Before coming to Towson University, he taught at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He received his bachelor's degree from the Academy of Music and Dance in Bulgaria and Ph.D. from the University of Oregon. Kirilov’s research explores the boundaries between two often compartmentalized fields, music theory and ethnomusicology, and his innovative analytical perspectives on Eastern European music have been well-received at national and international conferences. A master of multiple instruments, he has performed extensively in Bulgaria, Western Europe, and the United States. In 2003 and 2005, he toured the United States with Ivo Papazov, recipient of the 2005 BBC audience award in the “world music” category. In addition to being a teacher, scholar, and active performer, Kirilov serves as one of the main organizers of the international conferences Analytical Approaches to World Music.