 His overall work in both the symphonic and the choral genres contributed to some neglected stages in the development of Bulgarian music and thus further established his status as an outstanding figure in Bulgarian musical culture.Petko Staynov held the chair of the Union of Folk Choirs in Bulgaria (the Bulgarian Singing Union) and of the Contemporary Music Association of Bulgarian Composers (1933–44), and served as Director of the National Opera (1941–44).In 1941 he was elected Regular Member (Academician) of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and in 1948 he became Director of the newly founded Institute for Music with Museum (later Institute of Musicology) with the Academy; held this position to the end of his days.