Bohdan Syroyid
About
Dr. Bohdan Syroyid is a composer, pianist, and educator serving as a Professor of Music Education at the University of Salamanca. Known for a compositional style that bridges the gap between eras, his work often involves "giving sound to paintings", reimagining classical repertoire within contemporary frameworks, and reviving Ukrainian and Spanish folk music.
His teaching portfolio spans Classical, Baroque, and Romantic traditions alongside jazz, world music, and electronic film scoring. Dr. Syroyid's goal is to cultivate the next generation of music teachers and musicians searching for a strong technique and individual artistic expression.
Teaching Style
Music is, at its core, a form of self-expression. My teaching philosophy begins with the understanding that every student comes with a unique set of aspirations, strengths, and challenges. Because of this, I do not believe in a "one-size-fits-all" curriculum. Whether you are a beginner taking your first steps or an advanced musician refining your voice, my priority is to design a roadmap that is specific to you.
In my lessons, I place a high value on a strong foundation—theory, technique, and sight-reading—because these are the tools that allow you to express yourself fluently. However, technique is merely the means to an end. My goal is to provide you with the necessary skills so that nothing stands between the music in your head and the instrument in your hands. I want you to interpret, create, and find your own sound.
Flexibility is key to my method. I know that some musicians thrive on rigid structure, while others learn best through improvisation and exploration. My approach is informed by my educational background, including a PhD in Musicology and degrees in Piano Performance, Music Pedagogy, Research, Educational Leadership, and Professional Composition & Orchestration. I aim at doing my best to bring this diverse experience to every lesson by offering constructive feedback.
Curriculum
Don't just take my word for it—here's what some of my previous students have to say:
"Bohdan is a fantastic teacher who has helped me strengthen my formal compositional skills while still encouraging freedom of expression and creativity. His ability to bring techniques to life and make them relevant to the music I'm working on is unparalleled." - Madeliene Chassar-Hesketh, BBC Young Composer Award winner
"I really enjoy my composition lessons with Bohdan. He has taught me so much in a short time, helping me structure my compositions properly and explore different musical genres. His patience and diverse teaching methods have been invaluable." - Alanna Crouch, Pianist and Composer
"Bohdan is the best teacher I have ever had. He simplifies complex concepts and ensures I have clear musical ideas. His influence on my compositional technique has been significant, and I highly recommend him without hesitation." - Julián Lagunas Vicioso, BA(Hons) Music Composition
Credentials & Affiliations
Current Academic Position
- Assistant Professor in Music Education at the University of Salamanca (Spain). 2022-present.
Invited Positions
- Guest Lecturer in Musicology at the Faculty of Musicology at the University of Turku (Finland). 2020-2021.
- Guest Lecturer of Music Theory and Composition at the School of Music of the University of Rhode Island (United States). 2020-2021.
- Guest Professor in Music Analysis at the Institute of Musicology and Performance Studies of the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna (Austria). 2019-2020.
- Invited Erasmus Professor in Musicology at the Faculty of Musicology at the University of Turku (Finland). 2019-2020.
- Visiting Lecturer at the Faculty of Humanities at the International University of La Rioja (Spain).
Past Roles
- Visiting Lecturer in Musical Pedagogy at the Alfonso X El Sabio University (Spain). 2021-2022.
- External Faculty in Musical Research at the Valencia International University (Spain). 2020-2022.
- Associate Lecturer in Music Education at the University of Salamanca (Spain). 2021-2022.
- Associate Lecturer in Music Education at the University Castilla-La Mancha (Spain). 2018-2022.
- Associate Lecturer in Music Education at the University of Valladolid (Spain). 2019-2020.
- President of the Society of Composers and Performers of Malaga (ACIM Malaga). 2015-2019.
Higher Education
Doctoral degree
- 2020: PhD in Musicology. University of Leuven (Belgium). “Analysis of Silences in Music: Theoretical Perspectives, Analytical Examples from Twentieth-Century Music, and In-Depth Case Study of Webern’s Op. 27/iii”. Supervisor: Mark Delaere. This degree was endorsed in Spain by the University of Valladolid.
Master’s degrees
- 2019: MEd in Management, Innovation, and Leadership of Educational Centers (1-year graduate programme). University of Camilo José Cela (Spain).
- 2017: MFA with Distinction in Professional Composition and Orchestration (2-year graduate programme). Double master’s programme: MA Orchestration for Films, Games & MA Television and Professional Media Composition. University of Chichester (United Kingdom).
- 2015: MA in Music Research (1-year graduate programme). International University of La Rioja (Spain).
Bachelor’s degrees
- 2024: BA(Hons) in Musical Pedagogy (4-year undergraduate programme). Higher Conservatory of Music of Murcia (Spain).
- 2022: BA(Hons) in Classical Piano Performance (4-year undergraduate programme). Higher Conservatory of Music of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain).
- 2014: BA(Hons) in Contemporary Music Composition (4-year undergraduate programme). Higher Conservatory of Music of Málaga (Spain).
Grants & Awards
- Grant by the Department of Physical Education, Arts Education, and Music of the University of Castilla-La Mancha for the contributions to international conferences in music education (2019-2022).
- Incentive for the premiere of an chamber piece “Cuarteto de Cuerda” (String Quartet) by the SGAE Foundation (Spain). The piece was premièred by the String Quartet ACIM Málaga (2018).
- SEMPRE Conference Award of The Society for Education, Music, and Psychology Research in Great Britain for a spoken-paper presented at the 15th International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition, and 10th triennial conference of the European Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music (ICMPC15/ESCOM10), Graz, Austria (2018).
- Winner of the 9th Award of the Musical Foundation of Malaga, for the best academic record of the Higher Conservatory of Music of Málaga (2015), with a two-year grant for postgraduate studies.
- Grant from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, Professional Formation and Universities of Spain for studying a master’s degree in musical research (2014).
- Winner of the 1st Prize at the 1st Composition Competition for Symphonic Orchestra “Emilio Lehmberg” with the original composition “Los bosques de cemento” (Cement forests) organized by the Higher Conservatory of Music of Málaga (2014).
- Winner of the 1st Prize at the 1st Composition Competition for Symphonic Band “Maestro Artola” with the original composition “Mar sin agua” (Waterless sea) organized by the Higher Conservatory of Music of Malaga (2013).
- Finalist at the 1st Competition of Young Chamber Music Performers in Malaga (2012).
- Grant for studying at the Higher Conservatory of Music of Malaga by the Council of Education in Andalusia (2010–2013).
- Winner of the 1st Prize at the Elementary Piano Competition “Gonzalo Martín Tenllado” (2008).