Velia Ivanova he holds a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Arts in musicology from the University of Ottawa as well as a Ph.D from Columbia in Historical Musicology. Her research has been supported by a doctoral fellowship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

During the 2017-2018 academic year, Velia was selected to be one of the Music Department’s Lead Teaching Fellows. This fellowship, presented by the Center for Teaching and Learning, brings graduate students from a variety of disciplines together to foster pedagogical development.

In addition to her research, Velia maintains an avid interest in the folk dancing and culture of Bulgaria, the country in which she was born and raised. Since January 2017, she has been a member of the group “Bosilek,” an all-female Bulgarian folk dance ensemble that regularly performs in the New York area and across the United States.