Magdalena Shumanova was born in Pazardzhik, Bulgaria and started playing piano at the age of 4.  She attended school at the Secondary Music School "Dobrin Petkov" in Plovdiv, Bulgaria and was awarded the Special Faculty Award for Academic and Performance Excellence as well as soloing with the City Philharmonic Orchestra of Plovdiv playing Saint-Saens' 2nd Concerto for Piano and Orchestra. While attending school there, she studied with Julia Girginova and Svetlana Kosseva and received her diploma in Piano performance and for secondary specialized education in music and art in 2002.

She entered the Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida in 2003 and received a full music scholarship and the Tallahassee Music Guild Scholarship in 2002.  She is currently studying with Dr. Carolyn Bridger and seeking a Bachelor's of Music in Piano Performance that will be completed in 2007.

Ms. Shumanova has competed in many competitions during her studies including:  The Mount Dora and MTNA Young Artist Competitions in Florida.  Besides competing here in the U.S., she has also competed in Bulgaria in the following competitions: The National Competition for German and Austrian Composers, the First National Competition for Contemporary American Music, the Sixth National Competition for Chech and Slovak Music (honorable mention) and the First International Piano Competition "Zeichler" (finalist).