About Temenuga (Tammy) Zhekova
Temenuga “Tammy” Zhekova was born in Bulgaria, where she began her musical education at a school in Sliven, focusing on violin and singing in a choir. She continued her studies in Kotel, graduating as a singer and tambura player, before securing a spot at the “Academy of Music, Dance and Art” in Plovdiv. There, she specialized in Conducting, Voice, and Musical Pedagogy for K-12 students, and became a notable soloist in the academy’s folk choir under the guidance of Professor Vasilka Spasova.
After graduation, Tammy joined the National Ensemble “Trakia” in Plovdiv as a soloist, touring worldwide. She also began performing with the “Canary” orchestra, collaborating with prominent Bulgarian folk musicians. Her musical portfolio includes participation in numerous CDs, over forty recordings with the Bulgarian National Radio orchestra, and five solo CDs with more than fifty songs, establishing her as a sought-after Bulgarian singer.
In 2002, Tammy moved to Chicago with her musician husband and started a wedding band that performs across America. In 2015, she founded the Chamber Choir “The Voices of Little Bulgaria”, leading the group in performances of Christian Orthodox music and Bulgarian a cappella folk songs. Apart from her musical career, for the last eight years, Tammy has worked in special education and has offered vocal coaching in Chicago.
