant, de Special Award of the Markow Totevy Foundation (New Jersey, VS).
Veselina is zeer actief als kamermusicus in diverse bezettingen. Ze speelde samen met muzikale persoonlijkheden als Diana Ligetti, Philippe Entremont, Christian Ivaldi, Bruno Pasquier enz.
Veselina bezette leidende plaatsen in vele festivalorkesten, o.a. in Sleeswijk-Holstein , het Wagner Festival (Duitsland), het Pacific Music Festival (Japan), het Festivalorkest van Fontainebleau Music Summer Session (Frankrijk) en, op persoonlijke uitnodiging van Valery Gergiev, het Paasfestival Moskou (Rusland).
Zij heeft samengewerkt met o.a. Bernard Haitink, Edo de Waart, Yutaka Sado, Valery Gergiev, Fabio Luisi, Christoph Eisenbach, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Kryzstof Penderecki, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Cristobal Halffter, Wen Pin Chien , enz.
Veselina speelde bij het Belgium Chamber Orchestra (Casco Phil), het Kamerata Stradivarius, het Kamerata Amsterdam (Nederland), het New European Strings Chamber Orchestra, het Tiroler Symphonieorchester Innsbruck (Oostenrijk), het Aalborg Symphonic Orchestra (Denemarken), het Cheliabinsk Philharmonic Orchestra (Rusland) enz.
In de jaren 1996-2001 was Veselina plv. eerste concertmeester bij het Ruse Philharmonic Orchestra en tutti violiste bij de Danuber Opera Ruse -eerste privé opera, (Bulgarije). Van 2001-2004 was Veselina lid van het Piano Trio ” Illyria” en vanaf 2005 is ze lid van het Goldberg Piano Trio .
Vanaf 2002 tot heden is Veselina plv. eerste concertmeester van het Noord Nederlands Orkest. Sinds 2007 is Veselina hoofdvakdocente viool aan het Prins Claus Conservatorium te Groningen.
Haar lesmethode combineert de sterke punten van de Russische en Amerikaanse vioolscholen. Ze integreert de discipline, precisie en tonale stabiliteit van de Russische traditie met de vrijheid, individualiteit en expressiviteit die in de Amerikaanse aanpak worden benadrukt. Haar onderwijs is sterk geïndividualiseerd. Ze zegt: “Ik streef ernaar de uniciteit van elke student te behouden, terwijl ik hun techniek, zelfstandig denken, muzikale stem, artistieke vrijheid, intuïtie en podiumvertrouwen ontwikkel, hen aanmoedig actief deel te nemen aan het oplossen van muzikale en technische uitdagingen, en hen begeleid om zowel technisch als creatief te groeien.”
Sinds 2025 integreert Veselina, als gecertificeerd coach, haar pedagogische ervaring met professionele coachingmethoden, en helpt ze violisten niet alleen technisch te groeien, maar ook in mindset, zelfvertrouwen en emotionele veerkracht. Ze combineert hoogstaand vioollessen met werk aan motivatie, het opbouwen van zelfvertrouwen, doelstellingen stellen (met behulp van het Direct Change Solution-systeem) en strategieën om podiumangst en prestatiedruk te overwinnen.
Deze unieke combinatie stelt haar in staat jonge musici holistisch te ondersteunen — zowel hun vaardigheden op het instrument te ontwikkelen als hun innerlijke hulpbronnen te versterken terwijl ze de professionele wereld betreden. Ze helpt opkomende violisten vertrouwen te ontwikkelen, podiumangst te overwinnen, stress te beheersen, effectieve oefenstrategieën op te bouwen, zich voor te bereiden op audities en een duidelijk, realistisch carrièreplan te maken. Haar aanpak stelt jonge artiesten in staat hun volledige potentieel te benutten en het podium te betreden met helderheid, kracht en authenticiteit.
Veselina Manikova is born in Ruse ( Bulgaria).She received her Bachelor Diploma at the National Academy of Music, Sofia ( Bulgaria) and Prins Claus Conservatorium, and her Master Diploma with the highest mark and a distinction of “a perfect combination of virtuosity and musicality” at the Royal Conservatoire of Music (The Hague, The Netherlands)Veselina has won many national and international prizes, among others, first prizes of national competitions in Bulgaria, first prize for chamber music and Milka Violin Grant,the special Award of the Markow Totevy Foundation (New Jersey,USA).
Veselina is a very passionate chamber musician and performs in diverse ensembles ranging from duos to octets . She performed at the International George Enescu Music Festival (Romania), Schleswich-Holstein Music Festival ( Germany), Pacific Music Festival (Japan), Chamber Music Festival Bohuslav Martinu (Czech republic), International Festival March Musical Days (Bulgaria), Peter de Grote Festival, The International Muziekzomer Festival Gelderland (The Netherlands), Fontainebleau Music Summer Session , Masters de Belesbat (France), The International Festival of the Days of Ruse in Simferopol (Ukraïne) and many others.Veselina held leading positions in many Festival orchestras in Bulgaria ,Belgium, France, Germany, Japan and by personal invitation of Valery Gergiev,in the Festival orchestra of the Moscow Easter Festival (Russia ).Veselina has often invited to play in Belgium Chamber Orchestra (Casco Phil,Belgium), Kamerata Stradivarius, Kamerata Amsterdam, Residentie orchestra (The Netherlands), the New European Strings Chamber Orchestra, the Tiroler Symphonieorchester Innsbruck (Austria), the Aalborg Symphonic Orchestra (Denmark), the Cheliabinsk Philharmonic Orchestra (Russia).
Since 2002 Veselina is first deputy concertmaster of the North Netherlands Symphony Orchestra and since 2013 guest first concertmaster of Kamerata Stradivarius. Since 2007 Veselina is a professor of violin at the Prins Claus Conservatorium (Groningen, The Netherlands).
Her teaching method combines the strengths of the Russian and American violin schools. She integrates the discipline, precision, and tonal stability of the Russian tradition with the freedom, individuality, and expressiveness emphasized in the American approach. Her teaching is highly individualized. She says:” I strive to preserve each student’s uniqueness, while developing their technique, independent thinking, musical voice, artistic freedom, intuition, and stage confidence, encouraging them to actively engage in solving musical and technical challenges, and guiding them to grow both technically and creatively.”
since 2025 As a certified coach,, Veselina integrates her pedagogical experience with professional coaching methods, helping violinists grow not only technically, but also in their mindset, confidence and emotional resilience. She combines high-level violin instruction with motivation work, confidence building, goal-setting (using the Direct Change Solution system) and strategies for overcoming stage fright and performance anxiety.
This unique combination allows her to support young musicians holistically—developing their skills on the instrument while strengthening their inner resources as they step into the professional world.
She helps emerging violinists develop confidence, overcome stage anxiety, manage stress, build effective practice strategies, prepare for auditions, and create a clear, realistic career plan. Her approach empowers young artists to unlock their full potential and step on stage with clarity, strength and authenticity.
Veselina plays on the “Joseph&Antonio Gagliano” Napoli, ca 1720, on loan to her from the Nationaal Muziekinstrumentenfonds in Amsterdam.
В.Маникова е носител на Специална и Първа награда на националния конкурс “Светослав Обретенов”-Провадия, на Първа награда за камерна музика, Наградата на град Фонтебло, Франция на конкурса “Music Summer Session” и на Специалната награда “Milka Violin Grant” на Markow Totevy Foundation (Ню Джърси,САЩ).
Веселина е учавствала като камерен музикант и преподавател в много фестивали, между които Международния фестивал ” Мартенски Музикални дни”-Русе,България,”George Enescu” Festival,Румъния,” Peter de Grote ” Festival; Muziekzomer Gelderland,Appeldoorn, Холандия и други.
Била е помощник-концертмайстор на Русенска филхармония, концертмайстор на Фестивалния оркестър на Международната музикална академия на Schleswig -Holstein Music Festival ,Германия, на Оркестъра на Pacific Music Festival,Япония, както и член на Фестивалния оркестър на Пасхален Фестивал в Москва, на Международния Вагнеров фестивал в Байройт (Германия) и на Нов Европейски струнен камерен оркестър под диригентството на Бернард Хайтинк,Валери Гергиев ,Кристоф Айшенбах,Дмитри Ситковетски ,Фабио Луизи, Ютака Садо,Едо де Ваарт и други.
СASCO Phil, Белгия;Камерата Амстердам;Residentie Orkest,Хага,Холандия;Aalborg Symphony orchestra,Дания;Tiroler symphony orchestra,Инсбрук,Австрия; Челябинск Симфоничен оркестър,Русия и други.
Методът ѝ на преподаване комбинира силните страни на руската и американската цигулкова школа. Тя интегрира дисциплината, прецизността и тоналната стабилност на руската традиция със свободата, индивидуалността и експресивността, които се подчертават в американския подход. Преподаването ѝ е силно индивидуализирано. Тя казва: „Стремя се да запазя уникалността на всеки ученик, като развивам тяхната техника, самостоятелно мислене, музикален глас, артистична свобода, интуиция и увереност на сцената, като ги насърчавам активно да участват в решаването на музикални и технически предизвикателства и ги подпомагам да растат както технически, така и креативно.“
От 2025 г. като сертифициран коуч, Веселина интегрира своя педагогически опит с професионални коучинг методи, като помага на цигулари да се развиват не само технически, но и в нагласата, самочувствието и емоционалната си устойчивост. Тя съчетава висококачествено обучение по цигулка с работа върху мотивацията, изграждането на увереност, поставянето на цели (с помощта на системата Direct Change Solution) и стратегии за преодоляване на сценичната тревожност и напрежението при изпълнения.
Тази уникална комбинация ѝ позволява да подкрепя младите музиканти холистично — като развива техните умения на инструмента, едновременно с това укрепва вътрешните им ресурси, докато те навлизат в професионалния свят. Тя помага на изгряващи цигулари да изградят увереност, да преодолеят сценичната тревожност, да управляват стреса, да създадат ефективни стратегии за практика, да се подготвят за конкурси и прослушвания и да изградят ясен и реалистичен план за кариера. Подходът ѝ дава възможност на младите артисти да отключат пълния си потенциал и да излязат на сцената с яснота, сила и автентичност.