Darena Popova has graduated at the State Academy of Music in Sofia (Bulgaria) with a major in Choir conducting. Since 1998, she is the conductor of Academic Choir “Angel Manolov” and since 2005 of the folklore formation “Chemerika”.
Graduated in the class of prof. Vassil Arnaudov, in the-recent years Darena Popova is a laureate of a number of first prizes and gold medals, diplomas and honours from choir festivals and competitions in Cantonigros (Spain), Aalborg (Denmark), Bruck an der Mur (Austria), Neuchatel (Switzerland), Trnava (Slovakia), Langollen (U.K.), Helsingbord (Sweden), Limasol (Cyprus), Torrevieja (Spain), Gorizia and Arezzo (Italy), Veldhoven (The Netherlands), Freamunde (Portugal), Provence (France). Also, since 1993 she is a member of Europa Cantat.
Under her conducting, Academic Choir “Angel Manolov” won the prize “Golden Lyre” of Union of Musicians and Dancers in 2003. In the 51-st and 55-th International Contest of Habaneras and Polyphony, Torrevieja – Spain, respectively in 2005 and 2009, Darena Popova won twice “Best conductor prize “José Hódar”. In 2008 she was awarded with a Gold plaque by “Mati Bulgaria”. In the I-st Freamunde International Choir Competition, Freamunde – Portugal, 2010 Darena Popova won the prize “Best conductor”.